When you’re craving an honest, tender, and juicy piece of meat that fills your kitchen with the aroma of fresh herbs and is finished off with a luxurious, mildly spicy pepper sauce, forget about long and complicated recipes. Say goodbye to dry meat – this pork neck steak with scored edges, seared in clarified butter with thyme and rosemary, topped with a sauce made from pickled green pepper, shallots, brandy, stock, and cream is the absolute best, and it will disappear from the table in no time. The secret to success lies in quickly searing the meat in butter, basting it with the hot pan juices, and the irresistible taste of green pepper flambéed in brandy.
What you’ll need for preparation:
For the meat and searing:
- Pork neck: thicker slices (score the edges lightly so they don’t curl up while frying)
- Salt and ground black pepper: to taste
- Clarified butter (ghee): for frying the meat
- Fresh herbs: 2 sprigs of thyme and rosemary (add directly to the pan with the meat)
- Side dish: crispy fries (from the oven or fryer)
For the green pepper sauce:
- Shallot: finely chopped
- Green pepper: pickled green pepper, mostly lightly crushed
- Brandy: 1 shot (for deglazing and flambéing the pan juices)
- Stock: a bit of good quality stock
- Cream: whipping cream for a creamy consistency
- Thickening: if needed, a little soaked starch to adjust the sauce
Step-by-step preparation:
1. Preparing and searing the pork neck in butter: Score the edges of the pork neck slices, salt and pepper them thoroughly. Heat clarified butter in a pan and sear the meat slices on both sides over high heat. Add two sprigs of thyme and rosemary to the pan and continuously baste the meat with the hot pan juices and butter while searing. Sear each side for about 3 minutes (depending on thickness). Remove the seared meat from the pan and let it rest in a warm place.
2. Sautéing the shallot and green pepper: Add the finely chopped shallot to the pan drippings and sauté until golden. Add the pickled green pepper, mostly lightly crushed to release its aroma.
3. Adding brandy and flambéing: Pour a shot of brandy into the pan and let it cook briefly to burn off the alcohol, giving the sauce its unmistakable flavor.
4. Adding stock and cream: Add a little stock and pour in the cream. Let it cook together briefly. If needed, thicken the sauce slightly with a bit of soaked starch to reach the desired consistency.
5. Serving: Serve the rested pork neck steak with crispy fries and generously pour over the hot, fragrant green pepper sauce.
Proven tips for the best result:
- Scoring the edges: Lightly scoring the edges of the pork neck prevents the meat from curling in the pan and ensures even searing.
- Basting with pan juices: While searing in butter with herbs, continuously baste the meat with a spoon – this keeps it wonderfully juicy.
- Character of green pepper: Crushing the pickled green pepper releases its full flavor, which, combined with brandy and cream, pairs perfectly with pork.
