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?
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I just used to recipe on elk steaks, everyone said it’s a definite use again recipe.
Absolutely delicious! We grilled up two Tomahawk steaks and made the garlic butter topping. Seriously one of the best toppings our family has ever eaten! Thank you, thank you!
This recipe is absolutely perfect!! Only thing is I overcooked my steaks a tad bit because I set it to high broil. Will cook on low next time. The garlic butter is to die for!! Will go into dinner rotation. Thanks for sharing!!
Made this and WOW my kids loved it. Even asked when we will have it again. Thanks so much for this recipe.
Love it! Thank you!
How long for well done??
Nicole, you can increase the cooking time in 2 minute increments until the desired doneness is reached.
Thanks so much for the recipe! You made me laugh and I am tooootally going to make this tonight! Much Love
Absolutely mouth watering and that perfectly prepared and versatile garlic butter is surely the”icing on the steak!”
It’s damn delicious and that’s for sure!!
My family LOVED this steak!!!!!
Excellent recipe tender and juicy with flavor all the way through I topped it with caramel onion’s. Thank you for sharing
This was fantastic! I like my steak medium so I kept them in for 1 minute longer,(2 mins was MWell). The flavor was great! We put that garlic butter in some Yukon gold mashed, I thought I was at a fine dining establishment! Thanks for posting this recipe it is now my steak go to recipe!
Sounds delicious!
How long would you leave steak in the oven if you wanted a rare cook?
For a rare steak, you can remove the steak from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 125-130 degrees F, about 2-3 minutes in the oven. But as always, please use your best judgment as larger cuts of steak can take longer to cook.
My boyfriend loves steak and I had never made it before and am a beginner when it comes to cooking but wanted to try something new so decided to give this recipe a shot…
They turned out AMAZING!!! Thank you so much for sharing this. It tastes like it was far more involved than it really was. 😉
This will be my “go-to” recipe for steak.
Renee
That’s so great! Thanks for sharing with us!
I found this under ketogenic diet recipie. Is this correct?
As far as I know yes, since you are allowed to eat meat and butter on a ketogenic diet.
Can you make this recipe with chuck eye steaks?
Yes, of course.
Made it yesterday is was awesome. Thanks
Sounds wonderful! My wife and I do Whole30 eating. Can the Garlic Butter be made with Ghee? If so, all the other ingredients would be compliant!
That should work, but since we haven’t tried this ourselves, we can’t say with certainty. Please use your best judgement regarding substitutions and modifications.
I don’t have lemon zest, can I use just lemon juice?
Yes.
When I broil, do I set the skillet on the top rack or middle? I’m guessing the top? But I don’t want to mess up these steaks! Thanks!
You want to place the oven rack 6 to 8 inches below the broiler. Hope that helps!
Hi I was wondering if this could be made in something other than a skillet as I do not own one and would like to make this for my family. Thanks
It is best to make this in an oven-proof skillet (for easiest convenience, of course) or you can transfer this from a pan to an oven-safe baking dish. Hope that helps!
You can buy a beautiful 14″ cast iron skillet for $16 at Cabela’s.
Followed the recipe to a T. Butter was great, but at that amount if cooking time, the steaks were raw. Needs 5 minutes more.
Cooking time can vary depending on the thickness of the steaks.