Steak de Burgo was created in Des Moines, Iowa around 1939 and can take a steak and potatoes dinner up a notch.
Just another name for steak and potatoes, this rich dish is traditionally made with a good cut of beef tenderloin, covered in a creamy mushroom sauce.
Because it is so easy and quick to make, I thought it would be a perfect recipe for just two people, but ingredient portions could be increased to serve more.
As an accompaniment, my mashed potatoes were made using russets.
Yukon Gold would produce a more creamy, buttery textured dish; however, Russets was what I had on hand.
Regardless if you use Russets or Yukon Gold, the additional ingredients are the same.
Scallions, sour cream, butter, and Dijon mustard are staples in most family refrigerators, for this easy weeknight meal.
Before preparing your ingredients and steak, I suggest you go ahead and cut your potatoes into 1-inch chunks, throw them in a pot, cover with water and start to cook.
Once potatoes come to a boil, simmer until you are ready to use them. I cooked two large Russet potatoes for two people.
If using Yukon Gold or red-skinned potatoes, you will need about 12-16 ounces, cubed.
I purchased the largest filet Mignon steak I could find at my local butcher. It weighed just under one pound.
About 20-30 minutes before cooking, I removed the steak from the refrigerator.
It is important to let beef acclimate to room temperature for quick cooking methods.
Link to another article I wrote about this acclimating method
Acclimate For a Good Steak
Because you want the meat to cook quickly, I sliced the 2 1/2-inch thick steak, crosswise, to produce two individual steaks.
About half a pound each.
After slicing, I sprinkled salt and pepper on both sides of each steak and allowed them to acclimate.
Meanwhile, prepare your other ingredients…

Prepare the Steak de Burgo:
Unsalted butter – 1 Tablespoon
Olive oil – 1 Tablespoon
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup dry vermouth
chopped fresh parsley for garnish

FOR THE POTATOES…
1/2 cup sliced scallions
3 Tablespoons of sour cream
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
If you want to speed things up a little bit, you can use already sliced mushrooms, but for the best freshness and flavor, I suggest using whole mushrooms and slicing them yourself.
DIRECTIONS:

Using a 10″ skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat until butter melts.
Add meat. Saute until internal temperature reads 130º. This should only take no more than 3-minutes per side.
Make sure you under-cook the meat at this point.
DO NOT COOK IT TO SERVING TEMPERATURE.
Transfer meat to a plate and tent with foil.
Add mushrooms to skillet; saute until browned, 3-4 minutes.
Add garlic, basil and oregano; stir together and cook until garlic is fragrant, 40-60 seconds.
Combine the cream and vermouth in a cup.
Stir into skillet with mushrooms.
Turn down the heat to medium, and reduce mixture by half.
Add meat and accumulated juices to the pan.
Cook until meat reaches desired doneness.
Serve steaks with the sauce.
About Vermouth…
Vermouth is typically made with wine, herbs, spices, flowers, and seeds. There are two styles of vermouth, dry and sweet.
Sweet Vermouth is just slightly sweet and a reddish brown color, usually includes caramel.
Dry vermouth is popular in martinis and is frequently referred to as French Vermouth.
***Research for this article revealed that dry vermouth should be refrigerated and used within 3 months of opening, due to evaporation of flavor
***HOWEVER, my dry vermouth used in this recipe has been open for six months and was very flavorful in this recipe. It has never been refrigerated.
FINISHING THE POTATOES:
After cooking potatoes till done – a fork enters the potatoes easily; drain in a colander.
Return drained potatoes to hot pot; cover and cook for 1-2 minutes, removing any remaining moisture.
Remove from heat.
Stir in scallions, sour cream, butter, and mustard.
Smash potatoes using a potato masher to reach desired consistency.
Season with salt and pepper.
Let me know if you decide to try this meal and send pictures of how it turned out.
Keeping cooking…
*Adaptation of recipe found in Cuisine For Two Magazine
Steak de Burgo
Ingredients
- FOR THE MEAT...
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup sliced button mushrooms
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup dry vermouth
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish
- FOR THE POTATOES...
- 1/2 cup sliced scallions
- 3 Tablespoons of sour cream
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Using a 10" skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat until butter melts.
- Add steaks. Saute until internal temperature reads 130º. This should only take no more than 3-minutes per side.
- Make sure you under-cook the meat at this point.
- DO NOT COOK IT TO SERVING TEMPERATURE.
- Transfer meat to a plate and tent with foil.
- Add mushrooms to skillet; saute until browned, 3-4 minutes.
- Add garlic, basil and oregano; stir together and cook until garlic is fragrant, 40-60 seconds.
- Combine the cream and vermouth in a cup.
- Stir into skillet with mushrooms.
- Turn down the heat to medium, and reduce mixture by half.
- Add meat and accumulated juices to the pan.
- Cook until meat reaches desired doneness.
- Serve steaks with the sauce.
- FOR THE POTATOES:After cooking potatoes till done - a fork enters the potatoes easily; drain in colander.
- Return drained potatoes to hot pot; cover and cook for 1-2 minutes, removing any remaining moisture.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in scallions, sour cream, butter and mustard.
- Smash potatoes using a potato masher to reach desired consistency.
- Season with salt and pepper.
14 Comments
riosundown
Very detailed and it looks yummy! Thanks for sharing!
JoAnn
Thank you for taking the time to comment. Believe me, it tasted even better than my pictures.
rosegoldpearlsxo
This looks delicious! Wonderful idea! I love me a good steak and potatoes meal, I’m a meat and potatoes kind of person anyway so I may be trying out your recipe soon!
JoAnn
Sounds great! Thank you for commenting. Come back and post how your version turns out. You might add something to elevate it even further.
LuLu B - Calabrisella Mia
I’m not a big meat eater but that looks delicious!!! Great recipe!
JoAnn
Thank you for the compliment. What do you eat to get your necessary protein? I am looking to cut my meat intake and need some ideas.
Deborah Regen (@EcoTourLinQ)
Too hot here in south Florida for something so rich and filling – but on a cold winter’s night in the Midwest – would be a great welcoming meal.
JoAnn
Thank you for your comment. It is hot here too, but anytime I can make a filling, QUICK meal, I am all in.
yummylilthings
Nothing beats a great steak dinner and a nice bottle of red. Yum!
JoAnn
Thank you for commenting. I totally agree; although, don’t put it past me to drink a Pinot Grigio with steak.
luzel
I recently moved to Germany where steak is pork. I miss red meat so much. My stomach was growling all the way through this post!
Rupali
Very nicely described recipe! I am a vegetarian though, but my kids would love it!
ivmalaric
that steak really looks rogh 😛
Renee
I am digging your use of mustard in the potatoes. I am definitely going to try that next time I make mashed potatoes.