Pepper steak is a classic, which you can get even more flavor by flaming.
If you want to fry a really good pepper steak, you should flame the steak.
Villa Lilla, a restaurant located in Leppävaara, Espoo, has added a classic pepper steak to its menu, which is finished by flaming.
– In Villa Lilla, pepper steak was started at the turn of the year. The lighting is done in the hall, in front of the customer, says the restaurant manager of Muru restaurants Sarah Alander.
He promises that the flamed pepper steak won’t be leaving the list for a while. Customers have already found the steak.
No wonder:
– The flame gives the steak more good taste.
The flame is suitable for many meats, and for desserts as well. Adobe Stock
If you plan to fry pepper steaks at home, pay attention to the quality of the steak first. Since the pepper steak is left pink and is not seasoned except with salt and pepper (in addition to the flame), the meat is of high quality.
– You can’t hide the taste in honest meat food, Alander reminds.
Domestic beef tenderloin is used at Villa Lilla, but according to Alander, sirloin is also suitable – as is Entrecôte or Petite tender.
– In fact, anything can be set on fire, Alander encourages.
The last time he was at home was flaming leaf steaks. But the toasty taste given by the flame is suitable for chicken.
Potatoes go well with steak. Eeva Paljakka
This is how you flame
Bring the meat to room temperature about an hour before. Cut the steaks and season them with salt before frying.
Heat the pan, add oil and butter. Fry thicker steaks for about two minutes per side. Add black pepper on both sides.
Leave the steaks to rest for about 15 minutes (so that the meat’s juices don’t drain) and prepare the sauce. Another option is to flame the steaks right away and only then let the steaks rest.
Alander says that Villa Lilla’s sauce is a traditional pepper steak sauce with a demi-glace base to which mustard, cream, salt, black pepper and a little green pepper are added.
Beef sirloin steak is finished with a classic sauce. Eeva Paljakka
Pour the alcohol you used for flaming already into a glass or a small jug, so that you don’t spill too much of the drink into the pan. At home, 2-4 cm of strong alcohol is a good amount.
The alcohol must be brown, i.e. matured alcohol (fine wine or cognac), because it also leaves a taste in the steak.
Vodka or Koskenkorva are therefore not suitable, even if they have enough percentages. Percentages are another important criterion for the choice of liquor, so that the alcohol ignites. Closer to 40 percent is recommended.
But be careful that the pan is not too hot. In that case, the alcohol burns too quickly and the splash can surprise the igniter. Also, do not open a flame under the cooker hood.
Beef tenderloin should remain pink. Eeva Paljakka
If you’ve let the steaks rest before flaming, put new butter and oils in the pan. Fry quickly and put the peppers on both sides of the steak.
Start pouring alcohol into the pan from the farthest point from you, as the alcohol may accidentally spill on its own. Also, don’t be bent over the pan.
After pouring the alcohol into the pan, light it with a match or lighter. Alcohol burns quickly, so don’t slow down.
Many may be afraid of flaming and consider it dangerous, but it can be done at home too.
Flaming is quite rare in restaurants these days. And it is no longer part of the basic skills of waiters. But know-how is still available and new flamers are taught through work.
For example, the Helsinki restaurant Sekeli has flaming food on the menu, and classic restaurant Elite is currently running flaming weeks.