Easy Steak Recipe With a Rosemary Jam Crust

This easy steak recipe with a rosemary jam crust was created on my quest to learn how to to perfectly cook steak indoors. I used to avoid cooking steak because it always turned out more gray than brown when made on the stove. So I practiced and practiced until I nailed it, and then I started getting funky adding crusts and sauces.

This steak recipe was a result of one of my encrusting experiments. I wanted to make a fancy steak dinner as one of our date nights trying different romantic things to do in Seattle. The result? Fantastic.

Rather than keep it to myself, I thought I’d share it with you. So here you have it: My super easy steak recipe with rosemary jam crust. Plus tips on how to cook the perfect steak indoors and what wine to pair it with for a romantic meal in.

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Easy Steak Recipe with a Rosemary Jam Crust

Before diving in the recipe, here are tips for making this rosemary jam encrusted steak recipe.

How to make the perfect steak inside

The trick to making the perfect steak is 1) buying the right steak and 2) temperature. Let’s break this down a bit into actionable steps.

Buy the Right Cut and season generously

The first thing to consider is the cut and thickness of your steak. You want to avoid cuts that are fibrous and take a while to break down (think stew meats or brisket). I prefer rib eye because I love the extra fat the flavor adds. It also tends to be even more succulent if you buy bone-in steak because the bone leaches during cooking to make the meat even juicier.

Another great cut is New York strip, which tends to be leaner and not on the bone. Your butcher can also help you pick out another great cut for searing.

Whatever cut you get, make sure you season with more salt than you think you should. Seriously, I’m talking like one teaspoon of kosher salt for each pound of 1-1.5″ steak. You want to add the salt right before cooking because it draws moisture out and then caramelizes with the heat. Fattier cuts tend to absorb more fat, so be liberal with your seasoning!

Get the pan super hot in the oven

You need a cast iron skillet or grill pan to get super hot before you even put the steak on. You can let it heat up for a long time on the stove, but I recommend heating it without oil in the oven first.

This ensures the pan gets really hot. Once heated up, you simply take the pan out of the oven with mitts, place it on the stove, slowly add your vegetable oil, and put your (generously seasoned!) steak on immediately. You should hear violent sizzling as soon as the steak touches the pan.

Sear on the stove, finish in the oven

While reverse-sear is a thing, I usually sear first and finish in the oven for steaks that are 1″ or more thick. This allows you to make sure it’s cooked through.

Always check doneness with a meat thermometer. You want it to be about 130-135°F for medium rare. When it reaches that, take the steak off the pan and put it on a cutting board immediately to rest for about 10-15 minutes (depending how thick it is).

What does this easy steak recipe taste like?

Rib eye is one of the best cuts of meat our there. It’s fatty, but not in that, “Ew, why is there all these fat caps I can’t chew?” way. Rather, the fattiness flavors the meat so that when you bite into it you can’t help but softly moan. It’s the cut that epitomizes what steak is supposed to taste like.

This fattiness pairs so well with the sweetness of the jam. But all that fat definitely needs some acid. The zing from the lemon zest and herbaceous hit from the rosemary make this dish feel a bit lighter. The garlic gives it a more complex depth of flavor while the panko gives it this irresistible crunch.

This is hands down one of the best steaks I’ve ever cooked. Rib eye is super forgiving because of the fat content, so if you are inconsistent or new to cooking steak indoors, I highly recommend trying this easy steak recipe!

What type of wine does this pair best with?

Steak and red wine is a classic pairing, but not any red will do. You want a full-bodied and deep flavored red that will stand up to the fat content in steak. Lighter and acidic reds can get washed out or muddle that classic steak flavor, especially if it’s encrusted like this recipe.

Here are some options for Pacific Northwest wines that would go well with this easy steak recipe with rosemary jam crust:

• Mullan Road Cellars Red Blend 2016
• Saggi 2017 by Long Shadows
• Woodward Canyon Estate Merlot 2018
• DeLille D2 Estate Red 2018
• Gramercy Cellars the Third Man GSM 2018

You can also check out my guides to the best Washington wines, best Oregon wines, and best independent Seattle wine stores for more ideas!

The Steak with Rosemary Jam Crust Recipe

Serves 2 | Active 25 minutes (inc. ingredient prep) | 40 minutes total

Ingredients:

• ~1.25 lbs. ribeye or New York strip steak (about 1.5″ thick)
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1.5 tsp salt
• Some fresh ground pepper
• 1 C panko breadcrumbs
• 1 heaping Tbsp. of fresh rosemary sprigs, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/3 C tightly packed parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 Tbsp. jam (I used grape, but raspberry or similar works too!)
• 1 tsp. dijon mustard

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. While it heats up, season the steak generously with about 3/4 tsp. of salt and some grinds of black pepper.
3. When the skillet is very hot, add the steak to the skillet and cook until browned, about 2-3 minutes per side.
4. Remove the steak from the heat and set it in a baking sheet coved with aluminum foil.
5. Meanwhile, combine the panko, parsley, lemon zest, 1/2 tsp. salt, rosemary, and garlic in a small bowl. In a separate bowl combine the mustard and jam.
6. Rub the mustard-jam mixture all over the meat with a pastry brush. Press the breadcrumb mixture into the meat on both sides. Roast in the oven until the temperature reads 130-135°F for medium-rare to medium, about 8 minutes.
7. Remove from the over and let rest on a cutting board for about 10 minutes.
8. Slice the meat against the grain and season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 620 | Calories from fat: 396 | Fat: 45g | Saturated fat: 14.3g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1041mg | Carbs: 29g | Fiber: 2g | Sugars: 10g | Protein: 18g

Disclaimer: I am not a registered nutritionist and therefore these numbers are approximate. I researched the serving sizes and facts for each ingredient in this recipe (mostly using the manufacturer labels and this site), but slight variations in things like seasoning, garnishes, and substitutions can change the nutritional information. Use this information only as a general indication of your nutritional intake.

Yummy Side Dishes

If you want to keep it simple, this steak pairs well with asparagus and mashed potatoes. Or you can get fancy and serve with tomato jam. Simply add shallots to a saucepan with olive oil and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomato, season, bring to a oil, and then reduce heat and simmer 12 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Serve the jam on the side with roast potatoes for a chef-y take on ketchup and fries.

Another option is to make one of these easy side dish recipes:

• Easy Pea Shoot Salad with Chives and Honey
• Grilled Oysters Served with Butter Two Ways
• Cauliflower Apple Soup That’ll Warm Your Heart