WHERE’S THE BEEF? “Holiday Wars” host Chef Jeff Mauro shows us…along with a side helping of laughs!
Reverse Seared Black Powder Rub Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Cheddar Sauce
Jeff Mauro
Serves 6 to 8
¼ cup Black Powder Rub
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 center cut beef tenderloin, trimmed about 2-3 pounds
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ stick unsalted butter
4 crushed garlic cloves
4 sprigs of thyme
Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat oven to 225° F.
Rub the entire tenderloin with the black powder rub. If you can, rest on a wire rack, on a sheet pan in the fridge overnight to help really intensify the flavor.
Roast until internal temperature of the center of roast registers 125°F for and ideal medium-rare, about 2-3 hours. If you want it more well done, aim for 135°F internal temp.
Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Add oil then the tenderloin on the first side for about 45 seconds. Add butter, garlic and thyme and flip the tenderloin, basting with the melted butter the whole time. Once all sides and edges are brown, you are done, about 2 to 4 minutes of searing total. Cut into beautiful medallions, remember to remove the twine, serve immediately as there is no need to rest the meat with the reverse sear method.
Serve with Horseradish Sauce Cheddar Sauce.
Black Powder Rub
1/4 c black sesame seeds
1 tablespoons poppy seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns, (if using a food processor, not a spice grinder, make sure you smash with a mallet first)
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1/4 c kosher salt
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon dehydrated onion
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
In a dry pan, toast all sesame seeds, poppy seeds, peppercorns and mustard seeds for about 3-4 minutes or until fragrant. Place in small food processor along with the salt, brown sugar, onion and granulated garlic, blender or spice grinder and pulse until finely ground.
Horseradish Cheddar Cheese Sauce:
2 12 oz can of evaporated milk
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1.5 tablespoons dijon
8 oz fontina cheese, freshly grated
8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
¼ cup prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Set a medium sauce pan to low heat. Add in evaporated milk, hot sauce and Dijon and whisk together until uniform and smooth. Toss grated cheese and cornstarch together in a bowl until totally coated. Whisk in cheese and horseradish and heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is silky and smooth. Season to taste with kosher salt.
Pull-Apart Parker House Rolls
Recipe courtesy of Jeff Mauro
Flour Paste:
3 tablespoons bread flour
Dough:
1/2 cup cold milk
1 large egg
2 cups bread flour, plus more for flouring
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the skillet
Nonstick cooking spray, for the bowl
4 ounces garlic-herb butter or honey butter, store-bought or homemade
For the flour paste: Add 1/2 cup water to a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is a smooth pudding-like consistency, 30 to 45 seconds. Let cool.
For the dough: Add the milk and egg to the flour paste and whisk together until smooth. Transfer the paste to a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and add the flour and yeast. Mix on low speed until all the flour is moistened, 1 to 2 minutes. Let rest in the bowl for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, with the mixer running on medium-low speed, add the sugar and salt and mix for about 5 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons of the butter and mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly to form a ball. Spray a mixing bowl with cooking spray, add the dough ball, cover with plastic wrap and let rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Transfer the dough to a work surface and press gently but firmly to release the air. Stretch the dough to form a 9-by-10-inch rectangle. Cut the dough lengthwise into 4 equal strips, then cut those strips into 3 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, stretch and press each one into an 8-by-2-inch inch strip. Roll each strip small end to small end in order to form a snug roll.
Grease a 12-inch cast-iron skillet with butter and arrange the rolls in the skillet, 10 around the outside and 2 in the middle. Cover with plastic and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Position an oven rack in the lowest position and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Brush the rolls with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.
When ready to serve, using a 2-ounce ice cream scoop, place scoops of the garlic-herb or honey butter in the center of the bread and let your guests pull apart the bread from the skillet.
Yield: 12 rolls
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Ease of Preparation: easy
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours (includes rising and cooling times)
