Recipes

French-Style Chopped Beef (Bifteck Haché)

  • Serves

    serves 6

MAURA MCEVOY

This is one French variation on the hamburger. Another, called bifteck haché à cheval—or chopped steak on horseback—is so named for the fried egg "cowboy" perched atop the beef.

Ingredients

  • 10 tbsp. butter, softened
  • 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 12 lb. ground beef or chuck
  • Leaves from 1 small sprig fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 12 cup flour
  • 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 shallot, peeled and minced
  • 12 cup red wine
  • Leaves from 6 sprigs parsley, chopped

Instructions

Step 1

Melt 2 tbsp. of the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer onions to a large bowl and set aside to cool. When cool, add meat, thyme, egg, 2 tbsp. of the butter, and salt and pepper to taste and beat with a wooden spoon until well combined. Divide meat mixture into 6 equal parts, then shape each into a 3 1⁄2" patty. Put flour into a dish, dredge patties, shaking off excess, and set patties aside.

Step 2

Heat oil and 1 tbsp. of the butter together in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties and sear until well browned on both sides, turning once, 2-3 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer patties to a warm platter and loosely cover with foil.

Step 3

Discard fat from skillet and return skillet to medium heat. Melt 1 tbsp. of the butter in skillet, then add shallots and cook, stirring constantly, until they begin to brown, about 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high, add wine, and cook, scraping browned bits stuck to bottom of skillet with a wooden spoon, until reduced by three-quarters, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and add the remaining 4 tbsp. butter, 1 tbsp. at a time, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and sauce is thick and velvety, about 1 minute. Add parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over patties.

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