I still remember the first time I ordered Applebee’s Bourbon Street Steak. After a long day of shopping, I was craving something substantial but didn’t want to break the bank. When that sizzling plate arrived at my table, the aroma alone was worth the price. The steak was perfectly cooked with beautiful grill marks, and the flavor was an irresistible blend of savory, sweet, and just a hint of warmth from the Cajun spices.
After paying nearly $20 for the experience, I became determined to recreate this dish at home. What I discovered surprised me—the secret to this mouthwatering steak isn’t in complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients, but in a simple marinade that transforms even modest cuts of beef into something special.
Table of Contents
Why This Copycat Recipe Beats the Restaurant Version
- Entertaining Star: Impress guests with minimal effort and maximum flavor
- Cost-Effective: Make four restaurant-quality steaks for less than the price of one at Applebee’s
- Customizable: Adjust the marinade to suit your preference for sweetness or heat
- Convenient: Prep in advance and grill when ready, perfect for busy schedules
- Portion Control: Choose your ideal cut and size rather than settling for restaurant portions
- Versatile: Works beautifully with various cuts of beef, from sirloin to ribeye
Recipe Ingredients
- Steak sauce (A1 recommended) – Provides a savory, tangy base with complex umami notes that enhance the beef’s natural flavor
- Bourbon whiskey – Imparts warm, caramel, and vanilla notes that caramelize beautifully when grilled.
- Honey – Balances the tang of the steak sauce and adds sweetness that helps create a beautiful caramelized exterior
- Prepared mustard – Adds tanginess and depth while helping to tenderize the meat
- Cajun seasoning – Brings a distinctive spice blend with paprika, garlic, and pepper notes that give the steak its signature “Bourbon Street” character
- Steaks – The canvas for your marinade; works with various cuts from sirloin to ribeye or strip steak
Best Steak Cuts for This Recipe
While Applebee’s typically uses sirloin for their Bourbon Street Steak, this marinade works beautifully with several cuts:
- Sirloin – An excellent balance of flavor, tenderness, and value
- Ribeye – More marbling for a juicier, more flavorful result
- Strip Steak (New York Strip) – Great texture with a robust beef flavor
- Flat Iron – An underrated cut with excellent marbling and tenderness
- Top Round – A more economical option that the marinade helps tenderize
For best results, choose steaks that are at least 1 inch thick. This allows you to develop a beautiful sear without overcooking the center.
Best Bourbon for Steak Marinade
The bourbon you select will influence the final flavor of your steak. While you don’t need to use an expensive bottle for cooking, choose something you’d enjoy drinking for the best results:
- Woodford Reserve: Well-balanced with notes of vanilla, caramel, and spice that complement beef beautifully
- Maker’s Mark: The wheat-forward recipe provides subtle sweetness without overwhelming the steak
- Jack Daniel’s: Technically Tennessee whiskey, but its familiar flavor profile works well in this marinade
- Knob Creek: Higher proof with robust flavor that stands up to the other marinade components
A middle-shelf bourbon offers the best balance of quality and value for cooking purposes. Save the top-shelf bottles for sipping alongside your finished dish!
How to Make Applebee’s Bourbon Street Steak
- Place all the ingredients except the steaks in a baking dish or plastic bag. Combine well.
- Add the steaks and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Grill the steaks until the desired doneness, turning them over halfway through the grilling.
Copycat Applebee’s Bourbon Street Steak
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup bottled steak sauce A1 recommended
- 1/4 cup bourbon whiskey
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 40 ounces steak ribeye, round, strip, or chuck steaks (10 ounces each)
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients except the steaks in a large baking dish or gallon-sized zip-top plastic bag. Combine well.
- Add the steaks, cover or seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Remove the steaks from the marinade and discard the marinade.
- Grill the steaks for 12 to 15 minutes or until the desired doneness, turning them over halfway through the grilling.
Notes
Pro Tips for Bourbon Street Steak Success
- Room Temperature Matters: Always let marinated steaks stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking for more even grilling.
- Pat Before Grilling: Gently pat steaks with paper towels before grilling to remove excess marinade, which helps achieve better searing.
