I have paid steakhouse prices enough times to know how much of that bill is the candles, the leather booths, and somebody else doing the dishes. The food itself is not complicated, just a well-seasoned steak cooked in a very hot pan and a handful of rich sides that all taste better with extra butter. So a few times a year I dim the lights, open a good bottle, and do the whole thing at home, from the rolls to the crème brûlée. It costs about a third as much.
1) Steak Frites
Steak frites is the bistro version of a steakhouse dinner, and it is the one I make most. A strip or hanger steak gets seared hard in cast iron, sliced, and served next to a pile of hot, salty fries. Pat the steak completely dry before it hits the pan, since surface moisture is the enemy of a real crust. A spoonful of herb butter melting over the top is the finishing move.
2) Prime Rib
Prime rib is the steakhouse centerpiece, and it is easier at home than most people think. Roast it low at 250°F (120°C) until the center reads 120°F (49°C), then blast it at 500°F (260°C) for 10 minutes to build the crust. Rest it for 20 minutes before slicing it thick. Horseradish cream and a little jus from the pan are the only sauces it needs.
3) Tri-Tip on Toasted Rolls
Tri-tip is the steakhouse cut most of the country has not discovered yet, and it costs a fraction of what ribeye does. Grill it over high heat to 130°F (54°C), rest it for 10 minutes, then slice it thin against the grain. The grain runs in 2 directions, so cut the roast in half where they meet before slicing. Piled on toasted rolls with horseradish sauce, it makes the best sandwich of the night.
4) Grilled Ribeye
Ribeye is the steak I order when someone else is paying and the one I buy when I want to treat myself. The marbling means it can take a very hot grill without drying out. Salt it at least 45 minutes ahead or right before it goes on, and never in the awkward window between, when the surface is still wet. Grill it to 130°F (54°C) for medium rare and rest it for 5 minutes.
5) Sliced Sirloin Platter
Top sirloin is the smart steakhouse choice when you are feeding a crowd. It has good beefy flavor, costs far less than ribeye, and slices neatly for a platter. Grill it whole, rest it, and fan the slices out on a board with flaky salt and chimichurri on the side. It looks generous without costing a fortune.
6) Grilled Flank Steak
Flank steak rewards a marinade more than any other cut on this list. Soy, garlic, lime, and a little brown sugar for 4 hours is plenty. Grill it hot and fast, about 5 minutes per side, then slice it very thin against the grain. Slicing with the grain is the mistake that turns flank steak into shoe leather.
7) Steak with Broccolini and Pan Sauce
Pan sauce is the steakhouse trick I wish more people knew. After searing the steak, pour off the fat, add shallots and a splash of wine or brandy, and scrape up every browned bit before whisking in cold butter. It takes 3 minutes and tastes like it came out of a restaurant kitchen. Broccolini charred in the same pan makes a quick green side.
8) Beef Tartare
Beef tartare is the steakhouse starter I was nervous to make at home, and I should not have been. Buy a very fresh piece of tenderloin or sirloin from a butcher you trust and tell them what it is for. Chill the meat until firm, dice it by hand, and dress it with capers, shallot, mustard, and a raw egg yolk. Serve it right away with toasted baguette.
9) Seared Scallops with Saffron Risotto
Every steakhouse menu has a seafood option for the person at the table who is not in a steak mood, and this is mine. Pat the scallops completely dry, sear them in a smoking hot pan for 90 seconds per side without moving them, and pull them while the centers are still translucent. The saffron risotto takes 20 minutes of steady stirring. It is worth every one of them.
10) Glazed Bone-In Pork Chops
Plenty of steakhouses quietly serve one of the best pork chops in town, and a thick bone-in chop is a good call for anyone who wants something other than beef. Brine it for 2 hours in salted water with a little brown sugar, which is the step most people skip and then they wonder why their pork chops always come out dry. Sear it hard, glaze it with maple and mustard, and finish it in a 400°F (200°C) oven until it reads 140°F (60°C). Rest it for 5 minutes before cutting.
11) Baby Back Ribs
Fall-off-the-bone ribs are the reason half the country goes to steakhouse chains, and they are simple to make at home. Pull the silver skin off the back of the rack, rub the ribs with brown sugar and spices, and bake them wrapped in foil at 275°F (135°C) for about 3 hours. Brush them with barbecue sauce and finish under the broiler until sticky. Plan on half a rack per person.
12) Loaded Baked Potatoes
The key to a steakhouse baked potato is the skin. Rub it with oil and coarse salt and bake the potato directly on the rack at 425°F (220°C) for about 1 hour. Foil steams the skin soft, which is the opposite of what you want. Load them with butter, sour cream, cheddar, bacon, and chives.
