Steakhouse Steak Seasoning

I know we always have a bottle of Montreal Steak Seasoning on hand for homemade steaks. But there is no arguing that a Homemade Steak Seasoning is the best way to take a good steak to the next level.

 

In fact, people spend hundreds of thousands of dollars per year on premade steaks rubs at the grocery store. The funny part is, you probably have all the ingredients to make your own custom steak dry rub at home- one that goes well beyond sea salt and pepper.

Best Steak Seasoning

Saying anything is “the best” is a bold statement, but I will say this is the perfect blends of seasonings and.. our secret ingredient, which I will divulge in a few paragraphs down. I know, cliffhanger!

This steak rub recipe is directly from a friend at a 5-star steakhouse. The real deal, foodie friends. And the proof is in the ratings, this spice blend has been made by hundreds of people and still maintains a rating of over 4.5 stars.

How to Make Steakhouse Steaks at Home

There are a couple of things that set high-end steakhouses above the rest: prime cuts of beef, a broiler that can reach up to 1800 degrees, maitre d’hotel butter and a spice rub.

And yes, most steakhouses use a broiler, not a grill, so throw that the notion that all delicious steaks need a flame right out the window.

While most of us won’t ever have an oven that reaches 1800 degrees, we can purchase a perfectly marbled steak and prepare maitre d’hotel butter and steak rub, both being relatively simple.

And the last trick is a juicy steak and to make that happen you need to LET IT REST!

Steak Seasoning Recipe

The seasoning blend will be the easiest out of the three. In fact, you probably already have all the ingredients in your pantry.

• Kosher salt – I like using a coarse Kosher salt for this steak seasoning blend. Coarse salt helps to draw out the water in the meat.
• Garlic powder – I feel that this is arguably the best seasoning. It’s so versatile, and adds a kick of flavor without having to use fresh garlic,
• Onion powder – Same with onion powder. You get the delicious flavor of onion without having to cut one open.
• Black pepper – Freshly cracked black pepper is always best, but you can use already ground pepper if that’s all you have.
• Paprika – If you’d like a smoky flavor, you could use smoked paprika. But regular paprika is what I usually use.
• Celery salt – This adds a hint of celery flavor. It’s aromatic, savory and blends well with the natural flavors of the steak.
• Sugar – I know you might be wondering if this is a typo, but yes… sugar helps it caramelize and stick to the meat!
• Nutmeg – This might also seem like an ingredient that doesn’t belong in an amazing steak seasoning. But I promise it provides an amazing flavor.

Simply combine all ingredients in a small bowl and and BINGO- you are ready to go! 

Steak Seasoning Variations

• Salt – I shy away from using table salt, also known as iodized salt, in general. I don’t even buy it due to having a metallic taste, but that isn’t the only reason. The trouble with using the same amount of a smaller granule of salt is that you’ll actually get a much saltier flavor. If you use a smaller grain of salt, then I also advise cutting the amount in half or more.
• Sugar – You can use brown sugar instead of white sugar if you prefer. Brown sugar has a hint of molasses and while I don’t prefer that on my steaks, you can certainly add it to yours. The best steak seasoning uses sugar, who knew?
• Spice – Looking for spice and not flame? Add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes or chili powder. Sure to make your brow sweat a little.

Beef or Chicken or Pork

Whatever you prefer! Filet mignon, ribeye, porterhouse, NY strip steak or even skirt or flank steak.

But wait… that isn’t all! This steak seasoning recipe can also be used on chicken or fish and I’ve even sprinkled this concoction on salads using a vinegar based dressing like Fresh Herb Vinaigrette or Garlic Balsamic Vinaigrette.

And once… I even used it on bread for a smoky steakhouse garlic bread. It was divine and people raved about the unexpected flavors.

How to Make the Steak

This rub can be used for grilling, broiling or pan frying.

For best results regardless of how you prepare it, dry your steak well using a dry paper towel. People tend to want to rub it with olive oil to get the rub to stick, but it will just fall off. You really want a dry steak to get a good sear and let the sugar caramelize and stick.

Massage steakhouse steak rub into your meat on both sides and wrap it in plastic wrap for at least 30 minutes, but up to 24 hours. This allows the salt to tenderize, flavors to marry and seasoning to stick.

Don’t let it sit much longer, as the salt will get to a point where the beef will start to harden and just be plain salty instead of tenderized. In fact, you can even reduce the amount of salt, if desired.

I once accidentally left a nice beef tenderloin wrapped too long and the meat was basically ruined, totally over salted. I was embarrassed and also disappointed. Learn from my mistakes.

Storage & Leftovers

You might have a little leftover, that is fine. Just discard it or store it in an airtight container at room temperature until the next time you want to prepare a delicious steak.

Since it has salt, a natural preservative, as a base, it will stay good for up to a year. At that point, it isn’t dangerous, but the flavors will start to degrade. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place.

Steak Rub makes an excellent gift. It is naturally preserved, has a long shelf life and can be made in large batches! 

More Homemade Spice Mixes

• Homemade Poultry Seasoning
• Pumpkin Pie Spice