Chateaubriand worth the splurge
Chateaubriand (pronounced shaatow-bree-aand) refers to a larger cut of meat that is the most center part of a beef tenderloin. Meant to serve at least two people, it has a high price tag because the meat is taken from the most expensive part of the animal. ( Cuts from high up on the animal get less exercise and are, therefore, very tender.)
When buying meat for this recipe, your best bet is to visit a butcher or a supermarket that has a decent butcher counter. Ask them for “a 2-pound chateaubriand roast,” and what you’ll receive is a nicely trimmed roast usually tied with butcher twine. The twine is to help the roast keep its shape during cooking, which helps the meat cook evenly.
Chateaubriand versus filet mignon
Both of these cuts hail from the same super-tender part of the cow. The difference is size. Chateaubriand is a larger roast meant for serving at least two people, while filet mignon refers to a single-serve cut of meat.
What sauce is best with chateaubriand?
Traditionally chateaubriand is served with a pan sauce. This recipe instructs you to make just that: a deeply flavored sauce fortified with butter, shallots and wine. It’s rich in flavor and easy to make; it can be cooked while your roast is in the oven. If you have any leftover meat and plan to eat it the next day, horseradish sauce is a really nice accompaniment.
What to serve with chateaubriand
The richness of the meat and red wine sauce is best served with something simple.
Potatoes in almost any form are a great choice. Mashed, baked, gratin or roasted would all be delicious. A simple vegetable like green beans, asparagus or spinach round out the elegant meal. If you and your dinner guests drink wine, the full-bodied red that you made your sauce with will pair perfectly with the roast.
Why use demi-glace?
Demi-glace is a rich brown sauce that’s made by reducing stock and aromatics.
The result is a flavor-packed ingredient that can add instant richness to a sauce.
When you are making a small amount of sauce, like the red wine sauce in this recipe, using demi-glace adds more depth to it than, say, straight beef broth because of how concentrated it is. You can find demi-glace at grocery stores, butchers and online. Veal or beef demi-glace would work great here.
If you can’t find it, you can make a substitute by simmering some high-quality beef stock or beef bone broth until it has reduced by half. This evaporates half the water, leaving behind a richer beef stock.