Tender paprika marinated robber steak with garlic and paprika cream is threaded with onion and bacon on a skewer and grilled to perfection in this Dracula-inspired recipe! For another grilled steak recipe, try our sweet and spicy steak kebabs , or explore more gothic literary recipes such as our wine braised beef with bacon from our Frankenstein feast.
At a Glance: Robber Steak
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Marinating Time: 1 to 4 hours
- Grilling Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: ~1 hour 35 minutes to 4 hours
- Servings: 6
- Flavour: Smoky, savoury, and garlicky
- Skill Level: Easy
- Why this Works: Tender cubes of steak are marinated with a savoury paprika spice rub before grilling with onions and bacon until charred and served with a garlicky sauce for a delicious Dracula-inspired dish.
Dracula, the Feast
Bram Stoker's Dracula takes us on a gothic journey like no other. The dark and dangerous figure, Count Dracula, ominously lurks in shadowed castles and slips quietly into candlelit bedrooms, revealing the fears and terrors of the story's central characters. To honour this gothic masterpiece, we are following the story through food, starting with Jonathan Harker’s fateful journey into the Carpathian Mountains, to the misty sea cliffs of Whitby, the drawing rooms of Victorian London, and the final dangerous race back to Transylvania. Each recipe draws on the places and people at the heart of the novel, echoing the themes of light and darkness, innocence and seduction, superstition and science, life and death. We invite you to sink your teeth into these recipes one at a time, at a Halloween gathering, or at your next book club!
Robber Steak
Jonathan Harker's arrival in Romania is marked by a stay at the Golden Krone Hotel where he is served robber steak. This local dish reminds him of the scraps of meat grilled on skewers and sold on the streets of London to feed cats. Tender beef steak is marinated with red pepper, or paprika, before threading on a skewer with onion and bits of bacon. The skewers are grilled until lightly charred and served with a garlicky sour cream sauce flavoured with paprika. Begin your Dracula inspired feast with a recipe taken directly from the journals of Jonathan Harker!
If you're looking for more delicious gothic literary inspired recipes then you should try our beef and ale stew with suet dumplings inspired by the wild Yorkshire moors in Wuthering Heights or our cider brined roast chicken from our Legend of Sleepy Hollow feast.
Ingredients for Robber Steak
Steak: I used strip loin for this recipe which stayed incredibly tender after grilling. For a more economical optional I would recommend sirloin steak, which is easy to source, and remains tender after marinating and grilling. Tenderloin is another option although it is more expensive.
Paprika: The novel describes robber steak as seasoned with red pepper. Given the region which Jonathan Harker is travelling through, I felt confident in choosing paprika to season the steak. I used Hungarian style sweet paprika, although you could use a hot paprika if you like heat, or smoked paprika if you want a smoky flavour.
Bacon: I found the best way to add bacon to the skewers was to cut each strip into 3 or 4 pieces and bunch them up before threading them onto the skewer. This way the bacon was firmly attached to the skewer and didn't fall off. I also recommend par-cooking the bacon to ensure it's fully cooked when the steak is ready. You don't want to end up overcooking the steak just to make sure the bacon is fully cooked.
Onions: I used regular yellow onions as I felt their sharp flavour matched well with the bacon. However, you could use either red or sweet onions instead.
Garlic: In true Dracula fashion this recipe includes a very garlicky sauce. The garlic is lightly sautéed before adding to the sour cream sauce which takes away some of the raw sharpness but keeps a strong garlic flavour.
Sour cream: I used sour cream as the base for the sauce to cut down on the richness of the steak kebabs. You could substitute with a thick Greek-style yogurt instead.
Mayonnaise: I add a little mayonnaise to the sauce just to add a bit of richness.
Tips for Grilled Steak Kebabs
Kebabs have a long history in Middle Eastern cuisine where seasoned meat grilled over an open flame has been enjoyed for centuries. Today, steak kebabs are a beloved grilling favourite where tender marinated meat is threaded with fresh vegetables and grilled to perfection. Here are a few tips for grilling the perfect steak kebab!
- Cut evenly - Be sure to cut the steak into evenly sized pieces. This will ensure that each piece cooks evenly and to the same level of doneness. Similarly, evenly cut onions will ensure that the they are also evenly cooked.
- Don't overcrowd the skewer - Thread the steak, onions, and bacon on the skewer so that they are close together but still have a slight gap between them to allow for better air circulation. You want to avoid squishing everything tightly together which will lead to uneven cooking and browning.
- Marinate the steak - The relatively small steak pieces don't need to be marinated for too long. I recommend marinating the meat between 1 to 4 hours. Marinating too long can affect the texture of the meat, as the fibres continue to breakdown, and results in a mushy or mealy texture.
- Type of skewer - I like using metal skewers which has the added benefit of good heat conduction, helping to cook the meat from the inside. Wooden skewers are another option, although I recommend soaking them for at least 1 hour before using to prevent them from burning too much.
- Grilling temperature - Grill the kebabs over a high heat to ensure they brown evenly on the outside before they overcook. I recommend grilling the kebabs until the steak has an internal temperature of 140°F which is medium doneness. This will ensure the steak remains tender and juicy. However, you can certainly cook them longer if you prefer a more well-done steak.
Tips for Broiling Steak Kebabs
As delicious as these robber steak skewers are when grilled over a flame, it might not always be possible to grill them. Here are a few tips for cooking your kebabs indoors.
- Choose broil - While it is possible to simply bake the robber steak kebabs at a high temperature, I find broiling will give you the best results for browning and getting that slightly charred flavour.
- Broiler pan - If possible, use a broiler pan or a baking pan lined with a rack. Avoid using glass which could shatter, or parchment paper which could scorch and burn. The perforated top of the broiler pan allows the fat and juices to drip down onto the tray beneath which keeps the steak kebabs dry on the bottom and promotes even browning.
