We all expect steak to be special at a steak house. Indeed, the dry-aged beef and bison cuts at the Mercantile Steak in Kalispell, Montana, are beyond exceptional. But it’s their giant popovers and decadent herbed garlic butter that we can’t forget.

Deeply tanned, crackly crisp on the exterior, with a pillowy soft interior, these are the popovers of our dreams.

At this point, I must confess that one of my greatest kitchen failures involves Christmas dinner and a faulty popover recipe. Picture this: The mother-in-law seated at the table, the smoke alarms screaming loudly and the tray of popovers burnt beyond recognition. I have avoided serving these unleavened breads ever since, but I’ve made many batches this fall to recreate our vacation memories.

Size matters for these giant popovers. Of course, you can use a standard muffin pan or greased custard cups. However, the angled shape of each cup in a popover pan helps the batter rise to its maximum. I like the nonstick popover pan from Bellemain. The pan’s six large vertical cups measure more than 2 inches in height and 3 inches in diameter. For giant popovers, each cup needs to have a 3/4-cup (6-ounce) capacity.

Properly baked popovers should be deeply browned — not at all burnt — nearly the color of cinnamon. The exterior will be shatteringly crisp and the interior hollow, moist and tender.

Popovers taste best straight from the oven. However, you can reheat/re-crisp them successfully by returning them to their pan and warming them in a 400-degree oven for a few minutes. Or, reheat in a toaster oven.

We split them in half for a brunch dish and top them with a fried egg. Alternately, swap out the herbs and add 2 tablespoons of sugar to the batter; serve sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar and a spoonful of fresh berries or jam.

Serving these giant herbed popovers with added butter may seem superfluous. We do it anyway — especially on special occasions or with an indulgent steak. More is more after all, during the holidays.

Herbed Giant Popovers

Makes 3 cups batter, for 6 large popovers

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups whole milk (or 1 cup nonfat milk and 1/2 cup half-and-half)

4 large eggs, beaten

3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or olive oil

2 tablespoons each, finely chopped fresh: chives, flat-leaf parsley

Nonstick cooking spray for high heat

Herbed butter with chile salt, see recipe

1. Whisk together flour and salt in a large bowl or quart-size measuring cup with a pour spout. Whisk in milk until smooth. Whisk in eggs and butter. Stir in herbs. Let mixture stand at room temperature up to one hour or several hours in the refrigerator. (Batter can be refrigerated covered for up to one day; stir in 2 or 3 tablespoons milk to thin it a bit before using.)

2. Position an oven rack to be near the bottom third of the oven. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Remove batter from refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature while the oven heats. Spray insides of large (6- or 8-ounce capacity) popover cups with nonstick spray. Set the popover tray on a baking sheet.

3. When the oven is hot, pour the batter evenly among the prepared cups, filling them 3/4 full. Put the tray into the oven. Set the timer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature (without opening the oven door) to 350 degrees. Continue to bake until puffed, deeply browned and firm, 20 to 25 minutes (slightly longer if the batter is still cold).

4. You can leave the popovers in the turned-off oven with the door ajar for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and insert the tip of a knife in the top to allow some of the steam to escape. Remove from the pan while they are still piping hot. Serve with herbed butter.

Herb Butter with Chile Salt

Makes about 1/2 cup

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, gochugaru chile flakes or 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons each, finely chopped fresh: chives, flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme or sage

2 tablespoons dark green fruity olive oil

1. Mix salt and chile flakes in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Put butter into another small bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon to lighten it. Stir in herbs until well mixed. If desired, transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip; pipe into a ring shape in small shallow serving bowl. Alternatively, shape a shallow mound of the butter in a serving dish and make a deep indentation in the center. Refrigerate covered up to 1 day.

3. To serve, allow butter to come to room temperature. Drizzle olive oil around the ring and in the center of the ring of butter (or into the indentation). Sprinkle with chile salt. Serve at room temperature.

(JeanMarie Brownson is a James Beard Award-winning author and the recipient of the IACP Cookbook Award for her latest cookbook, “Dinner at Home.” JeanMarie, a chef and authority on home cooking, Mexican cooking and specialty food, is one of the founding partners of Frontera Foods. She co-authored three cookbooks with chef Rick Bayless, including “Mexico: One Plate at a Time.” JeanMarie has enjoyed developing recipes and writing about food, travel and dining for more than four decades.)

©2024 JeanMarie Brownson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.