farawayvillage
Traditional Azerbaijani Flavored Butter, Fire-Grilled Village Steaks
This recipe celebrates the rustic heritage of the Caucasus, featuring hand-churned butter infused with mountain flavors paired with golden milk bread and succulent fire-seared beef.
👤 Faraway Village📖 farawayvillage
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●wooden spoon
- ●bowl
- ●whisk
- ●pan
- ●griddle
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Churning: Pour the heavy cream or high-fat yogurt into a churner (or a large glass jar if making a small batch). Shake or churn steadily for 20–⏱️ 30 minutes until the butter solids separate completely from the liquid buttermilk.
2
Straining: Drain the buttermilk into a separate container (save this for drinking or baking).
3
Washing: Pour ice-cold water over the butter solids and "knead" it with a wooden spoon. Drain the water and repeat until the water remains clear; this prevents the butter from going rancid.
4
Dividing: Split the clean butter into three equal portions.
5
Flavoring: In the first bowl, fold in the chopped dill and salt. In the second bowl, fold in the red pepper flakes, paprika, and salt. In the third bowl, fold in the crushed toasted walnuts.
6
Shaping: Pack each mixture into wooden molds or roll them into logs using parchment paper. Refrigerate for at least ⏱️ 1 hour to set.
7
Activate Yeast: Mix the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for ⏱️ 10 minutes until frothy.
8
Kneading: In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Create a well and add the yeast mixture, egg, and sunflower oil. Knead for 10–⏱️ 12 minutes until smooth and elastic.
9
First Rise: Cover the dough with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place for 1.⏱️ 5 hours or until doubled in size.
10
Shaping: Punch down the dough and divide it into 4–6 equal portions. Roll each portion into a long, thick cylindrical loaf.
11
Second Rise: Place the loaves on a lined baking tray. Cover and let rise for another ⏱️ 30 minutes.
12
Glazing: Whisk the egg yolk with a splash of milk. Gently brush the tops of the loaves and sprinkle generously with sesame seeds.
13
Baking: Bake at 200°C (390°F) for 25–⏱️ 30 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and the buns sound hollow when tapped.
14
Temper the Meat: Bring the steaks to room temperature for ⏱️ 30 minutes before cooking. Pat them completely dry with paper towels.
15
Seasoning: Generously coat all sides of the steaks with coarse salt and black pepper, pressing the seasoning into the fibers.
16
Searing: Heat a heavy cast-iron pan or griddle over an open fire or high stovetop heat. Add sunflower oil.
17
Cooking: Place the steaks in the pan. Sear for 4–⏱️ 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until your desired doneness is reached.
18
Finishing: Just before removing from the heat, place a thick slice of the herbal or spicy compound butter on top of each steak.
19
Resting: Transfer the steaks to a wooden board. Let them rest for ⏱️ 10 minutes, allowing the flavored butter to melt into the meat juices. Slice and serve alongside the fresh village milk buns.
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