About this recipe
You don't need to visit an expensive steakhouse for a perfect dinner. This grilled steak with garlic herb butter proves that a few simple ingredients can do all the heavy lifting. We grill the meat until it develops a serious crust, then hit it with a quick compound butter packed with fresh garlic and chives. That butter melts straight into the hot steak while it rests. It essentially creates an insanely rich pan sauce right on your cutting board. Best of all? The whole meal is ready in exactly 37 minutes.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
The compound butter takes 2 minutes to mix but makes the meal taste like it came from a restaurant.
It requires minimal prep work and almost zero cleanup if you're cooking outside on the grill.
You can customize the herb butter with whatever fresh herbs you need to use up in your fridge.
Ingredients
Steak
- 2 lb steak (ribeye, New York strip, or sirloin, about 1-inch thick)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Garlic herb butter
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp fresh chives (chopped)
- 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Optional serving ideas
- 1 batch roasted potatoes (optional)
- 1 batch grilled vegetables (optional)
- 1 wedge lemon (optional)
Ingredient Notes
Steak choices
Ribeye has the most fat and flavor, but New York strip is a fantastic balance of tenderness and beefy taste. Sirloin is your best budget-friendly option.
Unsalted butter
Always use unsalted butter for compound butters. It lets you control exactly how salty the final product is.
Equipment
Grill
Small mixing bowl
Tongs
Chef's knife
Cutting board
Instructions
Make the garlic herb butter
Drop the softened butter into a small bowl. Toss in the minced garlic, parsley, chives, thyme, lemon juice, and a healthy pinch of salt. Mash everything together with a fork until it's completely smooth. Set this aside at room temperature so it stays soft and spreadable.
Season the steak
Take your steaks out of the fridge and aggressively pat them dry with paper towels. Any surface moisture will prevent you from getting a good sear. Rub both sides generously with olive oil, then hit them hard with the kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
Preheat the grill
Fire up your grill to medium-high heat. You want those grates screaming hot before the meat touches them. Lightly oil the grates using a folded paper towel held with tongs. This stops the steak from sticking and tearing when you flip it.
Grill the steak
Throw the steaks on the hot grill. Let them cook undisturbed for about 4 to 6 minutes per side depending on the thickness. Don't guess here—use a meat thermometer. Pull them off when the thickest part hits 130°F for a perfect medium-rare.
Rest and top with butter
Move the steaks to a clean cutting board and immediately drop a large spoonful of the garlic herb butter on top of each one. Walk away for at least 10 minutes. The residual heat will melt the butter while the juices redistribute inside the meat.
10 minute timer
Slice and serve
Slice the meat against the grain—this breaks up the muscle fibers and makes every bite tender. Serve it up warm. Make sure to drag those slices through all the melted butter and juices pooling on the board.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Skipping the rest period
If you slice the steak right off the grill, all the hot juices will flood out onto your cutting board, leaving the meat completely dry.
Cooking cold meat
Throwing fridge-cold steak on a hot grill drops the temperature of the grates. Let the meat sit out for 20 minutes before grilling if you have the time.
Tips
- Pat the raw steaks completely dry with a paper towel. Surface moisture creates steam, which is the absolute enemy of a good crust.
- Invest in a cheap instant-read meat thermometer. It takes all the guesswork out of grilling and guarantees you'll never ruin an expensive cut of meat.
- Pull the steaks off the heat about 5 degrees before your target temperature. Carryover cooking will bring them up to temp while they rest.
Variations
Switch up the herbs
Swap the parsley and chives for fresh rosemary and oregano if you want a deeper, earthier flavor profile.
Make it spicy
Mix a large pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce right into the softened butter.
Substitutions
- If you don't have an outdoor grill, a heavy cast iron skillet heated until smoking works perfectly indoors.
- Use dried herbs in a pinch if fresh aren't available—just cut the quantities in half since dried herbs are much stronger.
What to Serve With It
Serve alongside crispy smashed potatoes or thick-cut fries to soak up the extra garlic butter.
Pair it with simple charred asparagus or zucchini straight off the grill.
Make Ahead
Prep the butter early
You can make the garlic herb butter up to 5 days in advance. Just roll it into a log using parchment paper and keep it in the fridge.
Storage
**Refrigerator
** Store leftover steak in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
**Reheating
** Steak is notoriously hard to reheat without overcooking. Warm it very gently in a skillet over low heat, or better yet, slice it cold over a salad.
**Compound Butter
** Any leftover garlic herb butter will stay good in the fridge for about 5 days. It's incredible melted over eggs or roasted vegetables.
Recipe Notes
If your steaks are thicker than 1 inch, you will need to add an extra minute or two of cooking time per side.
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- 1 steak with butter
- Calories
- 445
- Protein
- 35g
- Carbohydrates
- 1g
- Fat
- 33g
- Fiber
- 0g
- Sugar
- 0g
- Sodium
- 540mg
FAQ
What kind of steak should I buy?
Ribeye, New York strip, and sirloin are all solid choices. Just make sure you grab a cut that's at least an inch thick so it doesn't overcook before getting a good sear.
When is the best time to add the butter?
Drop the butter on the steak the absolute second it comes off the grill. You want it melting and mixing with the steak juices while the meat rests.
How do I actually know when my steak is done?
Forget the finger test—use an instant-read thermometer. Aim for 130°F for medium-rare, 140°F for medium, or 150°F if you prefer medium-well.
Recipe Card
Grilled Steak with Garlic Herb Butter
A juicy grilled steak recipe finished with a rich garlic herb butter for an easy, flavorful dinner.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 37 min
- Servings
- 4
- Category
- Dinner Recipes
- Cuisine
- American
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost
- Splurge
Ingredients
Steak
- 2 lb steak (ribeye, New York strip, or sirloin, about 1-inch thick)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Garlic herb butter
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp fresh chives (chopped)
- 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Optional serving ideas
- 1 batch roasted potatoes (optional)
- 1 batch grilled vegetables (optional)
- 1 wedge lemon (optional)
Instructions
- Make the garlic herb butter: Drop the softened butter into a small bowl. Toss in the minced garlic, parsley, chives, thyme, lemon juice, and a healthy pinch of salt. Mash everything together with a fork until it's completely smooth. Set this aside at room temperature so it stays soft and spreadable.
- Season the steak: Take your steaks out of the fridge and aggressively pat them dry with paper towels. Any surface moisture will prevent you from getting a good sear. Rub both sides generously with olive oil, then hit them hard with the kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Preheat the grill: Fire up your grill to medium-high heat. You want those grates screaming hot before the meat touches them. Lightly oil the grates using a folded paper towel held with tongs. This stops the steak from sticking and tearing when you flip it.
- Grill the steak: Throw the steaks on the hot grill. Let them cook undisturbed for about 4 to 6 minutes per side depending on the thickness. Don't guess here—use a meat thermometer. Pull them off when the thickest part hits 130°F for a perfect medium-rare.
- Rest and top with butter: Move the steaks to a clean cutting board and immediately drop a large spoonful of the garlic herb butter on top of each one. Walk away for at least 10 minutes. The residual heat will melt the butter while the juices redistribute inside the meat.
- Slice and serve: Slice the meat against the grain—this breaks up the muscle fibers and makes every bite tender. Serve it up warm. Make sure to drag those slices through all the melted butter and juices pooling on the board.
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