13) Potatoes au Gratin
Au gratin potatoes are my favorite steakhouse side, full stop. Slice Yukon Golds very thin, layer them with cream, garlic, and Gruyère, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 1 hour, until the top is deeply golden. A mandoline makes the job easier and the layers more even. Let it rest for 10 minutes so the slices hold together.
14) Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Steakhouse mashed potatoes are about 2 parts potato and 1 part butter, or at least that is how they taste. Simmer peeled garlic cloves right alongside the potatoes so they turn soft and sweet. Warm the cream before adding it, because cold dairy cools the potatoes down and makes them gluey. Season them more than you think you need to.
15) Bacon Cheese Fries
These are the appetizer I make when the steaks are still resting and everyone is hovering. Bake or fry the fries until very crisp, then pile on shredded cheddar and crumbled bacon and slide them under the broiler for 2 minutes. A side of ranch is expected. They disappear before anyone sits down.
16) Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls
These soft, slightly sweet rolls with cinnamon honey butter are the reason people wait in line at the chain, and they are very doable at home. The dough gets a little honey and a generous amount of butter, and it needs 2 rises. Brush the tops with melted butter the moment they come out of the oven. Whip softened butter with honey, powdered sugar, and cinnamon and serve it on the side.
17) Cheddar Garlic Biscuits
These drop biscuits skip the rolling and cutting entirely, which is why I make them so often. Stir sharp cheddar and garlic powder into a quick buttermilk dough, drop spoonfuls onto a sheet, and bake at 450°F (230°C) for 12 minutes. Brush them with garlic butter and parsley straight out of the oven. They are best within 20 minutes of baking.
18) Homemade Creamed Corn
Homemade creamed corn is nothing like the canned version, and I say that as someone who grew up on the canned version. Cut the kernels off fresh cobs, scrape the milky pulp off each cob with the back of your knife, and simmer it all with butter and cream. That scraped pulp is what makes it creamy without much thickening. A pinch of sugar helps if the corn is past its peak.
19) Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts need high heat and space, and when they get both they turn nutty and crisp instead of bitter. Halve them, toss them with olive oil and salt, and roast them cut side down at 425°F (220°C) for 20 to 25 minutes. Crowding the pan steams them. A drizzle of balsamic glaze at the end is a very steakhouse move.
20) Green Beans Almondine
Green beans almondine is the most classic steakhouse vegetable there is, and it takes about 10 minutes. Blanch the beans in salted water for 3 minutes and shock them in ice water to keep them bright. Toast sliced almonds in butter until golden, then toss in the beans with a squeeze of lemon. Timing the almonds is the only tricky part.
21) Steakhouse Mac and Cheese
Steakhouse mac and cheese is richer than the weeknight kind, and it should be. Use a blend of sharp cheddar and Gruyère in the béchamel, and undercook the pasta by 2 minutes because it keeps cooking in the oven. Top it with buttered breadcrumbs and bake until golden. A cast iron skillet makes the prettiest presentation.
22) House Salad
Every steakhouse starts you off with a salad, and it is worth doing at home just to pace the meal. Crisp greens, a few slices of red onion, cherry tomatoes, and a homemade vinaigrette are all you need. Dress it at the last moment so the leaves stay crisp. It gives everyone something to do while the steak rests.
23) Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
Spinach salad is the second steakhouse salad I rotate in. Baby spinach, crumbled feta, and red onion get a warm bacon vinaigrette that wilts the leaves just slightly. The warm dressing is the part that makes it a steakhouse dish instead of a lunch salad. Make it right before serving.
24) Crème Brûlée
Crème brûlée looks like the hardest dessert on this list and might be the easiest. Bake the custard in a water bath at 325°F (165°C) for about 35 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still wobbles. Chill it for at least 4 hours. A thin layer of sugar torched right before serving gives you that crackly top.
25) Chocolate Lava Cake
Lava cakes are the most dramatic dessert you can pull off in 15 minutes. Bake the batter in buttered ramekins at 425°F (220°C) for just 12 minutes, until the edges are set but the middle still wobbles. Run a knife around the edge and flip them out onto plates. Fresh raspberries and a little powdered sugar finish them.
26) Mini Cheesecakes
A full cheesecake is a commitment, but mini ones bake in a muffin tin in about 20 minutes. A graham cracker base goes in each liner, followed by a spoonful of classic cheesecake filling. Chill them for at least 3 hours before serving. Top them with fruit, caramel, or nothing at all.
27) Key Lime Pie
Key lime pie is the lighter way to end a heavy steak dinner. Sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and lime juice bake in a graham crust at 350°F (175°C) for only 15 minutes. Chill it until firm, at least 4 hours. Regular limes work just fine if key limes are hard to find, and I will not tell anyone.
