Côte De Boeuf Sandwich - A Guest Recipe by Thomas Straker
We’re proud to raise traditional and rare-breed cattle, including South Devon, Gloucester, and Aberdeen Angus. All are reared slowly and organically on grass pasture and wild forage, then processed at our own small abattoir in Staffordshire.
Our organic, dry-aged côte de boeuf is a true expression of this mindful approach. Here, British chef Thomas Straker shares his take on the ultimate steak sandwich — a simple yet indulgent way to celebrate exceptional beef.
80g mayonnaise
1 tablespoon horseradish sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2-3 medium-sized tomatoes
30g cornichons
½ butterhead lettuce, washed and leaves separated
1 organic côte de boeuf, around 800g, removed from the fridge 2-3 hours before cooking
Vegetable oil or beef tallow
50g butter, cubed
1 head of garlic, halved through the middle
Bunch of thyme sprigs
1 large ciabatta or something similar
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly cracked black pepper
Flaky sea salt
Preheat the oven to 100°C.
First, mix together the mayonnaise, horseradish sauce and mustard with a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper. Season to taste with salt and set aside for later. Next, slice your tomatoes and cornichons and set those aside too.
Move onto the beef. Season the steak generously all over with salt and pepper, then set a large heavy-based frying pan or skillet over a high heat. Rub the steak in some vegetable oil (or beef tallow if you have it!), then sear the beef on both sides for a couple of minutes until deeply browned. Remove from the heat and set onto a tray ready for the oven. Add the butter to the hot pan along with the garlic and thyme. Cook until the butter browns and smells nutty, then pour over the steak. Transfer to the oven to finish cooking for 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 46°C. Set aside to rest before thinly slicing.
Next, cut the ciabatta in half to give you a top and bottom, then drizzle generously with olive oil. Toast in a hot pan until golden.
To assemble, spread the bread on both sides with the mayonnaise, then top with the sliced cornichons and tomatoes. Arrange the sliced steak over the top, seasoning well with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Lay the lettuce on top, then place the other half of the bread on top of that to close. Press down firmly with your hands to seal, then cut in half and serve.
