Oscar Style Steak

Looking for that surf and turf dinner to impress? Enter: Steak Oscar — a show-stopping dish topped with tender crab meat, crisp-tender asparagus, and a rich, velvety Béarnaise sauce. It’s the kind of meal that feels fancy but is surprisingly easy to prepare at home.

Whether you’re planning a date night or want to elevate your weeknight meals, this Oscar-style steak will satisfy your steak and seafood cravings most indulgently.

More Steak and Seafood Dinner Ideas

• Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Shrimp Scampi
• 10 Minute Garlic Lemon Shrimp
• Garlic Butter Steak and Shrimp
• Swiss Steak and Potatoes Instant Pot

What stands out

• Elegant enough for holidays or celebrations
• Easy to customize with different proteins
• Restaurant-quality taste at home
• Pairs perfectly with wine, potatoes, or fresh greens

What is Steak Oscar

Oscar-style steak refers to a steak topped with crab and a béarnaise sauce. The bearnaise sauce is made with butter and egg yolks, which create this rich and creamy sauce.

Variations of Steak Oscar

• Can easily swap it with chicken or go traditional and do veal
• Skip the asparagus and use fresh green beans or skip the vegetable altogether.
• You can get rid of crab meat and use shrimp or lobster in replace

What To Serve With Steak Oscar

This dish is rich and flavorful, so pair it with sides that complement it without overpowering.

• Crusty bread or dinner rolls – good for soaking up the sauce
• Mashed potatoes or roasted fingerlings – classic steakhouse pairing
• Simple mixed greens salad – keeps things light
• Grilled or sautéed mushrooms or bell peppers – a tasty vegetable swap
• your usual wine – a full-bodied red or crisp white, both work well

What is the difference between hollandaise and bearnaise sauce?

Many get confused between the two sauces. The difference between a hollandaise and a bearnaise sauce is that bearnaise is more acidic. Hollandaise is made with lemon juice, and bearnaise also gets seasoned with tarragon and shallots. It offers more flavor than a hollandaise which is a bit blander.

Variations on Steak Oscar

• Chicken Oscar – Swap the steak for pan-seared chicken breasts.
• Veal Oscar – The traditional option if you’re going classic.
• Shrimp or lobster – Use in place of crab for a twist on surf and turf.
• Veggie swaps – Green beans, broccolini, or mushrooms instead of asparagus.

How do you make Bearnaise Sauce

Making béarnaise sauce is relatively easy. One thing we have found is that you want to make it right before serving, or it can begin to break down. Take that into account as you make your sauce to pour over your crab-topped steak recipe.

Start by taking your white wine vinegar, wine, onion, and tarragon and bring to a boil in a pan. Reduce the heat and allow it to simmer until it reduces. Recipe: Simmer and scoop off any foam or solids that develop after adding the butter. Allow to cool, then strain and remove your leaves.

Don’t get scared, the process is easy to do, and the sauce makes this dish outstanding in flavor.

Tips for Making Steak Oscar

• Use a cut of steak that you prefer. Just ensure it is a steak that will cook down and become tender. Flatirons, filet mignons, rib eye cuts are all great. You can talk to your local butcher to find a steak cut that works. You don’t have to be boxed into a certain type of cut.
• When cooking your steak, cook it to your preference. If you like it rarer than cook like that. We prefer a more medium to well-done steak but you can adjust to your liking.
• Fresh crab meat is best but you can always buy canned crab. It will adjust in the flavor but buy what you have available in your area.

Practical notes

Can we use canned crab meat? Yes, though fresh lump crab gives the best flavor. If using canned, be sure to drain well.

Can we make the sauce ahead of time? Béarnaise is best made fresh, as it can separate if reheated. Prepare it just before serving.

What’s the best steak cut for Steak Oscar? Filet mignon is traditional, but ribeye, New York strip, or flat iron also work beautifully.

Ingredients

Makes 4 people

• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 shallot or small onion, minced
• 1 sprig tarragon, plus more to garnish
• 4 egg yolks
• 3/4 cups plus 1 Tablespoon butter
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2-4 steaks of choice
• 3-5 stalks asparagus per steak
• 4 oz crab meat per steak

Method

1. Start off by preparing the bearnaise sauce. Combine the white wine vinegar, white wine, onion, and tarragon in a small pan and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to simmer and continue simmering until the liquid is reduced to just 2-3 Tablespoons of liquid. While the liquid is reducing, melt your 3/4 cup butter and scoop off any milk solids/foam that comes to the surface. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. When the reduction is done, strain out any onions and tarragon leaves.
4. Place a double boiler on the stove, or a pot that a glass or metal bowl can fit comfortably on top of. Also, fill a deep pan (that the asparagus can fit into) with water and place on the stove. Bring both of the waters to boil as you prepare the steaks.
5. Season the steaks and place 1 Tablespoon butter and oil in a heavy pan (like a cast iron skillet) and let the oil-butter mixture get hot before adding the steaks. Sear on each side until browned, and then cook through to your preferred level of doneness.
6. Remove the steaks to a plate to rest as you finish up the bearnaise and Blanche the asparagus.
7. Place the asparagus in the boiling water and reduce to simmer.
8. Place the egg yolks in the bowl and whisk in the white wine reduction.
9. Slowly whisk in the butter, incorporating as you go. Do not allow there to be standing butter at any time – this process can take 3-5 minutes to fully incorporate the butter. Taste and season the bearnaise, as needed.
10. Assemble the steak oscar by placing a steak on each serving plate, top with a tablespoon of bearnaise, 4 oz of crab meat, 2 Tablespoons of bearnaise to cover the crab meat, 3-5 stalks of asparagus, and a final tablespoon of bearnaise.
11. Garnish with tarragon and serve immediately.