Pan Seared Merlot Steak with Blue Cheese Butter

August 22, 2025 By Lea Ann Brown 1 Comment

The Merlot Steak, a hidden gem of the beef world, cooks up in just minutes seared in a sizzling hot pan. Juicy, tender and flavorful, slice it thin, and top it with a decadent and easy to make Blue Cheese Butter. A steakhouse worthy dinner at home.

Pan seared sliced Merlot steak topped with blue cheese butter.

What Is A Merlot Steak?

The Merlot Steak is a cut from the hind leg of the steer where the round and shank meet. It’s a well worked muscle, which makes it an incredibly lean cut that needs to be cooked hot and fast to remain tender and juicy. It’s ideal for grilling or pan searing and comes with a nice beefy flavor. The merlot steak has been compared to a Flank Steak, but with a much finer grain. The merlot steak reminds me more of a top sirloin filet.

Availability, Where To Buy It

Usually used for ground beef, a Merlot Steak may be hard to find. It’s considered to be a Butcher’s cut which are high quality, flavorful and often overlooked pieces of meat that you may not find at your local grocery store, similar to lesser known steaks, like The Denver Steak and The Chuck Eye Roast. Traditional butcher’s historically keep them for themselves rather than selling. These cuts are typically require skilled butchery to remove from the carcass. They are considered “hidden gems” known for intense beefy flavor and excellent value. Example, I order them from a cattle ranch in Wyoming, Bootheel 7 Ranch.

I’ve become obsessed with this recipe for blue cheese butter, and it flavored this Merlot Steak to perfection. Let’s take a look.

Ingredients To Make Blue Cheese Butter

Fat (butter) plus flavor makes a perfect topping for any lean cut of beef steak. Simply stated, this blue cheese butter for steak is amazing.

Butter: ½ stick (4 tablespoons) salted or unsalted. Room temperature.
Blue Cheese: Choose a blue cheese that is sold in wedge. It’s a creamy product that will blend well with the butter. Pre-crumbled blue cheese sold in a plastic container is a dryer product. Choose any type of blue cheese, Stilton, Gorgonzola or I like American made Maytag Blue Cheese.
Garlic and Chives

How To Make Blue Cheese Butter

Ingredients to make blue cheese butter in a bowl.

Smashing ingredients with a fork to make blue cheese butter for Merlot steak.

Step 1: Place the chopped garlic, chopped chives, crumbled blue cheese and softened butter in a bowl.
Step 2: Use a fork to smash the ingredients together until well blended.

Rolling compound blue cheese butter into a roll using plastic wrap.

A roll of blue cheese butter for merlot steak.

Step 3: Use a spatula to scoop the blue cheese butter onto a small sheet of plastic wrap.
Step 4: Roll the butter into a cylinder shape and seal the ends. Place in the refrigerator until the butter is set up and hardened. About 30 minutes.

How To Cook A Merlot Steak

As I mentioned above, a Merlot steak is a very lean cut of meat, which makes it a good candidate for either pan searing or grilling. It’s quick to cook because high heat is required to keep the steak tender.

Thanks to Culinary School, I have gotten into the habit of cooking almost any steak in my Blue Carbon Steel Pan. It’s a pan preferred by chefs and can be found in almost any restaurant kitchen. It heats quickly, it distributes that heat evenly, the metal gets very hot for a good sear. And it’s a stove-top to oven pan. You can also use a cast iron skillet. I prefer the carbon steel because of it’s lighter weight and manageability.

Disclaimer: I am an Amazon affiliate. If you purchase the carbon steel pan through the link I’ve provided above, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

Pan seared merlot steak in a carbon steel pan.

Step 1: Start by removing the steak from it’s packaging and pat the steak dry with a paper towel. Let the steak sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour even better. Season with salt and pepper, or Montreal Steak Seasoning.
Step 2: Use a paper towel to coat the bottom of the pan with oil. Vegetable oil or olive oil work well here.
Step 3: Heat the pan until it’s searing hot. Add the Merlot Steak and sear 2 – 3 minutes. Flip the steak, lower the heat slightly and cook for another 2 – 3 minutes. Use a digital read meat thermometer to determine that the internal temperature has cook to 120 – 130 degrees.

