A stripped-down weeknight steak dinner built on the complexity already in this sauce—smoky, molassed, garlicky, with just enough vinegar to brighten it. Montreal spice rub is built in, so the steak needs little else.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 340 calories a serving, 42 g protein, 1 g carbohydrate, 18 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Pat the two steaks dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Lay them in the skillet and leave them alone until the undersides are dark brown, about three minutes.3 min
2. Flip the steaks and cook the other side until dark brown and the internal temperature reaches 130°F [54°C] for medium rare, another three minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.3 min
3. Pour 1/2 cup of the smoky Montreal sauce into the same skillet off heat, scraping up any browned bits. Warm it gently over low heat for one minute, stirring, until it loosens and smells fragrant. Return the steaks to the pan and turn them in the sauce to coat.1 min

Note Swap the steaks for thick-cut pork chops if you prefer. Leftovers keep covered for two days; reheat gently in the sauce. Serve with bread to soak up the sauce, and a sharp salad to cut the molasses.