The Perfect Steak with Garlic Butter
by Chungah
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How to make the most perfect restaurant-quality steak right at home! Includes the most amazing make-ahead garlic compound herb butter.
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Reasons to make this steak recipe with garlic butter
- This really is the most perfect steak recipe. Perfecting that steak can be a bit tricky – sometimes that sear is just perfect but the inside is nowhere to be cooked, or your steak is completely dry, tough, and overcooked. With these simple tips and tricks below, you’ll be making restaurant-quality steak in no time.
- Great for easy weeknight meals or special occasion dinners. These juicy, tender steaks with those favorited crisp edges were made for busy weeknights but is also fancy enough for a company-worthy dinner or a romantic night in. Pair with some crusty homemade bread, a bottle of wine and some lit candles.
- Includes an out-of-this-world garlic compound butter. You can put this garlic butter on anything and everything – dinner rolls, toast, chicken, or seafood. You can also prep the butter ahead of time and freeze as needed for complete convenience.
What is compound butter?
Compound butter is softened butter mixed with garlic and a variety of herbs, slicing into coins to top off steaks, pasta, fish, or bread.
How to choose a good-quality steak
Marbling is key.
Prioritize high marbling when choosing a steak, looking for white streaks of fat throughout. The fat will melt when cooked, yielding maximum flavor and juiciness.
Look for bright red meat.
The steak should be firm (not overly moist) and should be bright cherry-red in color. Avoid steaks that are brown or yellow.
Bone-in has more flavor.
Bone-in or boneless can be used, but bone-in steak will yield more tender, juicy meat.
Quality matters.
USDA prime is the best grade of beef for steak, with USDA choice as the next best alternative.
How to make restaurant-quality steak
- Prep the steak. Let the steak come to room temperature first, then pat dry with paper towels. Coat lightly with oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the cast iron skillet. Heat a large cast iron skillet in the oven for 5-10 minutes. This will help achieve that favorited deep, crispy crust.
- Sear the steak. Add the steak to the hot skillet over medium high heat and let it sear undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until a deep, dark, caramelized crust has been formed, flipping once.
- Finish in the oven. Carefully transfer the steak into the oven and continue cooking until the desired temperature is reached (see below), using an instant-read thermometer for accuracy.
- Let it rest. Let the steak rest for at least 15 minutes, allowing the juices to redistribute.
- Serve. Serve with the compound butter, slicing off a pat of butter and placing it on top of the hot steak, allowing the residual heat to melt the butter.
Pro tip
Remove the steak from the oven about 5 degrees before it reaches the target temperature as the steak will continue to cook as it rests.
- Rare: 120-125°F
- Medium-rare: 130-135°F
- Medium: 140-145°F
- Medium-well: 150-155°F
- Well-done: 160°F+
How to make the compound butter
- Soften. Let one stick of unsalted butter come to room temperature.
- Combine. Combine the butter, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, thyme, rosemary, basil, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper until all the ingredients are evenly combined.
- Shape into a log. Spoon the butter mixture onto a sheet of parchment paper (or plastic wrap), rolling into a cylinder and twisting the ends to seal.
- Refrigerate or freeze. Refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.
How to store compound butter
Refrigerator
Wrapped tightly, the leftover compound butter can be stored in the fridge for at least 1 week.
Freezer
For long term storage, the butter can keep in the freezer for at least 3 months. Spoon the butter into a silicone ice cube tray (best for individual servings), freeze until solid, then store in an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Thaw overnight prior to using.
what to serve with the most perfect steak
Tools For This Recipe
The Perfect Steak with Garlic Butter: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, for about 20 minutes or so. This will allow the steak to cook evenly with a more flavorful crust.
T-bone, filet mignon, or New York strip steak are all excellent options.
Absolutely! But because dried herbs are often more potent and concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less when using dry. For example, 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary = 1 teaspoon dried rosemary.
Pat the steak thoroughly dry with paper towels, use oils with high smoke points (ex. canola oil or avocado oil), let it sear undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until a dark crust is formed, flip frequently for a more even crust (without burning), and finish it off with a butter baste.
Use an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the steak.
The Perfect Steak with Garlic Butter
Video
Ingredients
- 4 (12-ounce) rib-eye steaks*, 1 1/4-inch-thick, at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
for the garlic compound butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil leaves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to broil. Place a large cast iron skillet in the oven.
- Using paper towels, pat both sides of the steak dry. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove skillet from the oven and heat over medium high heat.
- Place the steak in the middle of the skillet and cook until a dark crust has formed, about 1 minute. Using tongs, flip, and cook for an additional 60 seconds.
- Place skillet into the oven and cook until desired doneness is reached, about 4-5 minutes for medium-rare, flipping once. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing.
