Steak Marsala
Steak Marsala
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat with the olive oil.
- Season your steaks on one side with the Montreal steak seasoning. Season the other side with kosher salt and ground black pepper.
- When your pan is hot and the oil starts to shimmer, add your steaks. Cook 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare to medium steaks.
- Take the steaks out of the pan and let them rest on a plate. Now, add the butter to the skillet. Once melted, add your mushrooms along with a small pinch of salt. Cook the mushrooms until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and cook for one minute while stirring. Now, add the marsala wine and cook for about 30 seconds to cook out the alcohol. Add in the chicken stock and cook one minute more. You sauce should have thickened slightly.
- You are now ready to serve over your steak. Top with a sprinkle of the fresh parsley. Enjoy!
- Note: For medium rare steaks, cook till 125 degrees internal temperature. For medium cook until 130 degrees internal temperature. Carry over cooking will raise the internal temperature of the steak by 5 degrees.
Video
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Let us know how it was!What is Marsala and which type does this recipe use?
Marsala is a fortified wine from Sicily that ranges from dry to sweet. The ingredient list specifies sweet Marsala, which contributes gentle sweetness and caramel-like notes to the sauce. Using a different style of Marsala will alter the sauce’s sweetness and overall flavor balance.
Why use a 12-inch cast iron skillet?
Cast iron holds and distributes high heat well, which helps create a strong sear and develops browned bits (fond) on the pan surface. That fond is lifted when Marsala is added and forms a primary flavor base for the sauce, so a 12‑inch cast iron skillet is a practical choice for this searing-and-sauce method.
Searing and resting: what those steps do
Searing in a very hot pan triggers the Maillard reaction, producing deep flavor and color on the steak’s exterior. Resting after cooking allows carryover cooking to finish the steaks and gives time for juices to redistribute, so slices stay juicier when served.
How the sauce comes together: deglazing and thickening
Sprinkling flour over the mushrooms provides a light thickening agent once liquid is added and cooked, and cooking the flour briefly removes raw flour taste. Adding Marsala lifts browned bits from the pan (deglazing) and cooking it briefly reduces volatile alcohol while concentrating flavor. Adding chicken stock then combines with the thickened pan juices to produce the slightly thickened sauce described in the method.
FAQ
Is “sweet” Marsala required?
The ingredient list specifies sweet Marsala wine; sweet styles add gentle sweetness and caramel-like notes that contribute to the sauce’s character.
How does the flour in the pan affect the sauce?
Sprinkled flour acts as a light thickener once liquid is added and cooked; cooking it briefly removes raw flour flavor and helps the sauce finish smooth and slightly thickened.
Watch Dr. J Make Steak Marsala
Watch Dr. J make Steak Marsala and see how it comes together.