Step 4: Tent and Slice: As with any steak, it’s important to tent the steak with foil before slicing. This allows the juices that were forced out of the edges and into the center, to migrate back to the edges. If you cut a steak too soon, all of that juicy flavor will spill out onto the cutting board rather than stay in the steak.
Step 5: How to Slice A Merlot Steak: It’s also important to know how to slice a Merlot Steak. Slice the steak against the grain and at a bias. Since the Merlot cut is such a lean cut of beef, it won’t be as easy as a flank steak to locate the grain. Look carefully for the grain, then rotate the steak at a 45 degree angle. Thin slice the steak in about ¼ inch slices.

Tips For Success:

Don’t try to sear any steak in a non-stick skillet. They are notorious for not creating enough heat to get a successful sear. Use a good heavy skillet.
Not a “rare” steak person? Simply stated, a Merlot Steak needs to be cooked at an internal temperature of 120 – 130 degrees. Anything more than that will produce a dry, unappealing steak. A T-bone steak may be a better choice for those of you who like a well-done steak.

How To Serve It

Quickly add a few slices of the steak to a warmed plate and immediately top with about a tablespoon of the Blue Cheese Butter. I always like a traditional potato dish with steak. Either cooked in foil in the oven, or take a look at my recipe for Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Baked Potatoes. A green vegetable like broccoli rounds out the meal.

Variations

I truly love this Blue Cheese Butter for a Merlot Steak. The steak’s mild beefy flavor is enhanced with this creamy blue cheese flavor. Here are some other ideas:

Country Mustard Whiskey Butter, a blast of flavor for any steak lover.
Try this Cowboy Butter, a favorite for when I cook T-bone Steaks.
An easy Mustard Sauce is always a good option for any steak.
Try serving your Merlot Steaks topped with Chimichurri Sauce.
Take a look at my recipes for Horseradish Cream Sauce, it’s not just for Prime Rib after all. and Red Onion Chutney.

Storage:

Store any leftover steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Gently reheat slices stovetop in a skillet for just a few seconds per side.. Since the steak has been cooked to Medium Rare, you’ll be able to gently reheat without losing much of the tender goodness.
Blue Cheese Butter: You’ll have plenty of Blue Cheese Butter leftover. It will keep in the refrigerator in it’s plastic wrap for up to two weeks. Enjoy this treat over any steak, chicken or even green beans. About the green beans: I tried it and it was delicious.

FAQ’s

How Do I Make Sure A Merlot Steak Is Perfectly Cooked?

Again, this is a very lean and thin cut of steak. Sear quickly to get a good crust, and cook to an internal temperature of 120 – 130 degrees, rare or medium rare. Anything over that will cause the steak to dry out.

How Should I Cook A Merlot Steak?

Hot and fast. A heavy skillet like a French Carbon Steel Pan is my preferred way. A cast iron skillet works well here. And your outdoor grill is also a good tool. If you’re good at oven broiling steaks, this is also an option.

Do You Need To Marinate A Merlot Steak?

A Merlot steak is a good candidate for a steak marinade. Usually I just season with salt and pepper and bring the flavor with a compound blue cheese and butter. If you’re looking for a good steak marinade take a look at this Overnight Steak Marinade, or this one I use for Steak Kabobs.

Why Is Merlot Steak So Hard To Find?

It’s a “butcher’s” cut with limited yield per animal. Many processors grind it or keep in in roasts, so retail availability is rare. Ask whole-animal butchers or shop on-line.

Explore More Specialty Butcher Cuts

If you’re interested in exploring more lesser known beef cuts that butchers have prized, you’re in the right place. These flavorful, often unknown or overlooked beef cuts can deliver steakhouse quality in your own home. And help you expand your horizons beyond the usual Grilled Ribeye or New York strip. Here are some of my favorite unique butcher’s cuts, along with how-to’s and recipes.

Don’t miss my category for Beef Recipes, you’ll find lots of great burger, steak, brisket and beef soups and stews. Including the most popular pan seared steak recipes on my site for Beef Tagliata. An Italian steak recipe that will WOW the family and wow you because it’s so easy to make.

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Sliced pan fried merlot steak topped with blue cheese butter.

