Not too long ago, Wilsall, Montana-based Shields Valley Ranchers reached out to me asking if they could send me samples of their sustainably sourced beef. Their literature states that they raise their beef in Montana with “compassion, care, and sustainable practices.” I love me some steaks and burgers, and I especially appreciate compassion, care and sustainability when working with animals, so I was excited to try what they had offered to send me and share a recipe for the perfect pan-seared steak on the stove, too!
(And a link to a burger recipe, too, because hey — why not?!)
Heads up if you are squeamish – there are pictures of raw meat in this post.
I also liked hearing about their unique take on their business. “Our hope is to support generational ranch families, by eliminating packing/shipping house interference and selling our quality beef directly to consumers (ranch to table). We sell and process parts of the live animal, like a co-op. This way, the entire animal is utilized and only processed once sold. We are Made in Montana certified and state inspected.”
I don’t eat a large amount of meat, but when I do, I prefer to be mindful of the source I purchase it from, and this sounded right up my alley.
They sent the steak cuts and ground beef in a refrigerated box. And I just had to laugh when I saw their slogan on the side:
The meat was well-insulated and still cold when I received it. They also included some information about their business, a magnet, a seasoning packet, and some recipes and suggestions to try when cooking the meat.
One of the things that stood out to me was this quote from their informational material: “Order the quantity that best suits your needs. We will raise the beef with minimum impact on the land.” As someone who is always trying to do my best to reduce my negative impact on the environment, I appreciate businesses that are also working toward this same goal. They even ship for free all over the United States.
I immediately wanted to try the rib and T-bone steaks they sent my way. I love cooking my steaks in a hot cast iron pan and then finishing them off in the oven. It’s about the easiest way ever to cook a steak, and also means you don’t have to fire up a grill. (Nothing against grilled steak, but sometimes I don’t want the hassle of that extra step when making dinner.)
You only need three ingredients to really make your steak shine: butter, salt, and pepper! And, if you want to add a little extra flavor, just toss in some quartered garlic cloves and fresh thyme or rosemary.
The first step is to use an oven-friendly pan, since you’ll be finishing the steak in the oven. I LOVE my cast iron pan, and always use this when cooking steaks. Get it nice and hot over medium-high heat. Don’t forget to preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
While your pan and oven are getting toasty, prepare your steak. I like to let mine come up to room temperature. Blot any excess moisture off the steak and generously season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper.
Next you’ll want to sear the steaks after your pan and oven are ready to go. Melt some butter in the pan (and add in your garlic, thyme, or rosemary if you’d like) and place your steaks in. If you’ve added in the aromatics (the garlic and herbs), you can spoon the butter (and all its yummy flavors) right over the steak as it cooks. You’ll want to cook the steaks about 3 to 4 minutes on the first side. Do not be tempted to touch the steaks or move them around as this will prevent you from creating a delicious brown crust and a great sear.
After the 3 or 4 minutes has passed, flip the steak over and top with the pat of butter. Transfer the hot pan and the steaks (remember, the pan’s hot! Use an oven mitt to handle the pan!) to the oven for about 5 minutes.
After the steak has baked for 5 minutes, remove the pan from the oven, and transfer the steaks to a plate. Tent them with foil and let them rest for about 5 minutes. This allows the steak to finish the last part of its cooking (yep, the steak still cooks after you’ve removed it from the oven), and it helps to evenly disburse the juices, meaning you won’t lose all that flavor when you do eventually cut into them.
Take the foil off after 5 minutes, slice the steak at an angle against the grain, and enjoy the heck out of them!
These steaks from Shields Valley Ranchers were absolutely delicious — so flavorful and totally satisfying for a super easy dinner.
I also wanted to give their ground beef a try, too, and I figured what better way to do that than with the “Eric’s Famous Hamburgers” recipe they provided in their informational material.
I sautéed up some bacon, mushrooms and onions (all chopped small). Once that was ready (and cooled), I mixed it in with the ground beef and then formed patties that I (again) cooked in my cast iron skillet.
I also seasoned the burgers with a touch of what they call “Alpine Touch seasoning salts.” (It’s a mix of sea salt, onion, garlic, pepper, sunflower oil and rice concentrate.)
These burgers were decadent! So tasty, and so good!
But they were almost a little too rich for me. So I repurposed the burger mixture and turned it into a spaghetti sauce that was so delicious.
All in all, you can’t go wrong with this beef. I’m definitely happy I was able to try it out! Thanks again, Shields Valley Ranchers!
- 2 room temperature steaks of your choice
- Salt
- Pepper
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered (optional)
- 1 to 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme (optional)
- Preheat an oven-safe cast iron skillet (or any other oven-safe pan) over medium-high heat. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Blot any excess moisture on steaks with a paper towel. Season both sides of the steaks with salt and pepper.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the hot pan, add the garlic and herbs if desired, and immediately place steaks into the pan to sear for 3 to 4 minutes (depending on the thickness of the steak). Press down on steaks to make sure they make good contact with the pan to be able to develop a brown crust. Baste the steaks with the butter if you've added aromatics. Do not touch the steaks or move them around in the pan.
- Flip steaks over, top each steak with ½ tablespoon of butter, and transfer the pan with the steaks into the hot oven. Cook for 5 minutes in the oven.
- After 5 minutes in the oven, remove the pan and transfer the steaks to a plate.
- Tent the steaks with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Remove the foil and slice the steaks at an angle against the grain. Serve with your favorite side.
