A good-quality, well-marbled rump is the whole point here: sear it hard, baste it in garlic butter and let it rest so every slice stays pink and juicy. Crisp oregano and chilli oven chips and a pan sauce from the drippings finish it.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Resting
- 10 min
- Total
- 1 hr 15 min
- Serves
- 2 servings
You will need baking tray · heavy-based frying pan · tongs · foil · small jug · large bowl
Ingredients
Chips
Steak and sauce
Salad
Method
Chips
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan (220°C conventional). Soak the cut chips in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat them completely dry with a clean tea towel.
Tip the chips onto a baking tray, add the 1 tbsp sunflower oil, garlic powder, oregano, chilli flakes and a good pinch of salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread them out in a single layer.
Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning halfway, until deeply golden and crisp.
Steak
About 15 minutes before the chips are ready, heat a heavy frying pan over high heat until very hot. Rub the steak with the 1 tsp oil and season it generously with salt and pepper.
Sear the steak for 2 minutes a side without moving it, then cook for 1 more minute a side, adding the butter, garlic and rosemary for the final minute and spooning the foaming butter over the meat the whole time.
Move the steak to a warm plate, cover loosely with foil and rest for 5 minutes for a juicy medium-rare.
Sauce and serving
Return the pan to the heat, pour in the red wine and bubble for about 1 minute, scraping up the browned bits, until the alcohol smell has cooked off.
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cream, the 1 tsp vinegar, a pinch of salt and pepper and any juices from the resting plate. Pour into a small jug.
Toss the lettuce leaves and shallot rings with the olive oil, the 1 tbsp vinegar and a little salt.
Pile the chips onto warm plates and crumble over the feta. Slice the steak thickly against the grain, add it to the plates with the salad and pour over as much sauce as you like.
Tips
- For medium, give the steak an extra minute a side before resting; for rare, cut the second searing stage to 30 seconds a side.
- Use a dry red like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, or swap in beef stock with a splash of balsamic vinegar for an alcohol-free sauce.
- The chips only crisp properly if they are dried well and not crowded on the tray, so use two trays if needed.
- Leftover steak keeps for 2 days in the fridge and is lovely cold in a sandwich with the sauce.
Pan-Seared Rump with Oregano Feta Chips: your questions answered
How do I choose good quality steak?
Look for deep red meat with fine white marbling running through it and a neat layer of fat on the edge, ideally aged for at least 21 days. Ask your butcher to cut it about 2.5cm thick so it sears well without overcooking.
Why should steak rest before slicing?
Resting for 5 minutes under loose foil lets the juices settle back into the meat, so they stay in each slice instead of running onto the board.
Can I make the sauce without wine?
Yes, use the same amount of beef stock with a small splash of balsamic vinegar, then stir in the cream and vinegar as usual.
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