Salt-Roasted Porterhouse

A luxurious porterhouse steak encrusted in an aromatic salt crust featuring bay leaves, peppercorns, and warming spices. The salt-roasting method ensures a perfectly cooked, juicy steak with complex flavor.

4 servings
3 hr 43 min

Ingredients

  • 3 whole bay leaves, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • 2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
  • 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
  • 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
  • ½ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
  • cups coarse kosher salt
  • 1 piece porterhouse or T-bone steak
  • ¼ cup water

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Mix first 7 ingredients in small bowl. Transfer 2 tablespoons spice mixture to spice grinder; grind finely. Mix in 1 teaspoon salt. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Store whole and ground spice mixtures separately in airtight containers at room temperature.

    10 min

  2. 2.

    Rub ground spice mixture all over steak. Wrap in plastic; chill 3 hours.

    180 min

  3. 3.

    Preheat oven to 475°F. Unwrap steak; place in large ovenproof skillet. Mix whole spice mixture with 1 1/2 cups kosher salt in medium bowl. Add 1/4 cup water; stir to moisten. Pack salt over top and sides of steak. Roast until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into steak registers 130°F for medium-rare, about 25 minutes. Let stand at room temperature 8 minutes. Crack salt crust with wooden spoon; discard. Turn steak over. Slice into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

    33 min