Delicious grilled scotch fillet, a bowl of spicy potato wedges and a fancy but very easy to make blackberry jus - what's not to get excited about this dish? Plus, the perfect shiraz wine pairing is one you are going to want to buy and drink. Read on and see why!
Why I Love This Recipe
- dinner party-worthy
- simple to make
- budget-friendly
I'm a HUGE steak fan. It's the kind of meat (and meal) you can eat all year round. On a hot sunny day, you can crank up the BBQ and enjoy some summer vibes. Or on a colder winters day, you can grill it and enjoy it in front of the fireplace!
I've used a delicious scotch fillet in my recipe but the truth is you can use any cut of steak that you like so it's also budget-friendly. What's more, you can use frozen blackberries to cut the budget a little more too! This dish has restaurant quality all over it but you can cook this meal from scratch in about 40 minutes or even 20 if you cheat and use shop-bought wedges!
What Is Scotch Fillet?
Good question. Reading up on steaks/cuts of meat can be confusing as everyone has different names for them. Each country has different terms and to be honest even butchers do to. I've been cooking since I'm 11 years old (about to turn 40 in a few days) and to this day I still get confused.
So, in a nutshell scotch fillet is a ribeye steak. It's a boneless ribeye that comes from - you guessed it the rib area of the cow. I think here in Australia and New Zealand is the only part of the world that calls it scotch fillet. It has maximum flavour, good marbling and can be used for anything from grilled, stir fried, steak sandwiches or even kebabs.
Ingredients You Will Need
Here are a list of some of the main ingredients used to make this delicious scotch fillet, spicy potato wedges and blackberry jus dish but I'll go into more details below on all the ingredients for the jus and wedges!
- scotch fillet aka rib fillet in other countries. You could substitute eye fillet, striploin or even a delicious skirt steak instead too
- blackberries - I used fresh as they were looking great in the market but feel free to use frozen too
- red wine - I'm a firm believer of the only cook with what you drink, plus it means you can have a nice glass while you whip up this scotch fillet dish
- potatoes - I used russet potatoes so they will be crispy on the outside and soft/fluffy in the centre
- spices - paprika, garlic, cayenne and salt were the spices of choice but use any spice rub or combo if you have a preferred one.
Cooking Your Steak(s)
Pay attention friends! There are many ways to cook steaks depending upon the cut, size and apparatus you are using so here are my top tips and methods for cooking your scotch fillet.
- salt
- room temperature
- internal cooking temperature
- resting your meat
Before you start it's important to know how you like your steak cooked. Not just "medium-rare" or "medium" but more so the temperature it should be cooked to.
- rare 49-54c (120-130F)
- medium-rare 54-57c (130-135F)
- medium 57-63c (135-145F)
- medium-well 63-68c (145-155F)
- well done 68+c (155+F)
Salting Your Steak
The start of cooking a steak comes with salting the steak. Either salt your steak 30+ minutes before you cook your meat or just a minute before. The reason for this is the salt pulls the moisture from the meat. If you salt your scotch fillet for 30+ minutes it allows the meat to reabsorb the moisture and therefore absorbing the salt into the meat. If you salt it directly before you cook it then you will get a nice salty crust to the steak. The issue with salting it 10-20 minutes beforehand is all the moisture is brought to the exterior of the steak so when you go to cook or grill the scotch fillet you won't get the same sear as the moisture will stop that.
Bringing Your Steak To Room Temperature
Once you have salted your steak then you need to bring it to room temperature. The reason for this is if your steak is ice cold in the centre then it'll take longer to get the centre of that steak to the desired temperature. Remove your steaks 20 - 30 minutes prior to cooking.
Rest Your Meat
Once cooked, one of the most crucial steps in cooking your scotch fillet is to rest it. Remove steak from the pan, grill or BBQ when it gets to 2-3 degrees below your desired temperature. So, if you want your steak to be 54c then remove the steak from the grill at 51-52c. The reason for this is the steak will continue to cook as it rests.
To rest your meat the best way to do so is to place on a wire rack on a plate or tray and gently tent tinfoil on top to stop losing too mich heat. Placing it on a wire rack allows airflow around the steak which will slow down the continous cooking of the steak!
By resting your meat, no matter what type it is allows the juices to re-distribute and therefore resulting in a juicier finished piece of meat!
Blackberry Jus
To make blackberry jus for your scotch fillet it's the same process as when making a classic red wine jus. You will need the following ingredients......
- beef stock
- onion or shallots
- garlic
- black pepper
- thyme
- red wine
- blackberries
- butter
Start by cooking your onion and garlic in a low-heat with butter. Then add your red wine, berries, black pepper and thyme. Reduce this liquid by half and then add your stock and reduce to a sauce like consistency - approx 10 to 15 minutes. If using the sauce later in the day then strain and allow to cool completely. If using immediately then strain and whisk in a knob of butter. This will help thicken the sauce, add a glossy texture and simply make it just that little bit nicer! The key to this is to remove the sauce from the heat so that the butter doesn't split.
Spicy Potato Wedges
Can't beat steak and potatoes! For this, I have used russet potatoes - a high starch potato. This will give you a crispy exterior and a lovely fluffy interior. No need to peel the potatoes, just give them a good scrub.
I made a spice rub by mixing together smoked paprika, salt, garlic powder and a pinch of cayenne pepper but you can use any type of spice rub that you like.
Cut your wedges into similar sized pieces, toss in a little oil and my TOP TIP for adding the spice rub is to so gradually. If you add it all in at once it'll stick to the oil and become clumpy instead of a nice even coating. Place the potatoes onto a lined baking tray and roast for 35-40 minutes @ 200c, turning halfway.
