Porcini Rubbed Delmonico Steak

I tested this Delmonico steak recipe last Tuesday and honestly it’s one of those things where you don’t realize how much the mushroom rub changes everything until you taste it. The porcini dust sticks to the meat in this weird paste-like way that I wasn’t expecting. You get that cast iron sear and suddenly you’ve got a crust that tastes like you did way more work than you actually did.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The porcini rub creates an earthy crust that doesn’t taste like regular steak seasoning
• You’re using pantry staples mixed with dehydrated mushrooms instead of buying pre-made rub
• Cast iron seared steak gets that restaurant-quality char without a grill
• Resting the rub on the meat for 20 minutes makes it cling instead of fall off in the pan
• The butter goes on at the very end so it melts into the crust without burning
• Balsamic drizzle cuts through all that richness and adds the sharpness you didn’t know you needed

The Story Behind This Recipe

I’d bought a bag of dehydrated porcini mushrooms months ago for risotto and they just sat there. Last week I was staring at some thick steaks and thought about grinding the mushrooms into dust because I’d seen someone do it on a cooking show once. I threw in salt pepper crushed red pepper and a tiny bit of sugar to balance the heat. The first time I made it I basted with butter the whole time like I usually do and the crust got soggy. Second attempt I skipped that and just dropped butter on top right before pulling the steaks and it worked way better.

What You Need

You need dehydrated porcini mushrooms for grinding into dust. I got mine from the Italian section at the grocery store but online works too. Sea salt because kosher salt doesn’t stick the same way once the rub turns into that paste. Black pepper straight from the grinder, not the pre-ground stuff that tastes like dust. Crushed red pepper adds the heat that makes the crust interesting instead of just salty and earthy. A pinch of sugar sounds weird but it balances the red pepper and helps with browning.

Steaks need to be 1 1/2 inches thick or the timing doesn’t work. I used ribeyes but any thick cut handles the high heat without drying out. Thinner steaks burn the crust before the inside cooks.

You need 1 tablespoon of butter per steak for the final minute. Not margarine. Real butter that melts into the meat right before you pull it off the heat. Balsamic reduction for drizzling at the end, the thick syrupy kind not the watery vinegar. I made my own by simmering regular balsamic until it coated a spoon but store-bought works if you don’t want another pan going.

How to Make Porcini Rubbed Delmonico Steak

Grind the dehydrated porcini mushrooms in your food processor until they turn to fine dust. Keep the lid on for a few minutes after it stops or you’ll get a mushroom cloud all over your counter when you open it. I learned that one the hard way and my kitchen smelled like forest floor for an hour.

Mix the porcini dust with sea salt pepper crushed red pepper and sugar in a small bowl. I don’t measure this part anymore but start with maybe a teaspoon of salt per steak and adjust from there. The sugar should be just enough that you can barely taste it, like a quarter teaspoon total for four steaks.

Pull your steaks out of the fridge and massage the rub into both sides. Really work it in with your fingers so it sticks. Let them sit on the counter for 20 minutes and the rub turns into this paste that clings to the meat instead of falling off when you move it. That rest time isn’t optional.

Get your cast iron skillet screaming hot on high heat until it’s just before smoking. Turn on every fan you have because this gets smoky. If you’re cooking more than two steaks don’t crowd the pan or they’ll steam instead of sear.

Drop the steaks in and don’t touch them for 3 minutes. The crust needs that time to form. Flip once and give the other side 3 minutes for rare. If you want medium or your steaks are thicker go 5 to 8 minutes per side but watch the crust because it can burn. Don’t baste with butter while they’re cooking or the crust gets soggy and slides off.

If someone wants no pink inside don’t keep searing or the porcini rub will taste burnt. Pull the steaks off and stick them in a 400 degree oven for 4 to 5 minutes instead. One minute before you’re done drop 1 tablespoon of butter on top of each steak and let it melt into the crust. The timing here matters because you want the butter soft but not browned.

Take them off the heat and let them rest at least 5 minutes. The juices redistribute and you don’t get that puddle of liquid on your cutting board when you slice in. Drizzle balsamic reduction over the top right before serving.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

First attempt I basted the whole time like I do with regular steaks and the butter made the rub slide right off into the pan. I had this sad gray steak with all the crust sitting in the bottom of the skillet mixed with burnt butter. Second time I waited until the very end to add butter and the crust stayed put. The other thing I messed up was not letting the porcini dust settle before opening the food processor and I sneezed mushroom powder everywhere. My dog thought it was hilarious.

Porcini Rubbed Delmonico Steak

By Emma

Prep:

10 min

Cook:

10 min

Total:

20 min

Servings:

4 servings

Ingredients

• dehydrated porcini mushrooms, amount as needed for grinding
• sea salt, quantity to taste
• pepper, quantity to taste
• crushed red pepper, quantity to taste
• sugar, quantity to taste
• steaks, 1 1/2 inches thick, quantity as needed
• butter, 1 tablespoon

Method

1. 1 Grind dehydrated porcini mushrooms in a food processor until they turn to fine dust. Let the container sit closed for a few minutes to avoid a dust explosion when opened.
2. 2 In a small bowl, combine the porcini dust with sea salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and sugar to form the rub. Mix thoroughly.
3. 3 Take the steaks out of the fridge. Massage the rub evenly onto both sides of the meat. Let them rest for 20 minutes to allow the rub to set and form a paste that clings.
4. 4 Heat a seasoned cast iron skillet on high heat until just before it starts smoking. To avoid overcrowding, cook steaks two at a time if necessary. Turn on kitchen fans to handle smoke.
5. 5 Place steaks in the pan and sear without disturbance for 3 minutes on each side for rare doneness. For thicker or differently preferred steaks, sear 3 to 8 minutes per side. Avoid basting with butter during cooking to preserve the crust build-up.
6. 6 If someone requests no pink inside, bake the steaks in a 400-degree oven for 4 to 5 minutes instead of searing longer to prevent the crust from burning.
7. 7 About one minute before removing from heat, drop 1 tablespoon of butter directly on top of each steak and let it melt gently without burning.
8. 8 Take the steaks off the pan and let them rest at least 5 minutes. The carryover heat redistributes juices back into the meat instead of losing them on the cutting board.
9. 9 Serve with a drizzle of balsamic reduction sauce for a sharp, tangy finish.

