Chateaubriand steak

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Beef Cuts
BeefCutTenderloin.svg
Beef cut: Tenderloin
Steak type: Chateaubriand

The Chateaubriand steak is a recipe of a particular thick cut from the tenderloin, which, according to Larousse Gastronomique, was created by personal chef, Montmireil, for Vicomte François-René de Chateaubriand, (1768–1848), the author and diplomat who served Napoleon as an ambassador and Louis XVIII as Secretary of State for two years. This dish is usually only offered as a serving for two, as there is only enough meat in the center of the average fillet for two portions.[citation needed]

At the time of the Vicomte, the steak was cut from the more flavorful but less tender sirloin[citation needed] and served with a reduced sauce made from white wine and shallots moistened with demi-glace and mixed with butter, tarragon, and lemon juice. An alternative spelling of the statesman-author's name is 'Châteaubriant', and some maintain that the term refers to the quality of the cattle bred around the town of Châteaubriant in the Loire-Atlantique, France.[citation needed]

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