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Cowboy Butter Steak

Cowboy butter steak with cast iron searing and a garlic-herb compound butter that melts into the hot ribeye. Thick ribeye steaks are salted, peppered, and basted in the final minute for a buttery, speckled finish with glossy garlic and chili flakes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling 5 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 920
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ribeye steak
  • 2 ribeye steaks 1–1.5 inches thick
  • 0.5 tsp salt plus extra for seasoning; use to taste
  • 0.5 tsp coarse black pepper plus extra for seasoning; use to taste
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil for searing
Cowboy butter
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3 cloves garlic 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 (for the butter)

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the cowboy butter
  1. Blend unsalted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, fresh parsley, fresh chives, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and salt until smooth, with no visible butter streaks.
  2. Roll the mixture in plastic wrap into a log shape, then refrigerate until firm, about 5 minutes.
Sear and baste the steaks
  1. Pat ribeye steaks dry and season generously with salt and coarse black pepper on all sides so the surface looks evenly dusted.
  2. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until smoking, then add vegetable oil and swirl to coat the pan.
  3. Sear steaks 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare, then baste with a pat of cowboy butter in the final minute so it melts and coats the meat.
Rest, melt, and serve
  1. Remove steaks and rest for 5 minutes tented with foil to keep the juices inside the cut.
  2. Place a thick slice of cowboy butter directly on each steak while still warm so it melts into a glossy topping.
  3. Serve with extra cowboy butter on the side for added melting butter at the table.

Notes

Pro tip: refrigerate the compound butter until firm so it slices neatly and melts on contact. Store leftover steak refrigerated up to 3 days; reheat gently so the butter doesn’t separate. Freezing: freeze cooked steak up to 2 months, thaw in the fridge and reheat slowly. Dietary swap: use salted butter only if you reduce the added butter salt accordingly.