Recipe

Milk Steak with Raw Jelly Beans

(Originally published April 1, 2017)

by Sasha Marx

The original recipe for this modern classic is credited to Chef Charlie Kelly of Paddy’s Pub in Philadelphia. Kelly calls for a rib-eye steak to be boiled over hard in whole milk before being garnished with raw jelly beans. The combination of very hard, vaguely milky steak and dozens of jelly bean flavors just works. For our own Cook’s Science spin on the dish, I chose to grill the steak over hard (cooked to an internal temperature of at least 205 degrees F/96 degrees C) and incorporate the milk as a classic dos leches sauce of whole and sweetened condensed milks. With a final flourish of assorted jelly beans (raw, of course), our take on the classic is at once comforting, sophisticated, and gluten free. A delightful vegan version of this recipe can be made very easily by omitting the steak and the milks.

Yield
Serves 2
Ingredients
450 g rib-eye steak
220 g whole milk
100 g sweetened condensed milk
4 g cornstarch
56 g assorted jelly beans, sorted by flavor
1  (1-pound) rib-eye steak
1 cup whole milk
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
½ teaspoon cornstarch
52  assorted jelly beans, sorted by flavor
Essential Equipment
  • Digital Bathroom Scale
  • Gas or Charcoal Grill
Instructions
    • 450 g rib-eye steak
    Grill steak over hot charcoal or gas fire until steak feels hard to the touch and registers 205 degrees F/96 degrees C, 45 to 60 minutes.
    • 220 g whole milk
    • 100 g sweetened condensed milk
    • 4 g cornstarch
    Meanwhile, whisk milk, sweetened condensed milk, and cornstarch together in small saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened to school paste consistency, 5 to 7 minutes.
    • 56 g assorted jelly beans, sorted by flavor
    Using bread knife, cut steak in half crosswise. Spread 75 grams milk sauce on 2 plates. Using tongs, place steaks on top of sauce; drizzle remaining 150 grams sauce evenly over both steaks. Sprinkle jelly beans over top. Serve.
Instructions
    • 1 (1-pound) rib-eye steak
    Grill steak over hot charcoal or gas fire until steak feels hard to the touch and registers 205 degrees F/96 degrees C, 45 to 60 minutes.
    • 1 cup whole milk
    • ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
    • ½ teaspoon cornstarch
    Meanwhile, whisk milk, sweetened condensed milk, and cornstarch together in small saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened to school paste consistency, 5 to 7 minutes.
    • 52 assorted jelly beans, sorted by flavor
    Using bread knife, cut steak in half crosswise. Spread ½ cup milk sauce on 2 plates. Using tongs, place steaks on top of sauce; drizzle remaining 1 cup sauce evenly over both steaks. Sprinkle jelly beans over top. Serve.
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