Steak Butter Recipe
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This easy Steak Butter Recipe is the best way to make your steak dinner memorable. Infused with garlic, fresh herbs, citrus, and a splash of Worcestershire sauce, I always keep a batch in my fridge when I want to elevate my seared steaks.
I’m a huge fan of compound butter recipes for steak, and this steak butter offers the perfect middle ground between classic compound butter and simple roasted garlic butter. Every knob of it tastes rich, savory, and slightly tangy and melts perfectly over practically any pan-seared or even a reverse-seared steak.
Steak Butter
Steak butter (sometimes called cowboy butter) is gourmet whipped compound butter infused with fresh herbs, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and a splash of citrus. It’s easy to make with an electric mixer in about 10 minutes. I recommend making each batch at least 1 or 2 days in advance to give the layers of flavors time to get to know each other and for the consistency of the butter to harden.
This seasoned butter is super versatile. I love slicing it over a hot steak, but it also melts beautifully for drizzling or dipping. It’s great with any cut of steak, and just as tasty on roasted veggies, spread on warm bread, or served with lobster, crab, and other seafood.
No matter how you decide to indulge, this flavor-rich butter is one of the best and easiest ways to create a fine dining experience from the comfort of your kitchen. I really hope you give it a try.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Butter – I like to use either room-temperature homemade butter or grass-fed unsalted butter in my cooking and baking because it gives me more control over the sodium levels and seasonings. You can use salted butter as a substitute, but be cautious when adding additional salt.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves in steak butter infuse it with a robust and savory flavor that pairs perfectly with steak. You can substitute 2 teaspoons of pre-minced garlic or garlic powder, but fresh garlic is always the best choice.
- Herbs – Just like my herb and garlic compound butter, fresh parsley, chives, and thyme were my herbs of choice in this recipe. Together, they add a refreshing and earthy depth of flavor. Feel free to use dry herbs as a substitute. You’ll need 3 teaspoons each of parsley and chives and 1 teaspoon of thyme.
- Worcestershire – This is the secret to the savory umami flavor and overall richness here. If you don’t have it, substitute an equal amount of soy sauce or balsamic vinegar.
- Lemon – Fresh or bottled lemon juice cuts through the richness of the butter.
- Seasonings – Coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper bring out the butter’s natural flavors and enhance the steak’s overall taste.
How to Make Steak Butter
Add the butter: I add the softened butter to the bowl of my stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Whip: Once the butter is in the mixer, I turn it up to high speed and let it whip until it’s light and fluffy.
Mix in the flavor: I take the bowl off the mixer and use a spatula to fold in the minced garlic, parsley, chives, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Then, I give it a quick taste and adjust the seasoning if it needs a little more salt.
Store the butter: I either scoop the steak butter into an airtight container or place it on a sheet of parchment paper. Then, I roll it into a log and twist the ends to seal it up for easy slicing later.
Chill: I keep the steak butter in the fridge if I’m using it soon, or tuck it into the freezer if I want to save it for later. It’s ready to go whenever I need a flavorful finishing touch.
Chef Tip + Notes
I highly recommend for making my steak butter is to whip it on high speed for at least 5 to 7 minutes. If you stop too soon, it won’t get that smooth, spreadable texture. Giving it a few extra minutes makes it light, fluffy, and perfect every time.
- Use soft butter: I always make sure the butter is at room temperature before starting. It makes whipping so much easier and smoother.
- No stand mixer? No problem: If I don’t have my stand mixer out, I just use a hand-held electric mixer. It works just as well.
- Switch up the herbs: I sometimes swap in rosemary, basil, or sage depending on what I have. Fresh or dried both work great.
- Add some heat: When I want a little spice, I toss in a pinch of chili powder or red pepper flakes. It gives the butter a subtle warmth.
- Add tang: For a little extra zip, I mix in a small dollop of Dijon or yellow mustard.
Serving Suggestions
I love melting a slice of this butter over a juicy filet mignon right off the grill. It’s also perfect with a tender ribeye or a thick-cut New York strip.
For a showstopper meal, try it with my tomahawk steak, oh my… it’s so good! And if you’re hosting, serve it with a beef tenderloin roast for that rich, steakhouse-style finish.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This recipe should be made at least one day before serving to give the flavors time to develop.
How to Store: The butter can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. It also freezes well for up to three months. Roll it into a log shape using parchment paper or add small portions to ice cube trays, then transfer the frozen butter cubes to a freezer-safe container.
More Butter Recipes
Steak Butter Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 finely minced garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons finely minced flat leaf Italian parsley
- 3 tablespoons finely minced chives
- 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh thyme
- 1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Juice of 1/2 lemon, about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip the butter on high speed until it becomes light and fluffy, which takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the garlic cloves, parsley, chives, thyme, Worcestershire, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Adjust any seasonings as you see fit.
- Transfer to a container and store in the fridge or freezer. Another options is to place the butter on a piece of parchment paper then rolled to form a cylinder. I like to do this so that I can take slices from it and use them in recipes.
Hi Chef, not a lemon fan, is there a substitute? Lime maybe! Loved the peppercorn sauce.
you could try it.