Steak with Cognac Creamed Mushrooms. Turn a classic steakhouse combination into an elegant entree by adding Cognac to the cream sauce. An absolutely incredible mix of flavors fit for any king of a steak. A beautiful steak and mushrooms recipe for entertaining.
Look that those beautiful browned mushrooms. Sauteed in olive oil until golden and crispy, then finished with fresh thyme and garlic. After popping several of these in my mouth, I wondered why I needed to continue with the plan of adding cream…..oh, that’s right, for the New York Strip Steak with Cognac Creamed Mushrooms…of course.
What is Cognac?
Simply stated, Cognac is a variety of brandy named after the town of Cognac, France. For a brandy to be called cognac, it must be distilled from grapes grown in the AOC. It’s double-distilled in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in oak barrels. Cognac must be at least 40 percent alcohol.
Here’s a great article about the different brands of Cognac from Town and Country Magazine.
Way back when, it seemed every restaurant that served steak served a bowl of traditional creamed mushrooms along side…and what I find interesting is that they were always canned button mushrooms. I’m not sure if fresh mushrooms were not as readily available as they are today…or if canned was the tradition. Googling the three top Denver steak houses and scanning their side dish menus, only sautéed mushrooms are offered. I wonder if creamed was a Kansas-Midwest “thing”?
It’s been years since I’ve had creamed mushrooms. So when friends were invited over for a steak dinner, I decided to kick up the impress level and cream some mushrooms to pass in a fancy little bowl at the table.
This was my first attempt and I must say I was pleased with the results. After browning the mushrooms, I removed them and deglazed the pan with cognac, and added some cream.
After a brief simmer I added the mushrooms back in to the cream and simmered until blended. Alongside a baked potato with butter and sour cream, this was a fabulous meal.
And no reason to stick with plain old button mushrooms, switch it up, I’ve made this recipe several time and used baby bellas and shiitake. The shiitake mushrooms really add a beautiful depth of flavor.
It’s important to get a good golden crust on the mushrooms. That’s where all the flavor it. Plus it releases the moisture from the mushrooms and a delightful crispy texture.
Recipe for Steak and Mushrooms. Cognac Creamed Mushrooms with Thyme.
I hope you give this steak and mushrooms recipe a try and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating. And leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.
And if you have a favorite creamed mushrooms recipe that you use for steak, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
More Fancy Steak Recipes – for Entertaining
- Pan-Seared Bison Strip Steaks
- Curry Lemon Sirloin Steak Beef Kabobs
- Tangy Grilled Flank Steak with Horseradish Cream Sauce
- Pear Risotto with Peppered Steak
Cognac Creamed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 2 pounds mushrooms wild, trimmed, brushed clean with a towel and stemmed, caps left whole
- 4 sprigs thyme fresh, leaves only
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/4 cup Cognac
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 New York Strip Steaks
Instructions
- Remove steaks from refrigerator for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Heat a sautee pan over medium high heat. When hot add 1/4 cup olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, about 10 minutes, until golden brown.
- Add the thyme and garlic, and season well with salt and pepper. Toss a few more times to cook the garlic, then dump the mushrooms out onto a platter.
- Take the pan off the heat and add the Cognac. Return the pan to the burner and simmer the Cognac for 2 minutes. Add the cream and cook 2 to 3 minutes it starts to thicken.
- Return the mushrooms to the pan along with whatever juices have collected on the platter and simmer the whole thing another 2 minutes until thickened again. Season with salt and pepper.
- Remove from heat and cover while you cook the steak. Heat grill to 500 degrees. Add steaks and sear on both sides, about two minutes per side or until well browned. Lower heat to 350, insert meat thermometer and cook about 7 - 8 minutes per side or until thermometer reads 140 degrees for medium. (135 medium rare).
- Gently reheat the mushrooms if needed. Pass mushrooms in bowl at the table. They can be served as a side dish or over the steak.
Nutrition
New York Strip Steak with Cognac Creamed Mushrooms …They’re what’s for Dinner.
Hi! Just found your site and am enjoying it. Daughter is leaving for Denver tomorrow nite for a week w/friends. Think I’ll try this recipe w/NYstrips but don’t have cognac…think I’ll try w/mushrooms and dry marsala and cream…a treat for her before she leaves for beautiful Colorado. Ft.Collins is her favorite and is looking forward to Denver!
Great site!
Hi Lea, It sounds fab. I’ll try it next. No slicing please.
All The Best to you and your family, Happy New Year and more of those fantastic meals.
Hans Guenter Berg
Germany
Thanks so much Hans. Happy New Year to you also. I look forward to making this tonight, as I’ll get better photos. 🙂 Plus I have a fabulous lineup of wild mushrooms this time. Thanks to Whole Foods.
This looks sooo delicious! I must try it this weekend! Thanks for sharing!
Let me know how you like it. Next time I make it I’ll slice the mushrooms.
Absolutely love this. I have 3 pairs of steaks to cook this weekend and I’m pretty sure one of them is going to get this treatment.
I’d slice the mushrooms next time I make it. I just wanted to relive my whole button mushroom past.
Oh, gosh – what time is dinner? Will try these, too – my hubby will be impressed!
Thanks Barb.
Those look sooo good. I love the addition of Cognac! We think alike…
Thanks RMW
LeaAnn, I’m a mushroom lover and I’ve never seen mushrooms done like this. Can’t wait to try it!
Jean, we loved this combo, let me know what you think.
I don’t think I’ve ever had creamed mushrooms here in Wisconsin so maybe it is a Kansas City thing! I love the look of those sauteed mushrooms. A big side of those with a steak and I’d be a happy weekender!
A friend of mine from Missouri always served creamed mushrooms with her steak. It may be a Kansas/Missouri deal. 🙂
Looks divine! I made something similar to this a few months back and it really does do a steak good!
I thought it was so good, I’m going to have to recreate over the Holiday weekend.
The whole meal looks super good and I like the sound of the shrooms recipe.
Thanks Larry.
I fell in love with these just reading the title. OMG I want some right now! 🙂
Me too, and it’s only 6:00 a.m.
Lea, those look terrific… I love creamed mushrooms a lot.
You’re going to find creamed mushrooms on my table more often. Especially since I have a big ‘ol bottle of cognac in the pantry.
Hi Lea Ann, this is beautiful, love this combination!!
Thank you Cheri.
I have had creamed mushrooms before, but they always accompanied chicken breast and pearl onions. These look delicious. Sometimes food from an innocent time (like this one) should be revisited over and over again.
Thanks Karen.
When is dinner? You can make that anytime for me!
You got a deal.
I don’t think I’ve ever had creamed mushrooms. Love the idea, though — these look terrific. I do remember loads of canned mushrooms when I was a kid — don’t think they were all that popular back then. But that’s back in the days when iceberg lettuce was the only choice!
I never knew any other lettuce existed until I moved to Denver.
looks AMAZING! I’ll have to try this the next time we cook steaks.
Thanks Stephanie