The Ruth’s Chris filet mignon arrives at the table on a 500°F sizzling plate, a pad of herb butter melting into the steak as it keeps cooking in front of you. The restaurant charges $52 to $80+ for an 8-oz filet depending on location (NYC and resort flagships run highest). At home, an 8-oz USDA Prime filet from a good butcher or Whole Foods runs $18 to $24 — and the technique is replicable with a cast-iron skillet and a thermometer.
The three things that make this work at home: USDA Prime beef (the marbling is the flavor), clarified butter for the sear (smoke point high enough for the temperature required), and a preheated cast-iron plate pulled from a 500°F oven — which is how Ruth’s Chris replicates the effect of their 1,800°F restaurant broiler.
The Dry Brine (Don’t Skip This)
Salt the filets at least 1 hour ahead — overnight in the refrigerator is better. Use kosher salt, about ¾ teaspoon per side. Leave the steaks uncovered on a rack. The salt draws moisture to the surface in the first 20 minutes, then the meat reabsorbs it, carrying dissolved salt throughout the muscle. The result: evenly seasoned meat and a surface that sears rather than steams.
Do not add pepper during the dry brine. Pepper left on a steak for hours can develop a slightly harsh, acrid quality. Add it right before the steak goes into the pan.
The Compound Butter
Ruth’s Chris finishes every steak with herb compound butter placed on the hot plate — not on the steak, where it would run off before the crust can benefit. Their recipe is not published but is consistently described as: softened butter, fresh thyme, garlic, flat-leaf parsley, salt, and pepper.
Make it ahead. Roll into a log, refrigerate, and slice into rounds at service. It keeps for a week.
The 500°F Plate
This is what the dish is famous for. Put a cast-iron skillet in the oven at 500°F for 30 minutes before dinner. Use oven mitts rated for 500°F — standard mitts top out at 450°F. Set the plate on a folded kitchen towel on the table (cast iron at 500°F will burn most table surfaces). Place the compound butter on the plate, then the steak. It will sizzle loudly. That sizzle means the steak is still cooking — move immediately to the table.
What “Medium-Rare” Means on a Sizzling Plate
Pull the steak at 120°F, not 125°F. The 500°F serving plate carries over an additional 5 to 10°F while the steak sits at the table. Ruth’s Chris deliberately undershoots by this margin in the kitchen so guests receive a medium-rare steak instead of a medium one. Use a thermometer and insert it horizontally through the side of the steak to reach the center.
Sourcing USDA Prime
USDA Prime is graded by the USDA and represents the top 2 to 3 percent of all graded beef. It has significantly more marbling than USDA Choice (what most grocery stores carry). Sources for Prime filet mignon at home: Whole Foods Market carries Prime beef at most locations; Costco carries Prime tenderloin in bulk (buy the whole tenderloin and cut your own steaks for the lowest per-pound cost); a local butcher shop can order it. Online sources (Snake River Farms, Porter Road, Crowd Cow) ship Prime and American Wagyu nationwide. Do not use Select-grade beef for this recipe — the lower fat content produces a noticeably less flavorful result.
Restaurant vs. Home Cost
| Restaurant (8-oz filet) | Home | |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | $52–$80+ | $18–$24 |
| Sides | $12–$18 each | $2–$4 |
| Total for two (dinner) | $180–$230+ before wine | ~$50 |
Ruth’s Chris wine markups are also substantial — a $30 bottle of Cabernet from a grocery store may be $80 to $100 on their list.
Build the Full Ruth’s Chris Meal
To recreate the whole table, pair the filet with two of the restaurant’s most-ordered sides: the copycat Ruth’s Chris sweet potato casserole with its brown-sugar pecan crust, and the copycat Ruth’s Chris New Orleans-style BBQ shrimp as a starter. For a different cut of steakhouse classic, the copycat Morton’s creamed spinach works alongside the filet just as well.
