The Seasoning Request At Texas Roadhouse That Transforms Any Steak

To many Texas Roadhouse fans, the restaurant's hand-cut, expertly grilled steaks need no additions beyond tasty side dishes. If you're feeling fancy, though, the steakhouse offers plenty of ways to customize your meal, including a few "secret" options that aren't listed on the menu. One Texas Roadhouse menu hack that will take your steak to new heights is to ask for the herb-crusted chicken seasoning.

As you can guess, this seasoning blend is normally used on the restaurant's herb-crusted chicken, a dish of two grilled chicken breasts served with a caramelized lemon half. In the spirit of Southern hospitality, you can ask your server for herb-crusted chicken seasoning sprinkled on your steak or served in a bowl on the side, and the kitchen should be happy to oblige. The exact blend of herbs and spices is a company secret, but copycat recipes include ingredients like paprika, garlic powder, basil, oregano, dill, rosemary, and thyme, plus the requisite salt and pepper. 

This refreshing, herbal, and zesty mix of flavors is just as delicious on steak as it is on chicken, adding brightness to the rich beef. While other Texas Roadhouse steak add-ons like "smothering" — aka adding a blanket of mushrooms, onions, and gravy or cheese — are delicious, they can cover up the taste of the meat. Herb-crusted chicken seasoning enhances every Texas Roadhouse steak while letting you enjoy the nuances of different cuts.

If you try herb-crusted chicken seasoning on a Texas Roadhouse steak and end up loving it, you may be eager to try other secret menu items. There's one steak-related request that not every Texas Roadhouse cook may understand, but customers who have tried it say it's one of the tastiest tricks out there. Ask for your steak "Pittsburgh style" and the kitchen will give it a crispy, ultra-charred crust with an interior that's still nice and rare. Fans say the chain's prime rib is particularly delicious when ordered this way.

Diehard fans of the restaurant's famous steak seasoning will be excited to know that they can request more on the side, much in the same way as the chicken herb rub. Sprinkle the steak spices on the chain's famous fresh-baked cinnamon butter rolls, and you've got the secret menu Texas Roadhouse side you should order on every visit. It's also delicious on any of the steakhouse's sides, including steak fries, green beans, and baked sweet potatoes.

On the appetizer side of things, there's a Texas Roadhouse menu item that makes a normal Cactus Blossom boring by comparison. The Pulled Pork Cactus Blossom adds the classic BBQ meat on top of the fried onions for the ultimate indulgent starter. The menu hacks don't stop at savory dishes, either. You can upgrade Texas Roadhouse's strawberry cheesecake into a sweet chocolate delight by requesting chocolate sauce on top.