- Serve immediately with garlic compound butter.
for the garlic compound butter
- To make the garlic compound butter, combine butter, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, thyme, rosemary, basil, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl.
- Transfer mixture to parchment paper; shape into a log. Roll in parchment to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, twisting the ends to close. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 week.
Equipment
Notes
- Use a cast iron skillet. Cast iron skillets retain heat much better than a nonstick skillet, allowing for even cooking and a better sear of the steak.
- Prep the steak. Let your steak sit out at room temperature for about 20 minutes prior to cooking. This will yield a better crust and an even cook from edge to center. Then pat the steak completely dry with paper towels to remove any surface moisture (moisture equals steam).
- Fresh herbs are best. Although you can certainly substitute dried herbs, fresh herbs are key here for the garlic compound butter, delivering the best kind of flavor for your steak.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results. The internal temperature of the steak should reach 130-135°F for medium rare. The meat will still continue to cook once removed from heat so we recommend cooking 5–10°F below your desired doneness, about 120-125°F for medium rare.
- Let the meat rest. Let your steak rest for at least 15 minutes prior to serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
Very quick and easy to prepare especially for my first time. Tasted definitely delicious!!!
Hi there,
Do the herds need to be fresh or can they be dried?
Looking forward to trying this recipe!
x
Great recipe.Amazing butter!! Can be used for many things – fish and seafood too.
Sooo delicious
you werent Lieing! this butter compound is screaming delicious!!!
This is a delicious steak. And with garlic oil, this is very unusual. Now I use garlic oil everywhere.
I can’t review this as I’ve yet to try it. But I have a question. Tell me again why I’m putting the skillet in the oven and moving to the stove over medium-high heat. Why not just heat on the stove top? Are there physics involved here that I’m not understanding? A hot skillet is a hot skillet, regardless of the heat source. I am dying to try to garlic butter compound though. Has anyone found the amount of herbs to be over-powering and covering up the taste of the steak instead of complimenting it. Just wondering so I can adjust accordingly. Thanks.
Tried this recipe with T-bone steaks and it was amazing! Especially loved the garlic butter. This will definitely be my new go-to recipe for steaks going forward. Thank you for posting it!
Delicious steak! My hubby and daughter loved it! Thank you for the recipe.
My steak was very tough what could I have done wrong?
could be any number of things, but I will venture that your steaks were lean (not prime) and/or they were not the full 1 and 1/4″ thick. Thinner steaks cooked the same amount of time will be over done. For folks that are turned off by red red meat, try letting the under-cooked steaks set for a while before serving.
This recipe is Delicious! Total winner with the family, everyone loves it. Will be making more of the butter for veggies. Thank you so much!
Have a dumb question. It says broiler , does that mean I cook in the broiler or in the oven ?
You weren’t lying! LOL The broiler cooks from above in the oven appliance – very high heat, no flare ups like on a grill. No wood smoke either, though
Absolutely, excellent!!!
Tried this for the first time. I am that person who messes up simple directions, So before I tried this I read the reviews and followed the directions verbatim. The only thing different I did was added onions on top of the steak. Let me tell you, that this was the easiest steak I have ever did. It came out perfectly delicious! And my husband REALLY enjoyed it. And I have also found a new way to incorporate seasonings and spices into my butter! If you like steak, I definitely recommend you try this recipe. It’s one for the books!! Thanks Chungah
DAAAAAMMNNNNNN! THANK YOU!
My wife likes it very much!
Omg!!! I never review anything like ever but it’s a must considering how great this came out. As far as cooking is concerned I‘m the novice of the household and my steaks never come out right! They always have this “bloody” or “game-like” taste but with this recipe I perfected it! I think the lemon zest made the difference! It was perfect! Now the whole family only wants me to make the streak! Thank you for this and helping me push through my cooking obstacles!
Excellent. Used butter on my prawns and fresh vegetables as well. Damn Delicious. Lol
Can you make the butter without the lemon?
How long do I broil my skillet?
broiling your skillet is a personal endeavor which you should discover yourself
Ha!! Hahahaha!!
You, sir, are hilarious.
I wish I knew you in person.
**EDIT: you, MISS, are hilarious.
Forgive my mistake!
(Still wish we were real-life friends)
Thank you for this!!! I can never get a steak to come out anywhere near how I want it but this was perfect. I used peanut oil rather than olive oil because of the higher smoke point and broiled on low for 3 mins each side; it came out perfect and medium just how I wanted it. The garlic butter worked perfectly to top it off as well.
If I were to cook 2 at a time, how would you increase cook time/heat both on the stove and in the oven
Just made this tonight and it’s the best steak I’ve ever made! Very juicy and flavorful