Copycat recipe
Steakhouse Steak Seasoning
A steakhouse seasoning is mostly salt. That is not a shortcut — salt is what draws moisture to the surface, dissolves, and then reabsorbs carrying flavour inward. Everything else in the blend is there to build the crust and add aroma.
The small amount of sugar is the part people query. It is not there to make the steak sweet; at this ratio you will not taste it. It is there because sugar caramelises at a lower temperature than protein browns, which helps a crust form faster and darker on a home grill that cannot reach restaurant temperatures.
Use coarse grinds throughout. Fine powder dissolves into the meat surface and goes tacky; coarse grains sit proud and give you texture.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp coarse kosher salt
- 2 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 2 tsp light brown sugar
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano, crushed between the fingers
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Method
Combine
Tip everything into a bowl and whisk thoroughly for a full minute. Brown sugar clumps, so break any lumps against the side of the bowl rather than leaving them — a lump on a steak becomes a burnt spot.
Store
Transfer to an airtight jar. It keeps for six months in a dark cupboard. Label it with the date; the paprika and oregano fade first and the blend goes flat before it goes bad.
Season the steak
Pat the steak completely dry with kitchen paper — this matters more than the seasoning itself, because a wet surface steams instead of searing. Season generously on all sides, including the edges, pressing it in gently.
Rest before cooking
Leave the seasoned steak at room temperature for 40 minutes. The surface will look wet after 10 minutes and dry again by 40 — that is the salt drawing moisture out and the meat reabsorbing it. Cooking at the wet stage is the worst possible timing.
Notes & troubleshooting
- Use roughly 1 tsp of blend per 200g of steak. It looks like too much and it is not.
- Never season a cold steak straight from the fridge and put it immediately in the pan — either season 40 minutes ahead or season right as it hits the heat, but not in between.
- The blend works on chicken and pork, though halve the cayenne for chicken.
- If you only have fine salt, use two thirds of the quantity by volume. Fine salt packs denser and the same spoon carries considerably more.
- Toasting the whole peppercorns before grinding makes a genuine difference and takes two minutes.
Questions
Can I leave the sugar out?
Yes, and the blend still works. You will get a slightly paler crust, particularly on a domestic grill that cannot reach high temperatures.
Is this the restaurant's actual recipe?
No. It is an original blend built to produce a comparable result. Nobody outside the company has their formulation.
How far ahead should I season?
Either 40 minutes ahead or immediately before cooking. The 10-to-20-minute window is when the surface is wettest and sears worst.
Why kosher salt rather than table salt?
Grain size. Coarse crystals sit on the surface and give texture; fine salt dissolves in and makes the surface tacky.
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