What would a Steakhouse Series be without the steak? All sizzle? Ugh, sorry! But bad puns aside, when I launched into this steakhouse enterprise, I knew it would have to include a show-stopping carnivorous dish somewhere. Well, I’m fairly certain that today’s Porterhouse Steak with Malt Shallot Butter and Shiitake Mushrooms more than fits the bill. It’s over-the-top, expensive, and oh so indulgent. But in spite of its extravagant appearance, it’s fairly simple to pull off. And, in comparison to the price you’d pay at a quality steakhouse, this steak won’t break the bank. So, if you’re down with butter and beef, buckle up because this dish will make your heart go pitter-pat. And if you’re vegan…well, maybe check back next week?
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Let’s kick off this meat fest by talking specifically about the porterhouse cut. If you think this steak bears more than a passing resemblance with a T-bone, you’re not wrong. The porterhouse is technically a T-bone, it’s cut from the, ahem, beefier end of the short loin. A T-bone steak gains the porterhouse distinction when it has a larger share of the tenderloin than the other steaks cut from the same loin. Basically, the porterhouse is a large T-bone steak and it can usually feed 2-3 people.
Now, I’m sure you’ve noticed that T-bone steaks tend to be fairly coveted and you may wonder why. Well, the answer is T-bone steaks are technically two steaks in one. One side of the T is populated with meat from the tenderloin, while the other contains a strip steak. So yeah, you get two prime cuts and a bone to gnaw on, it’s a win-win for everyone… except your dinner date.
Now, let’s tackle the Malt Shallot Butter. If you’ve ever been to a primo steakhouse, you know these places love a good compound butter. Compound butter unsurprisingly comes from the French. And like the truffles and caviar that make it into your lowly baked potato, compound butter was introduced in order to justify those sky-high steakhouse prices. French food was considered the height of sophistication while steakhouses were cutting their teeth. So, why not borrow a little white-table-cloth-cred from the fine dining capital of the world.
The most popular compound butter is called Beurre Maître d’Hôtel. It features softened butter ribboned with parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. It was typically composed tableside and is still used frequently as a sauce stand-in for meat, fish, and chicken. Beurre Maître d’Hôtel is also often deployed as a luxury condiment.
But why stick with a classic when you can stuff a hunk of butter with just about anything? That’s the beauty of a compound butter – your only limitations are your imagination and what you have in the fridge, which admittedly can limit you quite a bit. Let’s face it, sometimes all you have is a bag of shallots that are on the brink. And when (not if) that happens, you’ll feel secure in the knowledge that at least you can make this Malt Shallot Butter.
When I’m playing fast and loose with expiry dates, I tend to douse produce in vinegar. Now, this obviously won’t work with stuff that should’ve had a funeral weeks ago. But for vegetables that are just coasting past their prime, quick pickling can really reinvigorate them. So, take some nearly forgotten shallots and plunged them into a solution made up of salt, sugar and malt vinegar. From there you simply walk away and let it do its thing. And when you wander back into the kitchen a few hours later, your shallots will be more vibrant in terms of taste and color. All that remains is to drain the suckers and fold them into some softened unsalted butter. And no, you don’t need to add any salt, the pickled shallots will provide the appropriate amount of salinity.
Once the Malt Shallot Butter is safely stowed in the fridge, you can turn your attention to the porterhouse steak. Honestly, you don’t have to be afraid of this. Simply season your steak with salt and pepper and leave it out in the open air for 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°F and pop the steak in. Cook the meat slow, then quickly sear it in a screaming hot pan. You can baste the steak with herbs and some of the Malt Shallot Butter while it’s in the pan, but it’s not necessary. Just serve the porterhouse steak with a disc of the butter on top and it will be close enough.
Now, the shiitakes are truly the simplest thing ever. Rip off their stems and add them whole
So, that’s everything you need to know about this truly epic Porterhouse Steak with Malt Shallot Butter & Shiitake Mushrooms. I’ll be back with dessert and the last installment of Rhubarb & Cod’s Steakhouse Series.
Enjoy!
FollowPorterhouse Steak with Malt Shallot Butter & Shiitake Mushrooms
Ingredients
Malt Shallot Butter
- 1 cup malt vinegar
- 1 tbsp turbinado sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large shallots halved and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
Porterhouse Steak with Malt Shallot Butter and Shiitake Mushrooms
- 1 porterhouse steak 1 1/2 -2 inches thick
- 1 tbsp salt
- Fresh ground pepper
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 2-3 medallions Malt Shallot Butter see above
- 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 cups shiitake mushrooms stems removed
Instructions
Malt Shallot Butter
- Pour the vinegar into a small bowl. Add the salt and sugar and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Add the shallots and cover. Set aside to pickle at room temperature for at least 3 hours.
- Drain the pickled shallots and place them in a large bowl with the softened butter. Using a hand mixer or a wooden spoon and some elbow grease, cream the shallots into the butter until well-integrated.
- Transfer the butter to a large piece of parchment paper. Roll the paper to form a cylinder and twist the ends to seal. Place the butter in the fridge to firm up for at least 1 hour.
Porterhouse Steak with Malt Shallot Butter and Shiitake Mushrooms
- Season the steak on both sides liberally with salt and pepper. Place the steak on a cooling rack with a baking sheet underneath to catch drips. Let the seasoned steak rest for 45 minutes at room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 200°F.Place the steak in the oven and cook for 30-45 minutes or until it’s internal temperature registers 15° lower than your desired finished temp. I wanted a finished temperature of 135°F so I pulled my steak out of the oven when it registered 120°F.
- Heat the canola oil in a large cast iron skillet until shimmering. The pan should be extremely hot. Place the steak in the pan and sear on both sides. This should not take more than 3 minutes.
- Add 1-2 medallions of the butter and the thyme to the pan. When the butter melts, tilt the pan towards yourself and spoon the butter over top of the steak. Transfer the steak to a platter and loosely tent with tin foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
- While the steak is resting, add the mushrooms to the skillet and saute over medium-high heat until golden and slightly crispy. This is should take the same amount of time it takes to rest the steak. Remove from the heat.
- Carve the steak by following the outline of the bone. Slice the meat into thick strips. Top the steak with the remaining butter medallions and the shiitake mushrooms. Serve immediately with your preferred condiments. I like prepared horseradish.