- Line with foil - For easy clean-up, you can line the bottom tray of the broiler pan or the baking sheet with foil. This will prevent the juices from burning onto the pan and make cleaning up a lot easier.
- Oven rack height - Arrange the oven racks so that the kebabs sit about 6 inches beneath the broiler. This should prevent the steak from browning too quickly before it has enough time to fully cook.
- Temperature and time - Broil the kebabs on a high temperature for about 4 to 6 minutes before flipping over. Broil for another 4 to 6 minutes before flipping again. Continue broiling until the kebabs are done, about 12 to 16 minutes total, flipping as needed.
How to make Robber Steak
1. Marinate the beef
Trim any fat from the steak and cut into 1 ½" cubes. Transfer the steak cubes to a large resealable bag. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and pepper. Whisk together until combined.
Pour the marinade over the beef in the bag. Seal the bag, removing as much as you can. Massage the marinade into the steak cubes making sure each piece is coated. The steak should be marinated in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. If using wooden skewers, soak them for at least 1 hour before using.
2. Par cook the bacon
Place a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add half of the bacon strips and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes per side. The bacon is done when it shrinks and begins to stiffen. Remove the bacon before it browns. The bacon should still be pliable. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Pour out the bacon fat from the pan and wipe out with paper towel. Repeat with the remaining bacon. Allow the bacon to cool. The bacon should be refrigerated if not using immediately.
3. Make the sauce
In a mixing bowl combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, kosher salt, and pepper. Whisk together until smooth and then set aside. Place a small skillet or sauce pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is warm add the minced garlic. Sauté briefly, for about a minute, until the garlic is fragrant but before it browns. Add the paprika and sauté for another few seconds.
Immediately pour the garlic and paprika oil over the sour cream mixture, using a spatula to scrape all the oil into the sauce. Whisk to combine and store in the fridge until ready to serve.
4. Assemble the skewers
Cut the onion into 1 ½" pieces. The best way to do this is to halve each onion. Cut each half into three wedges and slice each wedge in half crosswise. Peel off the large onion layers, 2 at a time. The small, inner pieces can be saved to use in another recipe.
Cut each bacon slice into 3 or 4 pieces. To thread the bacon, fold each small piece once or twice so that you have a little ruffled bundle to thread onto the skewer. Thread a piece of bacon onto one of the skewers followed by two pieces of onion and a steak cube. Repeat 4 times to fill up the skewer, beginning and ending with the bacon. Repeat with the remaining steak, onions, and bacon to make 6 skewers.
5. Grill the skewers
Preheat the grill to about 425°F. Spray the grill with non-stick spray. Place the skewers on the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the skewers and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Continue grilling and turning the skewers until the steak reaches an internal temperature of around 140°F for medium doneness, or until your desired doneness. Remove from the heat.
6. Serve the Robber Steak with Garlic and Paprika Cream
When the steak has reached your desired doneness, remove from the grill. Let the robber steak rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Serve with the garlic and paprika cream and enjoy!
More Gothic Literary Recipes
- Roasted Garlic Soup with Cheesy Croutons
- Cider Braised Chicken with Bacon and Leeks
- Brown Butter Rolls
- Cheesy Orzo and Kale Stuffed Pumpkins
- Toffee Apple Pie with Vanilla Custard
- Cranberry Mulled Pear Pavlova
Robber Steak with Garlic and Paprika Cream
Ingredients
- 2 lb steak such as strip loin or sirloin
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ lb bacon 12 slices regular thickness
- 2 large yellow onions
Garlic and Paprika Cream
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Trim any fat from the steak and cut into 1 ½" cubes. Transfer the steak cubes to a large resealable bag. In a small bowl combine the olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and pepper. Whisk together until combined.
- Pour the marinade over the beef in the bag. Seal the bag, removing as much air as you can. Massage the marinade into the steak cubes making sure each piece is coated. The steak should be marinated in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. If using wooden skewers, soak them for at least 1 hour before using.
- Place a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add half of the bacon strips and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes per side. The bacon is done when it shrinks and begins to stiffen. Remove the bacon before it browns. The bacon should still be pliable. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Pour out the bacon fat from the pan and wipe out with paper towel. Repeat with the remaining bacon. Allow the bacon to cool. The bacon should be refrigerated if not using immediately.
- To make the sauce, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, kosher salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Whisk together until smooth and then set aside. Place a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is warm add the minced garlic. Sauté briefly, for about a minute, until the garlic is fragrant but before it browns. Add the paprika and sauté for another few seconds.
- Immediately pour the garlic and paprika oil over the sour cream mixture, using a spatula to scrape all the oil into the sauce. Whisk to combine and store in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Cut the onion into 1 ½" pieces. The best way to do this is to halve each onion. Cut each half into three wedges and slice each wedge in half crosswise. Peel off the large onion layers, 2 at a time. The small, inner pieces can be saved to use in another recipe.
- Cut each bacon slice into 3 or 4 pieces. To thread the bacon, fold each small piece once or twice so that you have a little ruffled bundle to thread onto the skewer. Thread a piece of bacon onto one of the skewers followed by two pieces of onion and a steak cube. Repeat 4 times to fill up the skewer, beginning and ending with the bacon. Repeat with the remaining steak, onions, and bacon to make 6 skewers.
- Preheat the grill to about 425°F. Spray the grill with non-stick spray. Place the skewers on the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the skewers and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Continue grilling and turning the skewers until the steak reaches an internal temperature of around 140°F for medium doneness, or until your desired doneness. Remove from the heat.
- When the steak has reached your desired doneness, remove from the grill. Let the robber steak rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Serve with the garlic and paprika cream and enjoy!