Steak and stilton sandwich my way, rare sirloin with blue cheese and caramelised onions served on ciabatta bread crisped up in the beef pan.
The headline timing figures may make this recipe sound complicated, but almost all of the time is spent slowly caramelising the onions and this can be done days in advance!
Sirloin Steak and Stilton Sarnie
I have almost 800 recipes on my website (as of today) and remarkably few of them feature steak. I’m not “anti” steak, I just prefer them cooked very simply, so recipes seem overkill.
So the only recipes featuring a big slab of steak on my site to date are a glorious surf and turf recipe and my rump steak with chimichurri sauce.
Until today, because I offer you my ultimate steak sandwich, it features rosy pink sirloin, caramelised onions and the king of blue cheeses, stilton all served on a ciabatta loaf!
The steak speaks for itself, as does the wonderfully pungent Stilton cheese, but those caramelised onions are magic.
They are slowly cooked in beef dripping and finished with a little beef stock.
Finally, the bread, a simple ciabatta that gets some serious indulgence by getting fried in the butter we basted the steak in whilst it was cooking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use Sirloin Steak?
No, there are a number of other steaks that you can use in this recipe and cook them in the same way.
Everything from rump steak to picanha and rib eye to fillet would work really well. I would choose rump steak from that list, purely because it is a real favourite of mine.
You could also use minute, flank or bavette steak but they will all need to be cooked slightly differently.
Do I have to use stilton cheese?
No, there are loads of blue cheeses out there and all of them would work really well in this recipe. Choose something that you like, Stilton is probably the most boldly flavoured blue cheese that is readily available in the UK.
Can I get the onions to cook quicker?
No, there is no real shortcut for caramelising onions, it is all about time and patience.
The good news is that this stage can be done in advance, they will be fine in the fridge for a week to ten days if stored correctly. They will also freeze for 2-3 months.
Do I have to cook my steak this pink?
No not at all! I am very vocal in saying that there is no right or wrong way to enjoy how your meat is cooked and I always provide internal temperatures to aim for when cooking things like steak.
Scroll a little further below the recipe, they are all listed there and all you need is a decent meat thermometer.
Serving Suggestions
I like to make like I’m at the pub for lunch when I am munching on this glorious steak and stilton sandwich.
Mainly, that’s an excuse to have a pint whilst I’m eating! But I’ll also add some chips which are an essential side for any pub sarnie.
In these pictures, I have added some French fries that I have cooked in the air fryer. But, air fryer chunky chips or even salt and pepper chips would work just fine!
You could even make some proper chip shop-style chips in a deep-fat fryer if that is your vibe.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But, if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- 28cm or 11″ frying pan, not nonstick if possible.
- 30cm or 12″ frying pan.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife and bread knife.
- Quick read meat thermometer (optional).
- Kitchen tongs.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, cups and spoons.
Steak and Stilton Sandwich Recipe
This is my ultimate steak sandwich, slowly cooked beef stock infused caramelised onions, Stilton, the king of blue cheeses and beautifully cooked pink sirloin all served on butter-fried ciabatta bread.
Ingredients
For the Caramelised Onions:
- 300g (2 Medium) Onions
- 35g (2 Tbsp) Dripping
- 75ml (⅓ Cup) Beef Stock
For the Sandwich:
- 1 Medium-Small (150g) Ciabatta Bread
- 400g (14oz) Thick Cut Sirloin Steak
- 1 Tsp Cooking Oil
- ½-¾ Tsp Salt
- ½ Tsp Coarsely Ground Black Pepper
- 35g (2 Tbsp) Butter
- Handful Rocket Leaves
- 75g (¾ Cup) Crumbled Stilton Cheese
Instructions
- Cut the onions in half, peel them and then cut them into 1cm (just under ½") thick slices.
- Heat a 28cm or 11" frying pan over a medium-low heat add the beef dripping and when it melts add the onions. Cook gently for at least 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes or so, decreasing this time as you get to the end of the cooking process. You want the onions to colour slowly, so if they colour quickly reduce the heat a little.
- When the onions are a nice deep golden colour, turn up the heat to medium-high, pour in the beef stock and stir until the stock has almost completely evaporated. Once this has happened reduce the heat to low whilst you cook the steak.
- Whilst the stock is evaporating heat a 30cm or 12" heavy-based frying pan over a high heat.
- Rub the steak with the oil, then season generously with salt and pepper.
- Add the steak to the hot pan and let it sit for 90 seconds, then flip and let it sit for 60 seconds, then add the butter and when it melts cook the steak for another minute basting it with the butter. Remove and rest for 7-10 minutes (this will deliver a lovely rare steak). See below for internal temperatures to aim for to get the steak done to your liking.
- Whilst the steak is resting crumble the stilton cheese.
- Return the pan you cooked the steak in to a medium-high heat and when the butter is hot, cut the ciabatta bread in half and toast (cut side down) it in the butter for 2 minutes or until it is nicely golden.
- Thinly slice the steak. Adding the steak resting juices to the caramelised onions at this point is a good idea!
- Build your sandwich, I start with loads of rocket on the base, then add half of the onions and half of the Stilton, pile on the beef and add the remaining onions and cheese before cutting in half and serving.
Internal temperatures to remove steak to get it done to your liking!
- Rare: The target temperature to remove the steak is 45-47°C or 113-117°F. The final temperature after resting will be 49-51°C or 120-124°F. Estimated total cooking time (3-4 minutes).
- Medium Rare: The target temperature to remove the steak is 48-54°C or 118-129°F. The final temperature after resting will be 52-58°C or 125-136°F. Estimated total cooking time (4-5 minutes).
- Medium: The target temperature to remove the steak is 55-57°C or 130-135°F. The final temperature after resting will be 59-61°C or 137-142°F. Estimated total cooking time (5-6 minutes).
- Medium Well: The target temperature to remove the steak is 58-63°C or 136-145°F. The final temperature after resting will be 62-67°C or 143-152°F. Estimated total cooking time (6-7 minutes).
- Well Done: The target temperature to remove the steak is 64-71°C or 146-160°F. The final temperature after resting will be 68-75°C or 153-165°F. Estimated total cooking time (8-10 minutes).
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 970Total Fat: 59gSaturated Fat: 28gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 30gCholesterol: 196mgSodium: 1689mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 10gSugar: 11gProtein: 60g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.