Recipe Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
You will be hard pressed to find many people who don’t like a good old steak sarnie – and so we have decided to give you a stunning yet simple recipe to make a ‘next level’ one! Using sirloin steak, sticky caramelised onions and a toasted sourdough, this steak sandwich really hits the spot.
Finely marbled sirloin steak is a popular choice as one of the most flavoursome and succulent beef steaks. Ideal for grilling, frying or stir-frying. Our sirloin steaks are from grass fed traditional breed cattle from Yorkshire, dry aged on the bone for at least 21 days to create the very best sirloin steak.
Indulge in the rich and savoury delight of this sumptuous steak and caramelised onion ciabatta which features a perfectly grilled, tender steak, bursting with robust flavour, nestled within a fresh, crusty sourdough roll. The steak is complemented by sweet, golden-brown caramelised onions that add an incredible depth of flavour with their natural sugars bringing a subtle sweetness that contrasts beautifully with the savoury meat. This luxury steak and caramelised onion sourdough is a true culinary delight, perfect for a gourmet lunch or a satisfying dinner / tea (maybe add some chips if it’s for your main meal – you might as well treat yourself, we did).
Ingredients (To serve 2)
- 1 sirloin steak
- 1 large onion
- 10g unsalted butter
- Olive oil
- 35g dark brown sugar
- 75 ml red wine vinegar
- 1 sourdough / ciabatta loaf / 2 small individual sourdough / ciabattas
- English mustard & mayonnaise
- 1 handful of rocket
- Salt & cracked black pepper
Method
STEP 1 – Ingredient Preparation
Remove the steak from the fridge and allow it to get to room temperature. This is vital to ensure effective cooking. Peel the onion, removing the first layer of flesh then slice roughly.
Once the steak is at room temperature, oil slightly, and add a good grind of black pepper to each side, finishing with a sprinkling of maldon salt (if you have it, or normal salt if not).
Turn the oven on to 180°C to warm up for baking the ciabatta.
STEP 2 – Making the caramelised onions
Add the butter, a splash of oil and the sugar into a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. Once the butter has melted, place the onions into the pan in a single layer and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the vinegar, then the lid and reduce the heat to low and cook for around 30 minutes, or until golden and caramelised on the bottom only, adding splashes of water to loosen if this is needed.
STEP 3 – Baking the Sourdough
Add the ciabatta to the oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden. (Keep checking)
STEP 4 – Cooking the steak
We love our steak medium-rare, especially when using it for a sandwich. With that in mind, place a large, non-stick, heavy-bottomed pan over high heat. Once it is extremely hot, drizzle the olive oil over the steak and place it in the pan. Cook the steak for 3 minutes on each side, or adjust the cooking time to your preference.
(The cooking time needs to consider the thickness and type of steak you choose, so please bare that in mind)
Once cooked, remove the steak onto a plate and leave to rest for at least 1 minute. Once rested, slice the steak 1cm thick and for extra indulgence toss the steak around in its own juices.
Step 5 – Assembling the sandwich
Remove the ciabatta from the oven and slice in half. Rub the inside of each piece in the resting juices (if you want to) and then spread over a thin layer of mustard mayonnaise (simply mix 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise with 1 teaspoon of English mustard, or your preferred mustard). Add a layer of caramelised onions followed by the slices of steak. Top with a handful of watercress, then add the ciabatta lid and press down.
