The aromatic Za'atar blend of herbs and spices transforms this Cast Iron Steak and Lion's Mane Mushroom Recipe into a special meal for a date night at home!
A Perfect Date Night Dish
It’s Friday night, the kids are at their grandparents' house, and you’ve got the whole evening to yourselves. What better way to celebrate than by cooking a special meal that feels like it’s straight out of a fine-dining restaurant.
This Cast Iron Steak with Lion’s Mane Mushroom Recipe is a showstopper that’s surprisingly easy to make at home. It’s packed with Middle Eastern flavors that compliment this steak and mushroom dish, and will have your spouse savoring every bite.
Lion's Mane Mushrooms Make This Dish Special
Lion’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.
Cooking a steak in a cast-iron skillet creates a gorgeous crust that’s hard to beat. But pair that with some amazing Lion’s Mane mushrooms, and you’ve got a winning combination. Lion's mane mushrooms, often called the "vegan lobster," have a slightly meaty, seafood-like quality that complements the venison steak beautifully.
Za'atar Seasoning
The Za’atar seasoning takes this dish to the next level. With sumac’s tangy brightness, cumin’s warmth, and sesame seeds for texture, this middle eastern spice blend makes the steak and mushrooms shine. And don’t worry if you can't find sumac. I personally can't get it at my local grocery store or Walmart here in Fargo, North Dakota. I have to get my sumac on Amazon.com. If you don’t have sumac in your pantry or can’t find it at your local grocery store, feel free to use paprika as a substitute, and I promise I won’t tell anyone.
How To Cook Lion's Mane Mushrooms
Lion’s Mane mushrooms might look intimidating, but they’re incredibly easy to prepare. Just clean and slice them before sautéing. Their porous texture soaks up the butter and seasoning, making them an ideal partner for the steak. They also cook quickly, so you can whip them up while your steak rests.
This Lion's Mane mushroom recipe shows you how to get golden, buttery mushrooms that’ll have you rethinking side dishes forever.
How To Make Cast Iron Steak with Lion's Mane Mushrooms
1. 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.
2. In a small bowl, make the Za’atar by combining the salt, pepper, sumac, cumin, sesame seeds, dried oregano, and dried thyme. It makes 3 Tablespoons.
3. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of Za’atar seasoning mix on both sides of the steak and press so it adheres to the meat. Let the seasoned steak sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or up to 45 minutes before cooking.
4. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 475 degrees F.
5. When ready to cook, set a large cast-iron skillet over high heat, then add the olive oil.
6. Lay the steak in the skillet, and immediately decrease the heat to medium. Leave it alone for 2 minutes. You should see a deep-brown crust climbing about ¼ inch from the bottom. Flip and cook the other side for another 2 minutes, until the other side is deeply browned as well.
7. Place the cast-iron skillet with the steak in the preheated oven and cook for about 4 to 6 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 130°F using an instant-read meat thermometer.
8. Remove the skillet from the oven, then transfer the steaks to a cutting board to rest for about 10 minutes while you cook the Lion’s Mane mushrooms.
9. Return the same cast-iron skillet to the stovetop. Over medium-high heat, add 2 Tablespoons of butter and the Lion’s Mane mushrooms. Sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring often.
10. Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of Za’atar seasoning to the mushrooms and sauté for another 1 minute.
11. Cut the steak diagonally against the grain into ¼-inch-thick slices.
12. Divide the mushrooms between serving plates, top with sliced steak, sprinkle with remaining Za’atar seasoning, and serve immediately.
Pro Tips For Success
- Patience is key. Letting the steak rest before and after cooking ensures even seasoning and juices that stay in the meat.
- Preheat your skillet. A hot cast iron creates the perfect crust.
- Experiment with garnishes. Fresh thyme and oregano add a pop of color and extra flavor, but they’re totally optional.
More Recipes For Date Night
If you are looking for more recipes to whip up for that special someone for a date night at home, be sure and check out all of our Valentine's Day recipes that might give you some inspiration.
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Cast Iron Steak and Lion's Mane Mushroom Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound venison loin (1 ½- to 2-inches thick)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons sumac
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups Lion's Mane mushrooms, cleaned & sliced
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- sprig of fresh thyme for garnish (optional)
- sprig of fresh oregano for garnish (optional)
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
- In a small bowl make the Za'atar by combining the salt, pepper, sumac, cumin, sesame seeds, dried oregano, and dried thyme. It makes 3 Tablespoons.
- Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of Za'atar seasoning mix on both sides of the steak and press so it adheres to the meat. Let the seasoned steak sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or up to 45 minutes before cooking.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
- When you are ready to cook, set a large cast-iron skillet over high heat, then add the olive oil.
- Lay the steak in the skillet, and immediately decrease the heat to medium. Leave it alone for 2 minutes. You should see a deep-brown crust climbing about ¼ 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 4 to 6 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees F using an instant-read meat thermometer.
- Remove from the oven, then transfer steaks to a cutting board to rest for about 10 minutes while you cook the lion's mane mushrooms.
- Return the same cast iron skillet to the stovetop. Over medium high heat, add 2 Tablespoons of butter and the Lion's Mane mushrooms and sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of Za'atar seasoning to the mushrooms and sauté for another 1 minute.
- Cut steak diagonally against the grain into ¼-inch-thick slices.
- Divide mushrooms between serving plates, top with sliced steak, sprinkle with remaining Za'atar seasoning, and serve immediately.
