This Cast Iron Bavette Steak with Whiskey Garlic Cream Sauce is an easy yet luxurious weeknight meal that brings high-end restaurant flavors into your kitchen. The tender bavette steak, pan-seared to perfection, is topped with a rich, creamy whiskey garlic sauce made from the steak drippings. With a balance of savory flavors and a hint of warmth from the whiskey, this dish is sure to impress.

Full Recipe:

Ingredients

For the Bavette Steak:

• 1 1/2 pounds bavette steak

• 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic herb blend seasoning (or seasoning of choice)

For the Whiskey Garlic Cream Sauce:

• 1/4 cup whiskey (bourbon style preferred)

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (or half & half for a lighter version)

• 1/4–1/2 cup beef broth (to thin, if desired)

• Ground black pepper to taste

Directions

For the Steak:

1. Rest the Steak: Allow the steak to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

2. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

3. Season the Steak: Pat the steak dry with paper towels and season it with salt, pepper, and garlic herb blend.

4. Sear the Steak: Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s nearly smoking, add oil and sear the steak for 3-5 minutes on each side until dark brown. Do not tear the steak from the pan.

5. Roast the Steak: Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and cook the steak to your desired doneness (135°F for medium-rare is recommended). Use an instant-read thermometer for best results.

6. Rest the Steak: Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the steak to a plate. Tent it loosely with foil while you make the sauce.

For the Whiskey Garlic Cream Sauce:

1. Prepare the Sauce: Place the skillet with the steak drippings back on the stove over medium-low heat. Add butter and allow it to melt into the drippings.

2. Add Garlic and Herbs: Add garlic and thyme to the pan and sauté for about 1-2 minutes, allowing the garlic to become fragrant.

3. Add Whiskey and Cream: Stir in whiskey and scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan. Add Dijon mustard, heavy cream, and beef broth (to thin the sauce if desired). Allow the mixture to simmer and thicken for a few minutes.

4. Season: Taste the sauce and add ground black pepper as needed.

Serving:

1. Slice the steak against the grain and drizzle with the whiskey garlic cream sauce. Serve immediately.

Nutrients (per serving)

• Calories: 460 kcal (approximate)

• Carbohydrates: 5 g

• Protein: 40 g

• Fat: 32 g

• Saturated Fat: 14 g

• Cholesterol: 125 mg

• Sodium: 620 mg

• Potassium: 500 mg

• Fiber: 0.5 g

• Sugar: 2 g

This rich, savory dish pairs perfectly with a side of mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables for a complete meal. Enjoy!

The Perfect Steak: Tender, Juicy, and Flavorful

Bavette steak, also known as flap meat, is a cut that’s known for its tenderness and slightly loose texture. This makes it ideal for high-heat cooking methods like pan-searing. The key to a perfectly cooked bavette steak lies in proper seasoning and searing. By resting the steak before cooking, it cooks more evenly, ensuring a juicy, flavorful result.

To prepare, the steak is seasoned simply with kosher salt, ground black pepper, and a garlic herb blend (or your favorite seasoning mix). This minimalistic seasoning enhances the natural beef flavor without overpowering it. Patting the steak dry ensures a great sear, and once it hits the pan, the goal is to avoid moving it too much to ensure it forms a nice crust.

The steak is then roasted in the oven to your desired doneness. For a perfectly medium-rare steak, aim for an internal temperature of 135°F. Using an instant-read thermometer is essential to achieving the perfect level of doneness.

Creating the Whiskey Garlic Cream Sauce

What sets this dish apart is the rich, indulgent whiskey garlic cream sauce. This sauce, made from the fond (caramelized bits) left in the cast iron skillet after searing the steak, adds a deep, savory richness to the dish. The whiskey not only helps deglaze the pan but also adds complexity and a subtle warmth that pairs beautifully with the creamy mustard sauce.

To start, butter is melted into the steak drippings, which gives the sauce a luscious texture. Then, garlic and fresh thyme are sautéed until fragrant, infusing the sauce with earthy flavors. The whiskey is added to the pan, and as it simmers, it absorbs all the browned bits from the steak, creating a deep, flavorful base for the sauce.

Dijon mustard and heavy cream (or half-and-half for a lighter version) bring tanginess and creaminess, respectively, making the sauce smooth and velvety. The beef broth is optional but useful for thinning the sauce to the desired consistency. After simmering for a few minutes, the sauce thickens, creating the perfect coating for the steak.

Pan-Seared Perfection: Searing and Roasting the Steak

The best method for cooking this steak involves both searing and roasting. The searing process in the cast iron skillet ensures that the steak has a delicious, golden-brown crust, while the oven roasting helps to cook the steak evenly to your desired doneness.

The skillet should be heated over medium-high heat until it’s nearly smoking, at which point you add oil and sear the steak for 3-5 minutes on each side. The key is not to move the steak around too much; let it sit in the pan to achieve that beautiful sear. Once both sides are seared, the skillet is transferred to the oven to roast the steak to perfection.

After roasting, it’s important to let the steak rest for a few minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring a juicy, tender steak with every bite.

Serving: A Delicious and Elegant Presentation

Once the steak is rested, slice it against the grain to ensure tenderness. The whiskey garlic cream sauce is then generously drizzled over the top, enhancing the flavors of the steak and creating a luxurious finish to the dish.

This dish pairs wonderfully with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or a simple salad. The rich sauce complements starchy sides, while the freshness of vegetables helps balance the richness of the steak and sauce.

Nutritional Breakdown

With 460 calories per serving, this Cast Iron Bavette Steak with Whiskey Garlic Cream Sauce is a filling yet relatively balanced meal. Each serving provides 40 grams of protein, making it a great choice for those looking for a hearty, satisfying meal. The dish also contains 32 grams of fat, with 14 grams of saturated fat, which contributes to its rich and luxurious flavor.

The carbohydrates are relatively low at 5 grams, and the dish contains a small amount of fiber (0.5 grams), which is primarily from the thyme and garlic. The 2 grams of sugar in the dish come from the whiskey and mustard, giving it a subtle sweetness that balances the savory flavors.

This meal also provides essential minerals like potassium (500 mg), which supports heart health, and calcium (24 mg), which contributes to strong bones. The sodium content (620 mg) is moderate, so it’s an excellent choice for those looking for a flavorful yet not overly salty dish.

Conclusion

Cast Iron Bavette Steak with Whiskey Garlic Cream Sauce brings the flavors of a high-end steakhouse right into your home, offering a perfect balance of savory, creamy, and subtly sweet notes. With its tender bavette steak, rich whiskey-infused sauce, and easy yet impressive preparation, this dish is ideal for a special weeknight dinner or a celebratory meal. Whether paired with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or a crisp salad, this meal will surely leave you satisfied and asking for seconds.