Pan Seared Harissa New York Strip Steak will spice up your next date night or family meal. Juicy, flavorful New York strip steaks are marinaded with harissa paste, spices and garlic and pan seared to perfection. Pair this with a side of your favorite roasted vegetable and couscous. 

PAN SEARED HARISSA NEW YORK STRIP STEAK

Are you ready to spice up Valentine’s Day?

I am here to help you do just that by partnering with the Ohio Beef Council to  bring you this Pan Seared Harissa New York Strip Steak. New York strip steaks are one of my favorite cuts of steak to make for my husband and I. They are tender and hold the flavor really well. This recipe I am sharing today uses two of my favorite ingredients–harissa paste and a New York strip steak

I have used harissa paste here and there but often forget how much I love it. If you aren’t familiar with it you have to buy a jar and try it out.

Harissa paste is a spicy chile paste that is often used in Middle Eastern and North African cooking. It adds a nice burst of flavor and spice that works perfectly as a marinade for with meats, a sauce for veggies or an addition to soups, stews and dips. 

In case you are wondering what is in harissa paste: it is made up of a combination of a blend of hot {usually smoked} chile peppers, olive oil, garlic, and spices {like cumin, coriander, caraway and mint}. Tomatoes and rose petals are also common ingredients. Sounds like an amazing combination right? Well it is! And it is perfect in today’s marinade for these New York strip steaks.

When Valentine’s Day rolls around each year my husband and I consider going out of a fancy dinner but then we realize that sometimes it is so much nicer to cook a nice meal together at home and relax. I think that beef is a wonderful centerpiece of a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. Premium roasts, such as Ribeye, Rib and Tenderloin are very popular. However, more economical roast choices – Round Tip, Top Sirloin and Eye Round – are also delicious options. Or of course this Pan Seared Harissa New York Strip Steak.

Plus I love adding beef to our menu because the best gift you can give those you love is a healthy diet. A 3-oz serving of beef provides 25 grams of protein and 10 essential nutrients, wrapped up in one tasty package.

With this Pan Seared Harissa New York Strip Steak you will marinade your steaks overnight or at least for 4 hours in the fridge.

Marinading the strip steaks helps to create a tender piece of meat that soaks in all of those warm, rich spices. I like to pair this meal with couscous {or your favorite grain} and a simple roasted vegetable like these Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots or this Simple Roasted Broccoli.

Here is a glimpse at the Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots. They are a favorite of mine paired with today’s Pan Seared Harissa New York Strip Steak.

Now lets talk wine! A must on any Valentine’s dinner table. Which wine variety overall is most “beef flexible”?

Cabernet Sauvignon. Among the most powerful and concentrated red variety, cabernet sauvignon can also be elegant at the same time. For its part, beef has a flavor that’s bold and yet refined at the same time. In this way, cabernet “mirrors” beef, creating a whole that’s greater than the sum of the parts. Cabernet sauvignon also possesses a considerable amount of tannin, which gives it the structure and intensity to pair well with beef.

Does the cut of beef matter when choosing wine?

Certain cuts of beef like flank steak and chuck are often very flavorful. Simple but fruity merlots and zinfandels work well, as do most inexpensive reds from Australia—which are super-fruity and usually soft as velvet.

“Middle meat” cuts from the rib and loin—like tenderloin, strip steak and prime rib—are at their best with more sophisticated, complex (expensive) wine.

When a fine New York strip or prime rib is being served, a more complex, expensive wine (such as a top-flight Bordeaux or a great American Cabernet) is definitely in order.

How do seasonings and spices influence wine choice? 

Seasonings and spices often act as a bridge to wines.

• • Sprinkling beef with some cracked black pepper helps the dish marry well with Syrah/Shiraz, which has a black pepper–like flavor.
  • Herbs in a beef dish can underscore the hint of herbal flavor in many Cabernet Sauvignons and Bordeaux.
  • The seasonings to be careful with are hot chilies, which can make a wine taste hollow. Chiles need a cushion of sweetness to land on, so fiery-hot beef dishes often do best with a white wine that has a bit of residual sugar.
  • Wines with a lot of oak flavor often need a bridge to connect them to beef. Toasted nuts, brown butter and sesame oil are all excellent bridges to oaky chardonnay.

Should cooking method, too, influence wine choice?

Yes! One of the best American wine and food marriages is grilled steak and a big, oak-aged Cabernet Sauvignon. The flame-seared flavors and crusty texture imparted by grilling are echoed by the toasty oak of the wine. Similarly, soft, braised beef dishes taste best with wines that feel soft and seamless on the palate. That’s the principle behind beef stew and red burgundy (Pinot Noir).

You might be wondering are white wines an option with beef?

Depending on the dish, many white wines work very well, as do rosés. Thai beef salads and beef stir-fries are fantastic with minerally Rieslings from Germany. Steak salads with greens and vegetables are terrific with Sauvignon Blanc. And with garlicky beef dishes, a dry rosé is a must-try experience.

Today’s post is sponsored by the Ohio Beef Council. As always, opinions are 100% my own.