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Pan Seared Merlot Steak with Blue Cheese Butter

The Merlot Steak, a hidden gem of the beef world, cooks up in just minutes seared in a sizzling hot pan. Juicy, tender and flavorful, slice it thin, and top it with a decadent Blue Cheese Butter. A steakhouse worthy dinner at home.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Resting time10

Course: Main Course Beef

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings:

Calories: 259kcal

Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

For The Blue Cheese Butter
4 Tablespoons Butter ½ stick
2 Healthy Tablespoons Blue cheese
1 teaspoon Garlic minced
1 teaspoon Chives minced
For The Merlot Steak
1 pound Merlot Steak
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper

Instructions

For the Blue Cheese Butter: Allow about 30 minutes for the butter to come to room temperature, or soften the butter in a microwave safe bowl until malleable.
Using a fork, mash in and combine blue cheese, chives and garlic until fully mixed.
Spoon the butter onto a small sheet of plastic wrap. Form the butter into a cylindar and seal the edges. Return the butter to the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
For the Merlot Steak
Remove steak from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. An hour is even better.
Use a paper towel to pat the steak dry and season both sides with salt and pepper, or Montreal Steak Seasoning.
Add the olive oil to the skillet. I like to use a paper towel to smear it around to coat the bottom of the pan.
Heat the pan over medium high heat, and once hot, add the Merlot Steak. Sear for three minutes. Once the steak is browned on one side, turn and cook for another three minutes. Use a digital meat thermometer to determine that the interior temperature has reached 120 – 130 degrees.
Transfer the steak from the skillet and place it on a cutting board. Tent with foil and let it rest for 5 – 10 minutes. Look for the grain and slice the steak against the grain and at a bias. Top with several slices of the Blue Cheese Butter and serve immediately.

Notes

A good rule of thumb is to allow ¼ pound of any protein per person. If you want heartier servings, this recipe will serve 2 people.

Tips For Success:

Don’t try to sear any steak in a non-stick skillet. They are notorious for not creating enough heat to get a successful sear. Use a good heavy skillet.
Not a “rare” steak person? Simply stated, a Merlot Steak needs to be cooked at an internal temperature of 120 – 130 degrees. Anything more than that will produce a dry, unappealing steak. A T-bone steak may be a better choice for those of you who like a well-done steak.

Nutrition

Merlot Steak with Blue Cheese Butter … It’s What’s For Dinner

Denver Steak: What Is It & How To Cook It Perfectly

July 31, 2025 By Lea Ann Brown 2 Comments

Meet the beef steak you never knew you were missing. The Denver Steak with it’s beefy flavor and tender texture is becoming increasingly more popular and will make you wonder why it isn’t already a staple in your kitchen. In this recipe, the steak is seasoned simply, pan seared and finished in the oven. Served with a rich, bold creamy blue cheese sauce, a satisfying combo that hits all the right notes for any steak lover.

Pan seared Denver steak served with fried potatoes and Blue Cheese Sauce.

What Is A Denver Steak?

The Denver Steak is a cut that comes from the chuck primal, serratus ventralis muscle, just below the shoulder blade. The same area where the famous 7-bone chuck roast lives. Most chuck cuts are heavily used muscles, and can be tough. The Denver Steak, due to it’s location under the blade bone is one cut that isn’t used as much by the animal, rendering it well marbled. Which means it responds to a quick cook time, rather than a roast that requires hours to become tender.

Yield: One cow will yield two Denver Steaks.
Tip: Buy a Denver Steak from a butcher you trust and ask if the steak has been cut from “under the blade”.

Why Is It Called Denver Steak When It Comes From The Chuck?

Interesting story: The name and cut comes from a project from the 2000’s, The Cattlemen’s Beef Checkoff Program, a project designed to discover, identify and promote cheaper cuts of meat coming from the chuck primal area. The program was successful, as it trained butchers to invent three new steaks. The Denver, the Flatiron and Teres Major. The steak’s name has no historical meaning, it was simply a marketing concept debuted in 2009.

How To Cook It

This is a pro-level steakhouse method made simple is one I learned in Culinary School. Denver steak is simply seasoned with salt and pepper, pan seared, then finished in the oven. I’m serving it with a rich, creamy blue cheese sauce similar to my creamy blue cheese dressing, that takes it over the top. The result? Melt in your mouth tender steak with a fancy steakhouse restaurant feel. Blue cheese and steak are, without a doubt, a perfect match.

Flavor, Texture and Value

The Denver Steak has the qualities of both a Ribeye and a New York Strip Steak in one! This cut carries all the depth of flavor associated with the chuck while remaining super tender like a fine steak. The steak is beautifully marbled with fat which melts during the cooking process, making it incredibly flavorful and moist. The Denver steak is typically less expensive than a Ribeye or New York Strip.

