What to serve with Steak?

What are the Best Side Dishes for Steak?

A good side dish can often be the difference between a nice meal and a delicious one. When it comes to steak dinners, the best side dishes complement the beef with crunchy texture, fresh flavours, and a bright burst of colour.

All of which makes Tenderstem^® broccoli one of the best vegetables you can choose to serve with steak. But what other options do you have?

1. A Fresh and Fiery Salad ― If you’re serving a simple salad, you’ll need to make sure it can stand up against the beefy flavour of your steak. This Pattani salad is made with fresh herbs and fiery chillies that will cut through the savoury steak flavours.
2. Garlic Butter Sauce ― A buttery and unctuous garlic butter sauce pairs perfectly with a savoury steak dinner. Fresh Tenderstem^® broccoli gives the dish some much needed crunch. And if you can still taste the garlic butter the next day, you’re doing it right.
3. A Spicy Slaw ― Our Asian-inspired coleslaw is packed with flavour and crunchy texture. Try this recipe when you need a zingy side dish to stand up against smoky BBQ flavours.
4. Mushroom & Peppercorn Sauce ― A creamy mushroom and peppercorn sauce is another classic sauce to serve with steak. Our recipe is made with dry sherry for an added touch of indulgence.
5. Chunky Chips ― Satisfyingly crunchy alongside succulent slices of steak, chunky chips are also perfect instruments to soak up all the juices from your steak.
6. Skinny Fries ― Served up every day in all the best restaurants in Paris, steak frites is a timeless French classic. Pile them high and season with crunchy sea salt.
7. Onion Rings ― Occasionally we all crave the satisfying crunch of deep-fried onion rings. And when you need a hit of indulgent comfort food, there’s not many better options than steak served with onion rings. Just try to avoid making it every night of the week.

Keeping Your Side Dishes Simple

As well as all of those delicious recipes, you can keep your side dish simple by serving steak with a perfectly cooked side portion of Tenderstem^® broccoli.

Nevermind worrying about whether to cook your steak rare or well done, the bigger question is how would you like to cook your Tenderstem^®? Here's a round-up of some of the simplest (often the best) ways to cook Tenderstem^® Broccoli:

• Steam Tenderstem^® Broccoli for 3-4 Minutes ― Steaming Tenderstem^® broccoli will complement your succulent steak by enhancing Tenderstem^®'s brilliant colour without losing any of the crunch.
• Roast Tenderstem^® Broccoli for 12-15 Minutes ― Roasting will bring out all of the super nutty flavours of your Tenderstem^® broccoli. Perfect if you’re cooking your steak in the oven.
• Griddle Tenderstem^® Broccoli for 8-10 Minutes ― It’s not just the steak that will benefit from a bit of charring in a griddle pan, you can also cook Tenderstem^® in the same way. Perfect for replicating those intense and delicious BBQ flavours.
• Boil Tenderstem^® Broccoli for 3-4 Minutes ― Similar to steaming, just a few minutes on the boil will be enough to cook your Tenderstem^® through, while retaining a crunchy bite to contrast nicely against the texture of your steak.

What are the Different Cuts of Steak?

Sometimes, the type of cut you have will determine what to serve with steak. And with all the different cuts to choose from, it can be a little daunting to know which to choose.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common cuts, so you can make the right choice:

• Fillet Steak ― sometimes referred to as Filet Mignon, this is one of the most popular cuts of beef steak. It is an unworked muscle cut from the lower back. The texture is very tender and the cut can be cooked quickly. Perfect for slicing up thinly in a stir-fry recipe.
• Sirloin Steak ― another tender cut but with more fat and greater marbling through the meat. With the added fat, it usually packs more flavour than a fillet steak, but requires more careful cooking to ensure the texture remains tender. Try serving this steak with a pattini salad.
• T-bone Steak ― this cut of steak is comprised of both the sirloin and fillet cut together. Sometimes referred to as porterhouse steak, it is one of the largest cuts of steak you’re likely to come across. It’s also one of the tastiest, so serve this steak with something straightforward like garlic butter and a simple Tenderstem^® side dish.
• Ribeye Steak ― as the name suggests, the ribeye steak is cut from the ribs and should be full of fat and marbling. It is packed with flavour and one of the most popular cuts of steak.
• Rump ― the rump is one of the cheaper cuts of meat you can buy. It’s a well worked muscle, which means it is not as tender as some of the more premium cuts. It can still be incredibly tasty and works really well in stir fries, such as this Chinese beef and broccoli stir fry.

Other cuts of steak include the flank (or bavette), onglet, skirt, and brisket. And there’s a great flank steak recipe from Chef Tarek on the Tenderstem^® website, served with caramelized onion, goat cheese and roasted pepper.

You might also want to think about which sauces to serve your steak with. Some of the classics include peppercorn, béarnaise, salsa verde and blue cheese.

And have you thought about which wine you’re going to pair it with? A limited-edition glass of Tendernay might be just the tipple you need.