Christmas Recipes & Ideas

Christmas Steak Recipe

Christmas Steak Recipe

This Christmas Steak Recipe is a juicy and festive recipe, which features a massive porterhouse steak dressed in vibrant red salsa roja and green chimichurri. It’s the ultimate holiday showstopper, ready in about 1 hour.

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Christmas Steak Recipe Ingredients

Salsa Roja:

  • 2 small plum tomatoes, cored
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 small jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and halved
  • 1/2 small white onion, halved
  • 1/4 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chimichurri:

  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/4 cup ice cubes
  • 2 tablespoons packed fresh oregano leaves
  • 1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steak:

  • One 2-pound bone-in porterhouse steak (about 2 inches thick)
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Christmas Steak Recipe
Christmas Steak Recipe

How To Make Christmas Steak Recipe

  1. Make the Salsa Roja: In a medium saucepan, combine the tomatoes, garlic, jalapeno, onion, and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Drain the vegetables and transfer them to a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl, stir in the vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  2. Make the Chimichurri: In a blender, combine the red wine vinegar, garlic, and a generous pinch of salt. Blend on low until smooth. Add the parsley, cilantro, ice cubes, oregano, and jalapeno. Blend on medium speed while slowly drizzling in the olive oil until smooth (about 1 minute). Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until serving.
  3. Prep the Steak: Let the steak sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Position an oven rack 5 to 6 inches from the broiler and preheat the broiler. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the steak dry and season generously with salt and pepper (it should look white with salt).
  4. Sear the Steak: Add the canola oil to the hot skillet. When it smokes, add the steak. Cook until browned and crusty, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the steak to a cutting board.
  5. Carve and Reassemble: Cut the strip steak and the tenderloin filet off the bone. Slice the meat against the grain. Place the T-bone back in the center of the skillet and arrange the sliced meat back around the bone to look like a full steak again.
  6. Broil with Butter: Top the reassembled steak with the cubed butter, garlic cloves, and thyme sprigs. Place the skillet under the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes, until the butter melts and the internal temperature reaches 120°F for medium-rare. Spoon the pooled butter over the meat to coat.
  7. Serve: Transfer the steak to a platter and pour the pan butter over it. Spread Chimichurri on one half (the “green” side) and Salsa Roja on the other half (the “red” side) for a festive look. Serve extra sauce on the side.
Christmas Steak Recipe
Christmas Steak Recipe

Recipe Tips

  • Why use ice in Chimichurri? The ice cubes help keep the herbs bright green by chilling the mixture as it blends, preventing the heat of the motor from turning the herbs brown.
  • The “Board Sauce” Technique: By slicing the steak before the final broil, you increase the surface area that gets coated in the garlic-thyme butter, ensuring every bite is flavorful.
  • Porterhouse Cooking: The porterhouse contains two cuts: the strip (firm) and the tenderloin (soft). The tenderloin cooks faster. If you want them even, remove the tenderloin slices from the broiler a minute before the strip slices.
  • Room Temperature: Letting the steak sit out for 30 minutes creates a more even cook. If you cook a cold steak, the outside will burn before the inside is warm.

What To Serve With Christmas Steak

This festive main course needs sides that complement the rich beef and zesty sauces.

  • Roasted Potatoes: Crispy potatoes are a steakhouse classic.
  • Grilled Asparagus: The char pairs well with the chimichurri.
  • Corn Cakes: A slightly sweet starch to balance the heat.
  • Red Wine: A bold Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon.
Christmas Steak Recipe
Christmas Steak Recipe

How To Store Christmas Steak Recipe

  • Refrigerate: Store leftover steak and sauces in separate airtight containers. The steak keeps for 3 days; the sauces keep for up to 5 days.
  • Reheat: Gently reheat steak slices in a skillet with a little butter just until warm. Do not microwave, or the steak will turn gray and tough.
  • Freeze: You can freeze the sauces for up to 3 months. Freezing cooked steak is possible but not recommended as it loses tenderness.

Christmas Steak Recipe Nutrition Facts

  • Calories: 750
  • Total Fat: 55g
  • Saturated Fat: 20g
  • Cholesterol: 140mg
  • Sodium: 800mg
  • Total Carbohydrates: 6g
  • Dietary Fiber: 2g
  • Sugar: 2g
  • Protein: 50g

Nutrition information is estimated per serving.

FAQs

Why do you salt the steak so heavily?

A steak this thick (2 inches) needs a heavy hand with salt because the seasoning only sits on the surface. “White with salt” ensures the seasoning penetrates and creates a delicious crust.

Can I use a Ribeye instead?

Yes, a bone-in ribeye (Cowboy steak) works perfectly with this method. It is fatty and flavorful, similar to the strip side of the porterhouse.

Are the sauces spicy?

Both sauces contain jalapeños, so they have a mild to medium kick. To reduce the heat, remove all seeds and ribs from the jalapeños before cooking or blending.

Christmas Steak Recipe

Recipe by LuluCourse: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

3

servings
Prep time

45

minutes
Cooking time

25

minutes
Calories

750

kcal

A spectacular holiday main course featuring a massive porterhouse steak, seared and broiled with garlic butter, served with festive red and green sauces.

Ingredients

  • 2 lb Bone-in Porterhouse (2″ thick)

  • 3 tbsp butter, cubed

  • 3 garlic cloves

  • 2 sprigs thyme

  • Salsa Roja: 2 plum tomatoes, 2 cloves garlic, 1 jalapeno, 1/2 onion, 1/4 tsp red wine vinegar.

  • Chimichurri: 3 tbsp red wine vinegar, 4 cloves garlic, 1/2 cup parsley, 1/2 cup cilantro, 1/4 cup ice, 2 tbsp oregano, 1 jalapeno, 6 tbsp olive oil.

Directions

  • Salsa Roja: Boil tomatoes, garlic, jalapeno, and onion in water for 15-20 mins. Drain, blend smooth, and stir in vinegar/salt. Chill.
  • Chimichurri: Blend vinegar, garlic, and salt. Add herbs, ice, and jalapeno. Emulsify with olive oil. Chill.
  • Steak Prep: Salt steak heavily. Sear in hot skillet with oil for 4 mins/side.
  • Carve: Slice meat off bone against grain.
  • Reassemble: Place bone in skillet; arrange slices around it. Top with butter, garlic, and thyme.
  • Broil: Broil 3-4 mins until butter melts and steak is medium-rare (120°F).
  • Serve: Top half with red sauce, half with green sauce.

Notes

  • Ice Trick: Don’t skip the ice in the chimichurri; it keeps the sauce vibrant green.
  • Presentation: Serving the steak “pre-sliced” in the pan makes it easy to share at the table.
  • Pan: Ensure your cast iron skillet is large enough to hold the reassembled steak.

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