Steak Crostini is so delicious!

This post is sponsored by the Certified Angus Beef ® brand in conjunction with a social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC.  All opinions, however, are my own.

Having grown up in the Midwest, beef was a staple on our dinner table.  Somehow over the years, as my brother and sister have lost interest in beef, my love of it seems to grow year after year, especially after I’ve gotten significantly better grilling skills.

This holiday season was a tough year from my son-in-laws family, it being the first year that they celebrated Christmas without his grandma.  We tried to keep as many traditions she would have had this year, one of which is to have appetizers for Christmas Eve.  I absolutely love finger food, this this was right up my alley.

That’s where steak crostini comes in.  It is versatile, relies on some store bought ingredients and minimal work on your part, but is a show stopper as soon as you put it down on the table.

I bought .99 cent French bread and jarred horseradish sauce from my local grocery store.  I sliced the French bread into 1/2 inch slices, brushed with olive oil, minced garlic and dried parsley, and baked the bread at 350 for 12 minutes, or until the bread is crisp all the way through.  Set aside to cool.  You can find this sauce on the condiment aisle at most grocery stores.  I simply sliced up tomatoes and cherry tomatoes for the topping and mixed it with a touch of salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar.

While the crostini is cooling, open up a package of Certified Angus Beef® brand , and let your beef come to room temperature before you even think of cooking it.  I used a New York strip, but a boneless ribeye or filet mignon would work equally as well.

Season liberally with coarse salt and cracked pepper.  Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.  If you cut of beef with some fat on it, I always cook that side first, holding the meat with tongs until the fat is nice and crispy.  Continue to cook each side of the steak over medium high heat – for just 3-4 minutes a side at most depending on how thick your beef is.  

That right there is a perfectly cooked steak that’s been properly rested.  See how there is no juice on the cutting board?  That’s because the beef has rested and the juices have redistributed to have a super juicy piece of steak.

The best way to cook beef perfectly every time is to buy a meat thermometer.  You should always cook your beef to temperature vs. time, because there are so many variables – was my stove an electric stove vs. your gas stove?  Maybe your cut of beef was 1/4 – 1/2 inch thicker than my cut?

Here is my rule of thumb – always pull beef off 10 degrees shy of your desired doneness.  For me this is what I follow:

  • For medium rare beef at 125 degrees, pull beef off heat at 115 degrees
  • For medium beef at 135 degrees, pull beef off heat at 125 degrees
  • For medium well at 145 degrees, pull beef off heat at 135 degrees
  • If you want your beef done more than that, I can’t help you because I think you’ve wasted your money

Another important factor when cooking beef is to let the meat rest.  It used to drive me insane when I grilled that my husband would want to slice into a beef roast within minutes of it coming off the grill.  Your patience will be rewarded with juicy meat every time.

To asemble the crostini, simply spread soft cheddare cheese spread on top of your crostini, place a couple slices of steak on top, then finish with the tomato/spinach mixture and a dollop of horseradish sauce.  So good!

I am so happy to be teaming up with Certified Angus Beef® brand  this coming year.  Their website is an amazing resource as well as their app – if you need to know who big a roast you should get for how many people you are serving, to great recipes and ideas on how kick up your beef game. 

This steak crostini would also be great on New Years Eve – just sayin’ 😀