Chateaubriand Steak – Heritage Breed, Grass-Fed & Dry-Aged
Chateaubriand is cut from the thickest part of the beef fillet and is naturally suited to serving two. It is prized for its fine texture and tenderness, with enough size to develop a good crust while remaining pink and succulent through the centre.

Our butchers prepare each Chateaubriand from heritage breed cattle, slow-grown on grass in the Yorkshire Dales. The beef is dry-aged on the bone for over 28 days to concentrate flavour and improve tenderness before the fillet is trimmed and cut by hand.

Chef Valentine Warner Inspires
"Whilst fillet is certainly a more expensive and popular cut, one could rightly argue its flavour is less pronounced due to its lack of work over the cow's lifetime. This is certainly not so with Swaledale's slow-grown cattle and I can only describe the taste of their chateaubriand as excellent, all be it certainly gentler in taste than more active parts of the cow.

This is a very tidy little joint and easy to cook but I would add it really is a joint for those who like their meat rare to medium. A small roast it will feed two to three, just enough that gluttony be avoided. Enjoy this prime steak as it is a delicate joy.

For the oven I would first sear it hard and fast to achieve browning on the outside, then straight into a hot oven for finishing.

Watercress sauce is a very easily made accompaniment. My recipe for Chateaubriand with Bone Marrow & Watercress Sauce consists of a little sautéed shallot and garlic to which a little chicken stock is added before blitzing it to velvety smoothness with fresh watercress, crème fraîche, a little Dijon mustard and seasoning.

Cooked over charcoal having been rolled in crushed fennel and coriander seeds with dried rosemary, lemon zest and garlic it is fabulous, especially when served with an unctuous potato salad rich with mayonnaise all flecked with fresh tarragon and parsley.

A smearing with good curry paste before the grill will also deliver joy.

A lesser known approach and once browned I like to very lightly braise it under a lid, only briefly with sautéed mushrooms, gem lettuce, a little stock, white wine and vinegar. This is a delicate dish, the juices then emulsified with a little cold butter and poured over your plated arrangement.

On a cooked lettuce continuation and lastly a dish of petit pois, bacon, carrots and lettuce, finished with vinegar, butter, Dijon mustard and fresh mint, the pink slices of this beef then gently draped upon top and it is certainly a celebratory dish to welcome the return of spring."

What is the Most Suitable Breed for Chateaubriand?
There isn’t one breed that automatically produces the best Chateaubriand. Native cattle such as Dexter, Highland and Belted Galloway can all produce excellent beef, but breed is only part of the picture.

Farming system, diet and age at slaughter matter just as much. At Swaledale, we favour cattle that have matured slowly on good grass and haylage, because flavour and texture come from the combination of breed, husbandry, diet and maturity rather than any one factor alone.

Can I Order a Larger Chateaubriand for Christmas?
Because our heritage breed cattle are generally smaller than commercial breeds, Chateaubriand rarely exceeds around 700g.

For a larger festive centrepiece, we recommend cooking two 700g joints side by side, or choosing a whole fillet of beef instead.