The Plough Inn, Wombleton, North Yorkshire, which is number 67 on the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropub’s List, offers the dish all year through and sells at least two servings per service.
Chef-patron Richard Johns described the plate as a “menu pleaser” and advised operators to always buy beef from trusted suppliers to ensure the best cut.
He continued: “This dish requires minimum fuss but delivers in spades.
“I use two completely different cooking techniques for this cut of meat.
Wine pairing
“First using the sous vide method and secondly in the oven. I use a Rational Combi Pro, but any conventional oven will work. You will just need a digital meat temperature thermometer.”
Johns also urged operators not to cook the meat any lower than 54°C if using the Sous Vide method as this can make the beef “too chewy”.
The top gastropub serves its Cote de Boeuf with a red wine sauce and homemade triple-cooked chips alongside a parmesan & pickled red onion salad.
Previously, the Plough has also served the dish with Barkham blue cheese stuffed field mushrooms, herb brioche crumb stuffed tomatoes and a green peppercorn sauce.
In addition, Johns said the plate pairs well with a “full-bodied red wine”. The pub currently recommends Ca Vittoria Appassimento from Puglia, Italy, to customers.
Very popular
The dish, which requires a 1kg aged Cote de Boeuf for two sharing, costs approximately £26 per steak to make while the garnish costs around £3, taking the total price of the dish to £29.
On the menu at the Plough Inn for £95, the serve offers operators a gross profit of 64%.
Johns added: “Quality beef usually sells itself.
“[The profit] isn’t too bad when considering the high initial cost of ingredients.
“Usually, it’s a very popular option [with guests], especially with it being very competitively priced. In certain establishments, this would priced at around £120."
Cote de Boeuf for two:
Ingredients:
- 1 x 1kg aged cote de boeuf beef
- Salt & pepper
- Oil & butter for finishing
Method:
To cook sous-vide:
- Season steak and place in a sous-vide bag.
- Seal on maximum pressure in a vacuum packing machine
- Place in a water bath set to 54°C
- Cook anywhere from three hours to twenty-four hours
- If not using immediately, plunge the bag into an ice water bath and refrigerate (This will keep for at least one week in the fridge)
- To reheat, place back in the water bath at 56°C for approximately 25 minutes
- If using immediately or reheating, heat a suitable frying pan until very hot and add oil
- Remove the steak from the bag and pat dry well
- Carefully place the steak into the pan and colour until nicely browned
- Turn the steak over, add butter to the pan and baste for one minute
- Remove steak, season well, and rest for five minutes before carving and serving
To cook using the oven technique:
- Place steak on a baking tray, lightly cover with oil and season well
- If using a rational oven, place a thermometer probe into the meat and cook until the internal temperature reaches 52°C (Approximately 15 minutes)
- Remove from the oven and finish in the pan, as per the sous-vide technique
- Season once more then leave to rest for at least ten minutes.
- If preferred, the steak can be seared first and then finished in the oven as above
- Serve with a garnish of choice
To take part in The MA’s Dish Deconstructed series please contact rebecca.weller@wrbm.com. Check out the previous Dish Deconstructed here.