Nutritional information

Calories

Estimate varies by steak size

Protein

High, based on steak cut

Carbs

Minimal

Fat

Estimate varies, includes butter

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Tips for the Best Porcini Rubbed Delmonico Steak

The rub gets darker as it sits so don’t panic if it looks almost black after 20 minutes. That’s the mushroom dust absorbing moisture from the meat and it’s supposed to do that.

If your cast iron isn’t screaming hot the rub will just slide off when you flip. You want that pan so hot you’re second-guessing yourself before you drop the steaks in.

The balsamic reduction needs to be cold or room temp when it hits the steak. If it’s still warm from the pan it’ll thin out and run everywhere instead of staying in those little puddles on top of the crust.

When you’re grinding the porcini don’t stop at coarse powder. Keep going until it’s actually dust that looks like cocoa powder or the texture’s too chunky and it doesn’t stick right. I had to run mine for a full minute to get there.

Your kitchen’s going to smell like a campfire and fried mushrooms for the rest of the night. Open windows before you start not after.

Serving Ideas

I put these on top of creamy polenta because the balsamic drips down into it and you get this whole earthy situation happening. Roasted Brussels sprouts with the leaves all crispy work too because they don’t compete with the mushroom flavor.

A basic arugula salad dressed with lemon and olive oil cuts through all that richness without adding more heaviness to the plate. Sometimes I just eat the steak by itself with crusty bread to soak up the butter and balsamic that pools on the cutting board. That’s dinner right there.

Variations

You can swap the Delmonico steak for New York strip if that’s what you’ve got but the marbling won’t be as high so cut your cook time by a minute per side. Filet works but it’s almost too mild for how aggressive this rub is.

Dried shiitake mushrooms instead of porcini give you a smokier flavor that’s less earthy and more savory. The texture’s the same once ground so the crust forms fine.

If you can’t handle heat skip the crushed red pepper and add smoked paprika instead. You lose that little kick but the smokiness plays well with the cast iron seared steak char.

I tried this with ghee instead of butter once because I was out and honestly it worked better. Higher smoke point means you can add it earlier without worrying and it still tastes rich.

FAQ

Can I use fresh mushrooms instead of dehydrated porcini? No, fresh mushrooms have too much water and won’t grind into dust. They’ll just turn into a wet paste that won’t stick to the meat and will steam instead of sear in the pan.

How long can I store the porcini rub after mixing it? Keep it in an airtight container for maybe 2 weeks before the crushed red pepper starts losing heat. The mushroom powder clumps up if it gets humid so throw a silica packet in there if you’ve got one.

What if my steaks are thinner than 1 1/2 inches? Cut your sear time to 2 minutes per side or the crust burns before the inside cooks. Anything under an inch thick isn’t worth making this recipe for because the timing doesn’t work.

Can I make this without a cast iron skillet? A regular stainless pan works but you won’t get the same heat retention. The crust won’t be as dark and you might need an extra minute per side to build color.

Why does my rub fall off in the pan even after resting? Either your pan wasn’t hot enough or you moved the steaks too early. That first 3 minutes without touching them is when the rub sets into the crust and if you flip early it just sticks to the pan instead.

How do I know when the balsamic reduction is thick enough? Simmer it until it coats the back of a spoon and doesn’t immediately run off. It’ll thicken more as it cools so stop before it looks like syrup or it’ll be too gummy.

Can I prep the steaks with rub the night before? Don’t do it because the salt pulls out too much moisture overnight and you end up with wet steaks that won’t sear right. 20 minutes before cooking is the sweet spot.

What’s the best way to reheat leftover steak without ruining the crust? Let it come to room temp first then stick it in a 250 degree oven for maybe 10 minutes. Microwave turns the crust soggy and pan reheating overcooks the inside.

Does the sugar in the rub make it taste sweet? You can’t taste it as sweetness, it just rounds out the heat from the red pepper and helps the crust brown faster. If you can actually taste sugar you added too much.

Why add butter at the end instead of cooking with it? Butter burns at high heat and turns the crust into a greasy mess. Adding it right before you pull the steaks off means it melts into the meat without scorching and stays glossy instead of brown.

Can I use kosher salt instead of sea salt? The crystals are bigger and don’t dissolve into that paste texture the same way. Sea salt has finer grains that work better with the mushroom dust for sticking.

How do I stop the porcini dust from going everywhere when I open the food processor? Let it sit closed for at least 3 minutes after the motor stops so the dust settles. When you do open it turn your face away because even waiting doesn’t stop all of it from puffing up.

What if I don’t have balsamic reduction? Regular balsamic vinegar’s too thin and acidic for this. Make your own by simmering a cup of vinegar until it reduces to about a quarter cup or just skip it entirely and the steak’s still good.

Can I use pre-ground porcini powder from the store? It’ll work but check the label because some of them have added salt or other seasonings already mixed in. Adjust your rub amounts so you don’t over-salt.

Why does the recipe say to turn on every fan? High heat searing with a porcini rub creates a ton of smoke that’ll set off your smoke detector if you don’t ventilate. I’ve done it twice and my neighbors came knocking once thinking something was on fire.