Garlic-Butter Steak and Bacon Gruyere Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

1 lb tri tip steak
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 lb pasta shells
1 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
4 Tbsp butter (plus more for the bread)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated romano cheese
1 cup grated gruyere cheese (plus more to thicken)
5 strips of thick cut bacon
1/4 yellow onion
3 Tbsp fresh parsley
1/8 cup scallions
sea salt
black pepper
4 garlic knots

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes
2

 


Searching for a complete meal that’s packed with flavor and comfort and cheese-y, garlic-y goodness? Look no further!!

For the steak, I just kind of made-up the recipe as I went, drawing from past experiences and knowledge of making steak with garlic butter.

For the mac and cheese, I used a recipe from foodnetwork.com as a base, but made quite a few changes. You can find the original recipe here.

For the garlic knots, you can use your favorite recipe, or purchase some from your local bakery/grocery store!

Sorry for the lack of step-by-step pictures! This recipe is being posted quickly as it has been being requested by multiple people 🙂


Instructions:

1.) Put some water on to boil in a medium sauce pan. Make sure to salt the water lightly!

2.) While you’re waiting for the water for the pasta to boil, place the 5 strips of bacon and one quarter of a yellow onion in a frying pan and cook over low to medium heat. (Make sure you use a frying pan that will be big enough to cook your steak in, too, as you’ll be using the same pan!)

3.) While the water is heating and the bacon and onion are cooking, take the time to mince all four of the cloves of garlic, reserving one clove’s worth of minced garlic for the mac and cheese.

4.) Flip your bacon over to brown all sides, and make sure you’re cooking the onions evenly. You’re looking for a nice semi-crispy texture on the bacon, and for the onions to be caramelized on the edges. Add your pasta to the now boiling water, and set yourself a 10 minute timer.

5.) Grate all your cheeses and set aside in a large bowl. (You may be doing this step before and after your bacon is cooked and that’s okay.)

6.) Remove the cooked bacon and onions to a plate covered by a couple paper towels to allow everything to cool, and the grease to drain.

7.) You should now have a hot frying pan full of delicious bacon grease. Add to this pan: 2 Tbsp of butter and the majority of the minced garlic (keeping the one clove’s worth of minced garlic set aside). Take out your steaks and rub salt and pepper on each side. Begin cooking the steaks in the frying pan full of bacon grease, butter, and garlic. I use medium heat to brown the sides, then lower the heat to cook the steak to medium-well done-ness.

8.) When the timer beeps, drain your pasta in a strainer and set aside.

9.) In the hot sauce pan that just had pasta, pour in the 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 Tbsp butter, and the remaining minced garlic. Cook over low to medium heat until the butter is melted and the cream is hot.

10.) Mince about 3 Tbsp of fresh parsley and set aside. Chop your scallions now, too and set those aside as well. The measurements here are an estimate! Add as little, or as much, of these ingredients as you’d like! If you have time you can also coarsely chop your cooled bacon now.

11.) Once the cream/butter/garlic mixture is hot, add all the grated cheese and stir until melted.

12.) Remember to flip your steaks when browned on the first side, making sure to put the steaks back down in a pool of grease/butter/garlic so they get the flavor on both sides. You can also spoon some of the liquid over the steaks while they cook, if desired.

13.) To the hot cheese and cream mixture, add your pasta, parsley, scallions, bacon, and caramelized onions. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste and grate in more gruyere cheese until the mac and cheese thickens to your desired consistency. (I like mine a little thicker, so all the sauce clings to the pasta!)

14.) Take your sauce pan off the heat and set aside. Turn off the heat on your frying pan and set that aside as well. You always want to let your steaks rest! They’ll cook a little bit more, and soak up some of the liquid that cooked out of them.

15.) If your garlic knots aren’t fresh out of the oven, pop them in the microwave for a few seconds (22 is my magic number!) to warm them. Spread butter over them and start plating your meal!

 

I hope you’re drooling over this carb-filled meal! I know I did!!

Enjoy!

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