The Unique Way Ruth's Chris Steak House Cooks Up Its Steaks To Perfection

With the soaring price of beef and steaks, it is increasingly difficult for many people to treat themselves to a dinner at a nice steak restaurant. Heck, even beef jerky is expensive these days. And there is nothing worse than finally being able to save a few bucks for dinner out, only to have that painfully expensive ribeye be nothing more than mediocre. This is one of the reasons people choose Ruth's Chris Steak House — the restaurant chain with the curious name, when they're in the mood for steak is because it consistently serves up superior cuts, plus other specialties like lamb, pork chops, and seafood. The steaks are known for being perfectly cooked, with an even, browned crust, served on a plate that literally sizzles.

The steaks at Ruth's Chris aren't merely cooked over a grill or griddle. Every Ruth's Chris location around the world uses a custom broiler to cook its steaks. Using her degrees in chemistry and physics, founder Ruth Fertel designed a unique infrared broiler that cooks steaks at an astounding 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. To put this in perspective, most home kitchen oven broilers go up to 500 to 550 degrees. When the steaks arrive at customer's tables, they are presented on plates that are heated to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, which explains the signature sizzle that guests have come to expect at the establishment. This isn't just for the "wow" factor; the concept was built around the belief that steaks should be enjoyed hot, from the first bite to the last.

Some may argue that a steak from Ruth's Chris needs nothing to make it taste better, which is certainly a testament to the quality of beef and the superior cooking method the chain uses. The steaks are finished with a generous amount of butter, which helps the meat sizzle, and also makes it taste irresistible. But, the company does offer an array of crusts, sauces, and accompaniments for its steaks, and many customers gleefully partake in them.

Silky hollandaise sauce, made with egg yolks, clarified butter, and lemon juice can adorn your steak, as can Béarnaise sauce (often considered the king of steak sauces), which is similar to hollandaise but also includes white wine vinegar, shallots, and tarragon. Blue cheese fans can opt to have their steak encrusted in the umami-rich cheese, and finally, customers can order their entree Oscar-style. For this upgrade, Ruth's Chris chefs will top steaks with asparagus spears, a generous pile of lump crab meat, and blanket everything with Béarnaise sauce. Guests should know that any of these sauces don't come gratis, but at additional costs.

In fact, Ruth's Chris' steaks don't come with any accompaniments at all. Those steep prices get you an excellently cooked steak with butter, but nothing else, not even side dishes. Sides can be ordered separately, but on the bright side, each side will comfortably serve more than one person. Expect classic steakhouse choices like creamed spinach, mushrooms, plenty of potato options, and onion rings.