Availability: Where To Buy It

You typically won’t find a Denver steak at your local supermarket. Considered a “butcher’s cut”, similar to lesser known cuts, like The Chuckeye Roast and The Merlot Steak. It takes a skilled butcher to know how to extract this cut. Check with your local specialty meat butcher shop, or find an on-line source. Example, I order them from a cattle ranch in Wyoming, Bootheel 7 Ranch. This is also where I found another hard to find cut, The Baseball Top Sirloin.

I was first introduced to Denver Steak while attending Culinary School. Our Executive Chef praised it as an emerging popular cut that every chef should be familiar with and know how to cook well. That day, we spent hours preparing Denver Steaks, experimenting with different seasonings, sauces and compound butters to compliment this unique cut of beef.

Let’s get started:

Ingredients You’ll Need

In Culinary School we served Denver Steaks with a variety of sauces. One of my favorite was this an easy blue cheese sauce. I’ll show all ingredients.

Denver Steaks: The two steaks pictured above weigh 1.5 pounds. In my books that’s enough for four people when serving with sides.
Heavy Cream will make a luscious, rich blue cheese sauce.
Shallot: A shallot’s flavor is milder and more delicate than onion. Whether diced, minced or sliced, they can be used to season about any savory dish. I don’t think a day went by in Culinary School that we didn’t use them.
Butter and Flour work together to thicken the sauce.
Blue Cheese: Any type of blue cheese will work for this recipe. I prefer Stilton or Gorgonzola. Purchase a wedge of blue cheese rather than already crumbled in a plastic container. The wedge will offer a creamier texture, which will melt easier.

How To Pan Fry A Denver Steak – Finish In Oven

I truly believe this is the best method to cook a Denver Steak. Probably because it’s the way we cooked them in Culinary School and with such good results. A hot skillet creates a good sear and transferring that skillet to the oven to finish = restaurant technique and quality.

Step 1: Pan Sear The Steak: All the steak to come to room temperature (allow at least 30 minutes) pat the steak dry using a paper towel. Melt butter in an oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Once the butter is melted and bubbles have subsided, add the steak. Sear on one side for two minutes, or until golden browned. Turn the steak and cook the other side for another two minutes. Feel free to tilt the pan and spoon butter over the steak as sit cooks. I normally don’t do this, but some chefs like the buttery flavor this method adds
Move the pan to a pre-heated 400 degree oven to finish cooking. I recommend medium rare, at 135 degrees. Use a digital meat thermometer to determine internal temperature.

How To Slice Denver Steak

Step 3: Move to a cutting board and use a piece of foil to tent for about 10 minutes. Use a Chef’s knife to slice the steak against the grain.

Blue Cheese Sauce

Step 1: Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Once butter is melted and bubbles subside, add the diced shallot and cook until tender, about 2 minutes.

Why Wait Until Bubbles Subside When Cooking with Butter? When cooking with butter, it’s important to wait for the foaming to subside before adding food. During the melting process, bubbles appear, meaning that water is evaporating from the butter. This evaporation is necessary for butter to reach a higher cooking temperature. If you add food before the water is gone, the food will absorb the butter, rather than cook in it.

Cooking shallots to make blue cheese sauce for a Denver steak.

Step 2: Make the roux: Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Cook about 1 minute, stirring, until the flour is starting to have a nutty flavor and is turning slightly golden.

Step 3, adding blue cheese to make blue cheese sauce for a Denver steak.

Step 3: Add The Dairy: Stir in the cream and whisk until smooth and starting to thicken. Then stir in the crumbled blue cheese.

Stirring blue cheese sauce until smooth and creamy. Step 4.

Step 4: Stir: Whisk on low heat until smooth and creamy. The consistency will be like gravy. Set aside and keep warm while you cook the steak.

Pan seared Denver steak served with blue cheese sauce and cubed fried potatoes.

Step 8: To Serve: Spoon a couple of dollops of the blue cheese sauce onto the plate and arrange a few slices of steak on top.

More Finishing Sauces

If you’re not a fan of Blue Cheese, try drizzling a Denver steak with either a Balsamic Fig Glaze, or a Balsamic Reduction. Both of these rich sauces are a great partner for beefy flavored steak. Always popular is this Whiskey Compound Steak Butter.