- Check Doneness Accurately: Use a meat thermometer for perfect doneness:
- Rare: 125°F
- Medium-Rare: 135°F
- Medium: 145°F
- Medium-Well: 150°F
- Well Done: 160°F
- Rest Properly: Allow steaks to rest uncovered for 5-10 minutes after cooking. Tenting with foil traps steam and can soften the beautiful crust you developed.
- Slice Against the Grain: For maximum tenderness, always slice perpendicular to the muscle fibers.
- Reserve Some Marinade: Before adding raw meat, set aside a small portion of marinade to brush on the steak during the last minute of grilling for an extra flavor boost.
Nutrition
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Marinade Prep:
- Mix marinade up to 3 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- For even easier prep, portion and freeze the marinade in ziplock bags, then thaw when needed.
Marinated Steaks:
- Steaks can be marinated and kept refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
- For longer storage, freeze steaks directly in the marinade. The meat will gradually absorb flavor as it thaws.
Leftover Cooked Steaks:
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Slice thinly and warm gently to avoid overcooking; perfect for steak sandwiches or salads.
Love steak? Try these recipes!
- How to Make Hibachi Steak
- Kensington Club Steak Marinade
- Smoked Steak Recipe
- Southern Fried Steak
- Steak Alfredo Recipe
- Steak Marsala
More Applebee’s Copycat Recipes
- Bourbon Street Chicken and Shrimp
- Oriental Chicken Salad
- Oriental Salad Dressing
- Perfect Margarita
- Pico de Gallo
- Quesadilla Burger
- Queso Blanco
- Triple Chocolate Meltdown
Check out more of my easy beef recipes and the best copycat recipes for casual dining restaurants here on CopyKat!
Thanks to drillerswife86 for sharing her recipe.
This was a great way to make a steak!
Absolutely outstanding. Used a large rib-eye steak.
Made a goof. Recipe calls for one teaspoon of Cajun seasoning. I accidentley used four tablespoon. It was not to much. Looking forward to using this recipe again.
I’m wanting the gravy/sauce that is served with the steak. It was awesome. Any suggestions?
Thanks a lot for the steak recipe. Gotta know how to cook steak even with a good recipe like this. Example: leave steak out to warm about 30 min. before grilling,and there’s more to learn. Appreciate your recipe.
This recipe is not even a resembelance of the Bourban Street steak at Applebee’s. It was mediocre at best.
Great recipe and the steak was delish! Next I will try it on chicken.
Just to clarify my earlier comment, the following is verbatim from Applebee’s Menu.
“Bourbon Street Steak
A juicy, tender steak jazzed up with Cajun spices and served with sautéed onions & mushrooms and fried red potatoes.”
Now all we have to do is find out what gois into those Cajun Spices. Anybody got any good suggestions? Thanks.
Click or enter the Applebee’s link for more info.
http://www.applebees.com/Menu_Sizzling.aspx
I use Chef Paul Prudhommes Blackened Refish Magic for the Cajun kick.
“Bottled Steak Sauce” is very generic and open-ended. Worcestershire, Heinz 57, and A-1 are examples of steak sauces but each has completely different flavor/taste. As a guide, which sauce is preferred or used in this recipe?
Trying to find a receipe for Red Lobsters Cheddar Baked Biscuits. Also there is chicken house called Belgrades and their Hot Sauce is so god and cannot find the receipe for it.
Thanks
Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits
2 cups Bisquick buttermilk baking biscuit mix
1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
2/3 cup milk
4 Tblsp. (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Parsley flakes (for sprinkling)
Preheat oven 450 degrees. Stir together: biscuit mix, cheddar, & milk until a wet dough forms. Beat with wooden spoon about 30 sec. Spoon onto greased cookie sheet; smooth down tops to prevent hard points forming. Bake 8-10 min. until tops are brown. While biscuits are baking, melt butter in pan and stir in garlic powder. When done, brush butter on tops & sprinkle with parsley flakes. Serve hot. (combination of two versions I have) bettycummings39@yahoo.com
Sams club sells the mix for the biscuits. They’re amazing and easy.