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Cowboy Butter Steak

Cowboy butter steak with a cast iron sear and a garlic-herb compound butter that melts into a glossy pool. Thick-cut ribeye gets basted in the final minute, then rests and finishes with an extra slice of melting butter.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chill 5 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ribeye steaks
  • 2 ribeye steaks 1–1.5 inches thick
  • 0.5 tsp salt and coarse black pepper For seasoning; use to taste with coarse black pepper
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil For searing
Cowboy butter (compound butter)
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives chopped
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the cowboy butter
  1. Blend unsalted butter, garlic cloves, lemon juice, parsley, chives, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and salt until smooth with visible herb specks. Roll the mixture into a log shape in plastic wrap, then refrigerate until firm for 5 minutes.
Sear and finish the steaks
  1. Pat ribeye steaks dry and season generously on all sides with salt and coarse black pepper. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until smoking, add vegetable oil, and sear steaks 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare.
  2. In the final 1 minute of searing, baste each steak with a pat of cowboy butter so it melts and glazes the surface. Remove steaks to a plate and rest for 5 minutes tented with foil.
  3. Place a thick slice of cowboy butter directly on each steak while still warm so it melts into a glossy topping. Serve immediately with extra cowboy butter on the side.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the cowboy butter log tightly wrapped so it firms for clean slicing; it also makes the final-melt topping extra neat. Refrigerate the compound butter up to 5 days (let sit at room temp 10 minutes before slicing). Freezing is yes—freeze up to 2 months and thaw in the fridge. For a lower-sodium option, use reduced-salt butter and reduce added salt to taste while keeping the same blend.