Porterhouse Steak Recipe

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5 from 1 vote

Pan-seared porterhouse steak prepared with homemade horseradish sauce, chimichurri sauce, and au poivre sauce.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Shawn Williams

Ingredients

2 pound (32-ounce) porterhouse steak, roughly 1 1/2-2 inches thick
kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste
1 tablespoon canola/vegetabke oil for searing

Chimichurri sauce

1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, minced
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1-2 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper/chili flakes
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
salt to taste

Au poivre sauce

1 tablespoon coarsely cracked black peppercorns
2 tablespoons butter
1 large shallot finely chopped
1/3 cup cognac or brandy
1/2 cup heavy cream

Horseradish sauce

1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

Instructions

For the chimichurri sauce, finely mince garlic, cilantro, and parsley. Add to a small bowl and stir in the oil, vinegar, oregano, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes. You can also chop in a blender by gently pulsing.
For the horseradish sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix until combined. Can be made a day ahead and stored covered in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 415°F. Remove the steak from the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking. This is to bring the steak to room temperature and ensure your cooking times are more accurate. Season all sides liberally with salt and pepper. This can be done while your steak comes to room temp.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to an oven-safe cast iron skillet and turn the heat up high, allowing the skillet to become very hot. Twirl the pan to distribute oil as it heats. Once the oil starts to smoke, place the porterhouse face down and sear undisturbed for 2 minutes. Flip the steak and sear for an additional 2 minutes. This will give your steak a nice seared edge.
Transfer your skillet directly to the oven. [WARNING] The skillet may be hot, handle it with oven mitts. For rare, bake for 4 minutes. Medium rare, 5-6 minutes. Medium, 6-7 minutes. Medium well, 8-9 minutes. Remember, depending on the size of the steak, the more or less time it will take. This recipe is ideal for a 32-ounce porterhouse, roughly 1.5-2 inches thick.
Remove steak from the skillet and place on a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes as you prepare the au poivre sauce.
For the au poivre sauce, return the same skillet, with the pan drippings, to the stove over medium-low heat. Melt butter and add the shallots and peppercorns (as coarse as possible). Cook until shallots start to soften, about 2-3 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Add the cognac and cook until mostly evaporated, about 2 minutes.
Add cream and bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. About 1 minute.
Slice the porterhouse into 1-inch thick strips, separating from the bone. Serve with au poivre, chimichurri, and horseradish sauce.

Notes

Prepare your chimichurri and horseradish sauce the morning of or the day before. This eliminates a lot of dinner prep.

You can make this recipe with a 1-inch thick porterhouse, just be sure to reduce the oven cooking duration to account for the thinner steak.

A digital thermometer is critical for perfectly cooked steak. Steak should be removed from the heat 5-7 degrees F below the desired final serving temp.

Cooking steaks at high temps in a skillet tends to get smokey. Open a kitchen window and turn on your kitchen's overhead vent fan before you start to help with ventilation.

Temperatures for steak
Rare: 120°F to 125°F
Medium rare: 125°F to 130°F
Medium: 135°F to 140°F
Medium well: 145°F to 150°F
Well done: 160°F and above

Nutrition