Seared sirloin with red wine mushroom pan sauce

• 800 g sirloin steak2 steaks, about 3cm (1.25 inch) thick, patted dry
• 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepperfreshly cracked
• 2 tbs avocado oil
• 250 g cremini mushroomssliced 5mm thick
• 2 shallotsfinely diced
• 2 garlic clovescloves, minced
• 6 fresh thyme sprigssprigs, leaves stripped (save a few whole sprigs for garnish)
• 120 ml dry red wine
• 120 ml beef stock
• 30 g unsalted buttercold, cut into small cubes
• 1 tsp dijon mustard

1. 1

   Pull the steaks from the fridge 20 minutes before cooking if possible. Season generously on all sides with the salt and cracked black pepper, pressing the seasoning into the surface.

   Tip: Room-temp steaks sear more evenly — but if you forgot, it's not a dealbreaker. Just add 30 seconds per side.

2. 2

   Heat the avocado oil in the skillet over high heat until it just begins to smoke. Carefully lay the steaks away from you into the pan. Don't touch them — let the crust build for 4 minutes until the bottom is deeply browned and releases easily from the pan.

   Tip: Resist the urge to move or peek. A proper crust needs uninterrupted contact with the hot pan.

3. 3

   Flip the steaks and sear the second side for 3-4 minutes for medium-rare (internal temp of 52°C / 125°F — it'll rise another 3-5 degrees while resting). Transfer to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil.

   Tip: For medium, go to 57°C / 135°F. The steaks will rest while you build the sauce, which is the perfect 5-7 minute window.

4. 4

   Reduce heat to medium-high. The pan should still have the rendered fat and all those beautiful browned bits. Add the sliced mushrooms in a single layer. Cook without stirring for 2 minutes until they start to brown on the bottom, then stir and cook another 2 minutes until golden and tender.

   Tip: If the pan looks dry, add a tiny splash of oil. Mushrooms need high heat and space to brown rather than steam.

5. 5

   Push the mushrooms to one side and add the shallots to the clearing. Cook for 1 minute until softened, then add the garlic and stripped thyme leaves. Stir everything together and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

6. 6

   Pour in the red wine and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up all the fond from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine bubble and reduce by about half — it should go from sloshy to slightly syrupy, about 1-2 minutes.

   Tip: This is where the sauce gets its backbone. Don't skip the scraping — that fond is pure flavor.

7. 7

   Add the beef stock and let it simmer for another 1-2 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about a third and looks glossy.

8. 8

   Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the cold butter cubes and the dijon mustard, swirling the pan until the butter melts into the sauce and it turns silky and emulsified. Pour any resting juices from the cutting board into the sauce and stir through.

   Tip: Adding the butter off-heat prevents it from breaking — you want a smooth, velvety sauce, not an oily one.

9. 9

   Slice the steaks against the grain into 1cm strips. Spoon the mushroom pan sauce generously over the sliced steak and top with the reserved whole thyme sprigs.

   Tip: Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat — the sauce will re-emulsify as the butter warms.

• skillet (30cm (12-inch))
• cutting board
• instant-read thermometer
• tongs

Per serving

Nutritional values are estimates only.