Middle Eastern Steak with Lion’s Mane Mushroom Recipe
The aromatic Za'atar blend of herbs and spices transforms this Middle Eastern Steak and Lion's Mane Mushroom Recipe into a special meal your family will love!I can always count on a venison steak to be a hearty and satisfying meal that will please both my wife and daughter when I put it on the table in front of them. I absolutely love to cook a good cast iron skillet steak because it is just so easy to make! Family dinner is ready in no time, and it tastes just as good as if it were a beef steak coming out of the kitchen at a fine dining restaurant.MIDDLE EASTERN STEAKI'm always experimenting with different ways to cook venison steaks. I've used Za'atar seasoning with chicken and pheasant, so it wasn't far-fetched for me to conclude that those same Middle Eastern flavors would go well with a steak and mushroom dish.ZA'ATAR SEASONINGZa'atar is a Middle Eastern blend of herbs and sesame seeds. I added dried oregano and thyme to boost its herbal flavor for this Steak and Lion's Mane Mushroom recipe.Za'atar (pronounced Zaah-tar) is associated with Middle Eastern cooking. A combination of herbs, sesame seeds, sumac, and salt, it's one of the world's most unique and best seasonings. It's loaded with bold flavors, has an amazing texture, and even has some great health benefits.VENISON STEAKI used an elk steak from my 2021 North Dakota Elk Hunt and some Lion's Mane mushrooms I got from the local farmer's market. Cooking the steak in a cast iron skillet gives it a beautiful sear and locks in the flavors, making for a meal that's both delicious and impressive. Whether you're a seasoned pro at cooking venison or a newcomer to the world of game meat, this Middle Eastern Steak recipe is sure to impress your taste buds and your guests alike.LION'S MANE MUSHROOMSLion’s mane mushrooms are large, white, shaggy mushrooms that resemble a lion’s mane as they grow. If you’ve ever seen pom-pom-shaped mushrooms on the trunks of broadleaf trees like oak or beech, it might have been a lion’s mane mushroom (hericium erinaceus). Lion’s mane mushrooms grow in forests across North America. It's been used for centuries for both food and its many medicinal purposes. That's because there are plenty of health benefits when it comes to Lion's Mane Mushrooms.WHAT DOES A LION'S MANE MUSHROOM TASTE LIKE?When I sauteed these Lion's Mane Mushrooms in butter, I discovered these tasty fungi to be delicate, tender, juicy and meaty. Some say it even tastes like seafood, but I didn't come away with that impression.MORE GREAT VENISON STEAK RECIPESIf you love venison steak as much as we do, you can also check out Our 15 Best Venison Steak recipes!Or how about our favorite Homemade Steak Sauce Recipe.GO HUNTING IN NORTH DAKOTAIf you would like to come to North Dakota and experience a great hunt, check out the North Dakota Game & Fish Department website. And if you want me to come along with you as your camp cook, photographer, or butcher, you can find out more details here. CONNECT WITH ME AND JOIN OUR WILD GAME COOKING COMMUNITYIf you make this Middle Eastern Steak with Lion's Mane Mushroom Recipe, I’d love for you to join our community and connect with me so we can all see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #wildgameandfishDid you enjoy this Middle Eastern Steak with Lion's Mane Mushroom Recipe? If so, be sure to leave a 5-star rating RIGHT HERE!
Ingredients
- 2 6-ounce Elk Steaks (2-inch thick)
- 2 cups Lion's Mane mushrooms, cleaned & sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon sumac
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 1 Tablespoon black sesame seeds
- 1 Tablespoon white sesame seeds
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- sprig of fresh thyme
- sprig of fresh oregano
Instructions
- Place the steaks on a cutting board and tenderize them with a Jaccard meat tenderizer.
- Use a paper towel to pat the steaks dry on both sides. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper on each side of each steak and press gently to make sure it sticks. Refrigerate the steaks on an uncovered plate for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl make the Za'atar by combining the sumac, cumin, sesame seeds, dried oregano, and dried thyme.
- Before you cook, sprinkle each steak with 1 Tablespoon of the Za'atar, then let the steak sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Set a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until it's blazing hot, then add the olive oil.
- Lay the steaks in the skillet side by side, and immediately decrease the heat to medium. Leave them alone for 2 minutes. You should see a deep-brown crust climbing about 1/4 inch from the bottom. Flip and cook the other side for another 2 minutes, until the other side is deeply browned as well.
- Place the cast iron skillet with steak in the preheated oven and cook for about 6-7 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees F.
- Remove from the oven, then transfer steaks to a cutting board to rest for 5 to 10 minutes while you prepare the mushrooms.
- Return the same cast iron skillet to the stovetop. Over medium high heat, add the 2 Tablespoons of butter and the Lion's Mane mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the last Tablespoon of Za'atar seasoning to the mushrooms and sauté for another 1 minute.
- Divide mushrooms between two plates, top with a steak, and serve immediately.
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