What To Serve It With

Steak and potatoes seem like natural partners. Serve Denver Steaks with these Savory Cast Iron Skillet Potatoes.
For a more Summery dinner, try my Mexican Corn Salad.
Add some green with a simple steak house salad vibe topped with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing, or something a little heartier and Southwestern like my recipe for Southwestern Salad.

Tips For Success

Slicing: Once cooked, it’s important to slice a Denver steak against the grain. An easy task, because if the steak has been cut correctly by the butcher, the shape of the steak will intuitively guide you.
Pat the steak dry before pan frying. Drying the steak will remove any surface moisture which will result in a quicker and crispier sear.
Don’t overcook the steak: Use a digital meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the steak. To keep this steak melt in your mouth tender, I highly recommend keeping the cut cooked to medium-rare, which is 130-135 degrees.
Don’t overcook the sauce: Once the cheese has melted, remove it from the heat, cover with foil and keep warm. If it continues to cook, the texture will become greasy. If this happens, pour in a splash of milk to reconstitute the creamy texture.
Presentation: Place a few sprigs of fresh thyme over each steak once they’re heading into the oven. Not so much to add flavor, but baked stems make for a rustic garnish once the steak is sliced and plated.
Finishing Salt: Every kitchen should have a box of Maldon Sea Salt Flakes. It’s flaky, shiny and adds a beautiful garnish for any steak. Just sprinkle a pinch or two on top of each sliced steak serving, once plated.

Steak Internal Temperature Doneness Guide

Rare: 125 – 130 degrees
Medium Rare: 130 – 140
Medium: 140 – 150
Medium Well: 150 – 160
Well: Over 160 degrees

Questions You May Have

What Is The Best Skillet for Pan Seared Steak?

A cast iron skillet is always a good choice to sear and cook meats. But, I find them heavy and hard to lift. Another good choice is a Carbon Steel Pan. They’re versatile and durable, they sear meat beautifully and if needed can go from stove top to oven. Chefs prefer these pans and they are a staple in restaurant kitchens. Either pan works great for pan seared meat. (I am an Amazon affiliate. If you make a purchase using the above link, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.)

Can I Grill A Denver Steak?

Absolutely! Season the steak with salt and pepper, or a steak seasoning mix like Montreal Steak Seasoning. Preheat the grill to get the grates sizzling hot. Cook at 400 degrees, for about 5 – 6 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches desired doneness. Use a digital real thermometer to determine internal temperature. Remove to a cutting board, tent and let rest before slicing against the grain and serving.

Can I Cook A Denver Steak From Frozen?

Yes. Remove as much moisture as you can from the steak, using a paper towel. Sear according to directions, however, once it hits the oven the cook time will increase. Keep a close eye on the steak using a digital read meat thermometer.

Uses and Serving Suggestions

Make a Denver Steak Salad, using my Steak Salad Recipe.
Try this cut for Steak Fajitas, or try using it to make a Steak Sandwich.
Sauce Options: Not a fan of blue cheese? Try serving it with this Red Wine Mushroom Sauce. Or a favorite, top it with Chimichurri Sauce.

Storage

Store any leftover steak, thin sliced and sealed well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat gently fry in a steak pan until just warm. You don’t want to cook the steak again, just heat it up warm enough to eat it. I like to eat left over slices of steak with a fried egg, for a steak and egg breakfast.
Store any leftover Blue Cheese Sauce in a air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The 50% power feature on the microwave is your best friend when reheating this sauce. Heat individual portions in the microwave in 30 second increments.

Explore More Specialty Butcher Cuts

And don’t miss my category for Beef recipes. You’ll find lots of great burgers, steaks and more, including this Southwest Inspired Steak Dinner for Cast Iron Flank Steak. With charred onions and New Mexico Red Chile Powder, it’s a really nice recipe.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Denver steak with blue cheese sauce served with fried potatoes.

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Pan Seared Denver Steak with Creamy Blue Cheese Sauce

Denver Steaks are seasoned simply, pan seared and finished in the oven, served with a rich, bold creamy blue cheese sauce, a satisfying combo that hits all the right notes for any steak lover.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Course: Main Course Beef

Cuisine: Amerian

Servings:

Calories: 580kcal

Author: Lea Ann Brown