Cowboy Butter Steak Bites (Printable Version)

Tender steak bites seared and coated in zesty garlic herb butter sauce with hints of citrus and spice.

# What You Need:

→ Steak

01 - 1 ½ lbs sirloin steak or ribeye, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 1 tsp kosher salt
03 - ½ tsp black pepper
04 - 1 tbsp olive oil

→ Cowboy Butter Sauce

05 - 6 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
08 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
09 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
10 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
11 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
12 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
13 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
14 - ½ tsp sea salt
15 - ¼ tsp ground black pepper

# How To Make:

01 - Pat steak cubes completely dry with paper towels. Season evenly on all sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add steak cubes in a single layer, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Sear for 1–2 minutes per side until well-browned and cooked to medium-rare or medium doneness. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the same skillet and let melt. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
04 - Stir in Dijon mustard, lemon juice, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, parsley, chives, dill, sea salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 1 minute until sauce is well combined and slightly thickened.
05 - Return steak bites to the skillet and toss to coat thoroughly in the cowboy butter sauce. Serve immediately, spooning extra sauce over the top.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cowboy butter sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like something from a steakhouse
  • These bites are impossibly tender and cook in under 10 minutes total
  • The sauce is so versatile you will want to put it on everything from roasted potatoes to grilled shrimp
02 -
  • Do not skip drying the steak cubes with paper towels first. This one step determines whether you get a restaurant-quality sear or steamed gray meat.
  • Let your pan come back to temperature between batches if you are cooking in multiple rounds. Patience here pays off.
  • The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits off the heat. Plan to serve these immediately while they are at their absolute best.
03 -
  • Room temperature steak sears more evenly than cold from the fridge. Take it out thirty minutes before cooking.
  • If your garlic starts browning too fast, pull the pan off the heat immediately. The residual heat will finish the job without burning.
  • These are just as excellent cooked on a grill over direct high heat if you want to avoid splattering on the stove.

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