Cajun Sirloin With Mushroom Leek Sauce

April 2022. Spring in Memphis, and I am 63, watching the azaleas and dogwoods bloom along my neighborhood walk, the annual resurrection that makes the winter worth surviving. The smoker wakes up in spring the way the whole city wakes up — slowly, with a stretch, then fully, with purpose.

Rosetta beside me through the week, steady as ever, the woman who runs this household with the precision of a hospital ward and the heart of a mother who has loved fiercely for 38 years of marriage. Walter Jr. came by with the grandchildren, bringing the noise and energy that grandchildren bring, the house expanding to hold them the way a good pot expands to hold a good stew.

Smoked turkey wings this week — big, meaty, brined and rubbed and smoked at 275 for three hours until the skin crackled and the meat pulled clean. Turkey wings are the working class of BBQ: cheap, underrated, and transformed by smoke into something extraordinary. Uncle Clyde served them on Fridays at his stand, and I serve them on Saturdays in my backyard, and the tradition bridges the gap between then and now.

Sunday at Mt. Zion, the choir sang and I sat in my pew and let the music hold me. The bass notes I used to add are quieter now — my voice is aging, the way everything ages — but the listening is its own participation, and the church holds me the way the church has held this community for a hundred years: faithfully, unconditionally, with room for everyone who shows up. I show up. That is enough.

The smoked turkey wings scratched that deep, slow-fire itch I carry all spring, but when Walter Jr. and the grandchildren showed up and the house filled to the edges, I wanted something fast enough for a Saturday crowd yet bold enough to honor the season’s first real warmth. Cajun heat has always felt like kin to BBQ smoke in this kitchen—different road, same destination. This sirloin, rubbed hard with Cajun seasoning and finished in a savory mushroom leek sauce, brings that same working-class transformation I love about turkey wings: humble cut, serious flavor, everybody leaving the table satisfied.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 sirloin steaks (about 6 oz each, 3/4 inch thick)
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

Season the steaks. Pat steaks dry with paper towels. Combine Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and black pepper in a small bowl, then press the mixture firmly onto both sides of each steak. Let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Sear the steaks. Heat olive oil in a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add steaks and sear 3—4 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until desired doneness. Transfer steaks to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
Saute the leeks and mushrooms. Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the same skillet. Add leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes until softened. Add mushrooms and cook 4—5 minutes until golden and any liquid has evaporated.
Build the sauce. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer 2 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and continue simmering 3—4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
Finish and serve. Return steaks to the skillet and spoon the mushroom leek sauce over the top. Warm through for 1 minute. Plate steaks, ladle sauce generously over each, and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Cajun Sirloin With Mushroom Leek Sauce — Memphis Spice, Family Table