Few things pair together as well as steak and potatoes. It is a classic combination that is as old as time itself. Probably. 😉 In the interest of keeping this meal at least slightly healthy, we’re also going to be making a fresh garden salad with a home made balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
We’re also going to be elevating the classic baked potato with the more impressive twice baked variety! It’s always a treat to see one of these and you might think that is due to the difficulty in preparing them; however, that couldn’t be further from the truth. They are surprisingly simple to make with the only real challenge coming down to the fact that most people try to handle them when they are fresh out of the oven, I.E. molten lava hot.
The trick is to plan enough in advance that you have a bit of time to allow them to cool down a little bit… I usually don’t even start cooking my steak until the potatoes are well out of the oven because I know if the steaks are done before the potatoes are cooling, then the steaks will be cold when the potatoes are done. Not the best way to enjoy this dish.
Another thing I’ve seen is that many people are afraid of making their own dressings. They are SO EASY TO PREPARE! Seriously, a simple vinaigrette is only a few ingredients shaken together in a container in usually a 3:1 ratio of Oil to Acid like 3 parts Olive Oil to 1 part Balsamic Vinegar. Add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to help it bind together and some salt and pepper to taste and VOILA! You have a home made basic vinaigrette that you can add to and customize to your hearts content.
Want a bit more tartness? Squeeze in some lemon! Feeling a bit herbal? Pinch off some thyme leaves and add it to the mix. Want it to be spicy? Red pepper flakes got your back. If you’ve never made your own vinaigrette, it’s time to give it a shot.
Plus it’s way cheaper and tastes way better than the stuff sold in the stores.
The basic idea here is that we will be baking our potatoes first, prepping our salad veggies, and then … literally doing nothing until the potatoes are baked. In fact, you could completely prepare the potatoes prior to their second round of baking before even preheating the pan for starting the steak. Prep the potatoes the day before, even. Then we toss the taters into the oven, cook our steaks, dress our salad, and serve up a plate of classic perfection.
Steak, Salad, and Twice Baked Potato
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Potato Masher
- Cheese Grater
- Small Container with Lid
- Mandolin optional
Ingredients
Steak and Potato
- 8 oz Sirloin Steak per serving
- 1 large Russet Potato per two servings
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 2 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 1 oz Blue Cheese crumbles
- 1 tbsp Sour Cream
Garden Salad & Vinaigrette
- 1 head Romaine Lettuce
- 2 Radish
- 1 Tomato
- 1 Carrot
- ¼ Red Onion
- ¼ Avocado
- ¼ Cucumber
- 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
Prep Work
- Season your steak with salt and set on a plate in the fridge at least 24 hours in advance for best results. This makes a huge difference in how evenly and well seasoned the steak ends up.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Separate several lettuce leaves from the main head of Romaine, wash and dry them thoroughly.
- Poke 8-10 sets of holes using a fork into the "top" and "bottom" of the potato.
Get the Potato Cooking and Make the Salad
- Rub the potato lightly in olive oil, sprinkle it with salt, and then place it on a baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven. Cook for 45-60 minutes.
- While the potato cooks, thinly and uniformly slice your carrots, radish, cucumber, and red onion then add them to a salad bowl. A mandolin works great for this step.
- Quarter the tomato and slice the quarters into 3-4 chunks each then add to the salad bowl.
- Stack your lettuce leaves and use your hands to tear them into bite sized pieces then add these to the salad bowl.
- Cover the salad bowl with plastic wrap and set in a cool place until later.
Mix the Balsamic Vinaigrette
- In the lidded container add three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, teaspoon of lemon juice, teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Secure the lid and shake the container vigorously to combine.
- Open the container and add salt and pepper to the dressing, give it another mix, and adjust to taste. Set aside next to the salad.
Cook the Steak Once Potato is Baked
- Once the potato has finished baking (you should be able to easily slide a knife through the center without resistance) remove it from the oven, carefully cut it in half, and set it on a cutting board or plate to cool down. It will take some time, so don't start cooking the steak until this has happened.
- Preheat the cast iron pan on medium high heat then add 1 tablespoon olive oil and swirl gently to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Season the steak with fresh cracked pepper and when the oil just starts smoking add the steak to the pan making sure to lay it away from you to prevent oil from splashing towards you.
- Turn the heat down to medium and use tongs or a large spoon to press the steak flat against the pan. Do not touch the steak for at least 4-5 minutes to allow it to establish a sear on this side.
- Flip the steak and add 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter to the pan. Once it melts completely, gently tilt the pan to the side and use a spoon to baste the steak with the melted butter.
- Lay the pan flat and use tongs or a large spoon to keep the steak pressed against the pan. Allow the steak to cook for 4-5 minutes, basting the steak at least every minute.
- Use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak OR press the thickest part of the steak to check for doneness. The thermometer will always be accurate, pressing the steak can be learned with experience.
- If the steak is not cooked to your desired temperature, flip it and cook for another two minutes basting regularly. Test again for doneness. Repeat until steak is cooked to the desired temperature then remove from the heat.
- Set the steak on a plate loosely covered with aluminum foil to rest while you finish the potato.
Stuff the Potato and Bake it Again
- Use a paper towel or clean dish towel to cup one half of the potato and scoop out 3/4 of the meat into a bowl. You should have about 1/4" of potato left on the inside of the potato skin. Repeat for the other half of the potato.
- Add 2 tablespoons softened butter into the bowl with the potato meat, and use a potato masher to combine and mash the potato. Add cheeses to the bowl and stir together to combine. Season to taste.
- Scoop the mashed potato back into the potato skins, dividing equally between the two halves. The mashed potato should look like it is heaping out of the potato skins.
- Sprinkle with a little extra cheddar cheese, place the halves back on the baking sheet, and put them back into the oven under the broiler for 5-6 minutes, until golden brown and the cheese has melted.
Toss Salad, Slice Steak, and Plate it Up
- Add dressing as desired to the salad and toss the veggies together. When done, remove the potatoes from the oven and arrange on the plate with the salad. As a final step, slice the steak into thick strips and arrange on the plate.
