Beer-Marinated Steak with Caraway Herb Butter

Kristina Vanni | November 24, 2015

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As the weather gets cooler, I start infusing my cooking with stronger, heartier flavors to give my meals a more stick-to-your-ribs quality. When I saw this incredible recipe for a Stout-Soaked Porterhouse Steak, I knew it had to be on my fall menu!

Get the original recipe here.

The best way to up your steak game is to find a infuse the meat with a marinade and serve it with a compound butter. It looks and sounds fancy, but in all reality, it’s such an easy way to help your steaks taste like they came out of a restaurant kitchen.

Begin with a thick and juicy Porterhouse steak, then soak it in a flavorful German-inspired marinade. I used a bottle of strong, dark German beer and whisked in whole grain mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. My kitchen was filled with the aromas of Oktoberfest during the 6 hours that the Porterhouse marinated in the fridge and absorbed all these rich flavors!

While your meat chills out, make the caraway and herb compound butter. A compound butter is simply softened butter that’s mixed with your herbs and spices. It’s a great way to express your creativity in the kitchen while impressing your guests with gourmet flair.
Saute some shallots and caraway seeds until everything gets lightly toasted and fragrant. Add this mixture to the softened butter and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

Put the butter back in the refrigerator for a few minutes to allow it to start to firm up (those shallots were warm!). Then, when the butter is a bit more firm, place it on a piece of wax paper and roll into a small, tight tube, twisting the ends to help it hold its shape. Place the log in the freezer to firm up completely until you are ready to serve. For a beautiful presentation, simply slice the log into rounds.

When you are ready to cook the Porterhouse steak, remove it from the marinade and season it with salt and pepper. The remaining marinade is then heated on the stovetop to create a flavorful sauce to enjoy over the steak later.
Start the steak on the stovetop for a great seared crust. Then, finish it off in the oven to make sure the inside is cooked to the perfect medium-rare. (I seared my Porterhouse for about 4 minutes on each side, then put it in a 400° oven for just about 8 minutes.)
Allow the steak to rest for about 5 minutes so the juices redistribute. Drizzle a bit of the warmed marinade over the steak and finish it off with a few slices of the elegant compound butter. Don’t forget to open up another bottle of German beer and enjoy the meal with a big, warm pretzel!

Beer-Marinated Steak with Caraway Herb Butter

Serves: 2-3
1 Porterhouse steak, 1-inch thick (about 1 1/4 lb.)
1 bottle (12 ounces) dark, strong German beer
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons shallot, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons minced flat leaf parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil

1. Place steak in a self-sealing plastic bag set in a shallow dish. Set aside 1 tablespoon beer; in a small bowl combine remaining beer, mustard, Worcestershire, thyme, the salt, and pepper. Pour beer mixture over steak in bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours, turning occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, in a small skillet over medium-low heat, cook shallot in 1 teaspoon of the butter for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Add caraway seeds and toast until fragrant. Stir in reserved 1 Tablespoon beer. Remove from heat. Cool 10 minutes. In a small bowl combine remaining softened butter, shallot mixture, and parsley. Transfer to waxed paper, shape into a log. Wrap and freeze.
3. When you are ready to prepare the steak, preheat the oven to 400° F. Remove the steak from the plastic bag and reserve the marinade. Season steak with additional salt and pepper.
4. Heat olive oil in a large, ovenproof pan over high heat. Sear the steak 4 minutes on each side, then place in the oven for 8-10 minutes for medium rare (145° F) or 12-15 minutes for medium (160°F).
5. While the steak is in the oven, place reserved marinade in a small saucepan. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, 15 minute.s (Do not overcook; marinade can become bitter). When the steak is ready, transfer to platter, tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes.
6. To serve, slice steak into portions. Drizzle with some of the marinade reduction, and top each with a slice of frozen butter.