FAQ's & Tips To Success
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Organisation in the kitchen is key to success. Start with as clean an area as possible and have your ingredients all ready to go before you start cooking and running around the kitchen knocking things over!
Depends upon the cut and how long you cook it for. Typically a quick cook like steak I would rest for a minimum of 5 minutes but for a longer cook like a roast, I would rest for 15 minutes. The resting allows the juices to redistribute.
When cooking any meat (or fish) you need to allow it time for a form to crust. This crust helps release the meat from the grill making it easier to turn and ultimately better grill marks. Also, its very important to add oil to your meat and also for the grill to be very hot. The grill pan should be smoking or your BBQ should take about 8-10 minutes to come up to temperature correctly
Firstly, when adding the butter at the end the key is to add cold butter to the sauce. Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk the sauce in. If the butter is too warm it will melt too quickly and therefore split. To save a split sauce there are 2 options. Option 1 - add a little of the base liquid (1 or 2 teaspoons) into the sauce (say wine or stock) and whisk it furiously and it should come back together. Option 2 is to put the sauce in a blender, add a drop of hot water and blend it up. Each method is essentially doing the same thing.
Just remember once you add the butter to the sauce DON'T refrigerate it as it will be more likely to split. Always whisk the cold butter in at the end to finish the sauce.
Steak & Shiraz Wine Pairing
Well, it wouldn't be steak and shiraz without a perfectly cooked scotch fillet (I think I've provided that part) so here is the shiraz to take the meal over the line.
This week we are working with the beautiful Shiraz from The Hidden Sea. You may remember me talking about them when I cooked up some delicious octopus tacos! The philosophy of the company, aside from making really good approachable wines is to help save our oceans. For every bottle sold they; along with the help of RESEA will remove and more importantly recycle 10 plastic bottles from the world's oceans. If that's not a good reason to buy their wine I don't know what is!
Now, onto the Shiraz! Is it ok to say that this is probably my favourite of the 4 wines? Not, that I don't like the others but this was the one that made me crack a second bottle on the same night.... A stricking dark plum colour in the glass, I got notes of licorice, red berries and a little vanilla from the oak. The palate is medium to full bodied (meaning GREAT with the scotch fillet but cracking on it's own too!), smooth tannins, a touch of oak but nicely balanced with the ripe fruit - strawberry, blueberry and blackberries my not so trained palate tells me!
Alternative Steak Recipes
As much a fan of steak as I am? Then check out these alternative steak dishes that will also work AMAZINGLY alongsie The Hidden Sea Shiraz!
Moroccan Steak Pitas by Yours Truly
Grilled NY Strip w/ Basil Garlic Sauce by Sandi Gaertner of 'Fearless Dining'
Steak Tacos - carne asada style by Yours Truly
Chimichurri Steak Bowl by Carolyn Vonderbecke Truett of 'Caramel & Cashews'
Steak, Tomato & Brie Crostini by Yours Truly
Healthy Pepper Steak Recipe by Luna Regina of 'Healthy Recipes 101
Ingredients
- 4 scotch fillet approx. 200-250g each
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt
Wedges
- 1 kg potatoes 3 large
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
Blackberry Jus
- 100 g blackberries
- 1/2 brown onion
- 1 garlic
- 300 ml beef stock
- 250 ml red wine
- 25 g butter & extra knob
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 sprigs thyme
Essential Tools
- Chef Knives
- Chopping board
- Measuring utensils
- saucepan
- whisk
- baking tray
- mixing bowl
- BBQ
- sieve
Instructions
- Remove your steak from the fridge, season generously and allow to come to temperature
Wedges
- Clean the potatoes and cut into wedges (eighths or sixths depending upon potato size)
- Mix the rub ingredients together, coat the potatoes in oil and rub seasoning
- Roast the potatoes on a lined baking tray @ 200c for 40 minutes turning once
Jus
- Dice the onion, smash the garlic & fry on low to medium heat in saucepan with 25g butter approx. 3 minutes
- Add wine, thyme, berries and black pepper and on medium heat reduce by half
- Add beef stock, reduce the heat slightly and cook for a further 10-15 minutes
- Strain and whisk in a knob of butter before serving – this will give the sauce a beautiful glossy sheen
Steak
- Drizzle in a little olive oil and cook on the BBQ @ 300c for 2 minutes per side or until internal temperature is 52-54c
- Remove and rest on a wire rack for minimum 5 minutes before serving *see tips*
Notes
Tips/Tricks
- when sprinkling the rub on the wedges don’t just chuck it all in, sprinkle it on top and mix together and sprinkle more on top. This way they coat the potatoes evenly
- cut the potatoes to similar sized pieces for even cooking • Resting the steak is just as important as the cooking of it – this allows the juices to redistribute and ends up with a juicer steak that won’t leak all over the plate
- rest your meat on a wire rack to allow air to circulate. If you rest it on a plate the heat on the plate will continue to cook the steak
- the sauce can be made in advance and heated to order. Add the butter at the end when reheating it
fresh blackberries in winter? imported i guess? this looks like a very tasty dish!
The pics were taken at the end of June - just didn't get it up on my site until July. But yep, it is/was tasty alrite 😉
great!!
100% right!
This sounds so delightful and fantastic! I’m excited to make this lovely recipe!
Now that's my kind of food! I'm raiding the fridge and writing a shopping list 🙂
Awesome Greg - how did you get on?