Recipe Courtesy Tom Colicchio from “Craft of Cooking: Notes and Recipes from a Restaurant Kitchen.”
Porterhouse steaks are especially prized by steak lovers because each one includes both a piece of richly marbled strip, or short loin, and the tenderloin, which translates to heavy-duty flavour. When buying, look for dry-aged steaks (the loss of moisture in aging concentrates the flavour even further) that are about 2-inches thick. This recipe intentionally makes only a small amount of sauce; it’s so rich you won’t need more than 2 to 3 tbsp. per person.
ingredients
Sauce
Porterhouse Steaks
directions
Note: Adding marrow to béarnaise gives it a richer flavour. Soak the bone in heavily salted water overnight (this forces the blood from the marrow.) Combine it with the wine, vinegar, shallots, and tarragon as directed above.
Combine the wine, vinegar, shallots, marrow (if using), and tarragon in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce until only 2 to 3 tbsp. of liquid remain, about 15 minutes. Press the reduction through a fine sieve into a bowl and set aside. (Start cooking the steaks and while the steaks are resting finish the sauce).
Whisk the egg yolks in a metal bowl until they froth and begin to have some body. Set the bowl over a pot filled with water heated to just below a simmer. Add the reduction to the yolks and beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens enough so the spoon leaves a trail.
Remove the bowl from the heat and gradually beat in the warm clarified butter. While stirring, warm the sauce over the pan of hot water, then fold in the whipped cream. Add the chopped tarragon and season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
Divide the oil between 2 large skillets and heat over medium. Salt and pepper the steaks on both sides and add them to the pans. Cook the steaks until the first sides are nicely browned, 7 to 10 minutes.
Turn the steaks and add the butter, thyme, rosemary, and marrow bones. Cook, basting the steaks with the herb butter and turning the marrow bones so they colour on all sides, about 10 minutes more for medium rare.
Transfer the steaks to a platter and put the bones back to the oven. Pour the pan juices over the steaks and let rest in a warm place for about 10 minutes. Continue cooking the bones just until heated through, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, finish the sauce. Slice the steaks and serve with the bones and sauce.