Smoky, Garlicky Cowboy Butter to Melt Over Your Steak

Making this Homemade Cowboy Butter for Steaks takes only a few minutes. You combine 7 tbsp (100 g) of unsalted butter with Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, and chili flakes. The preparation begins at the stovetop. Sautéing the minced garlic first improves its taste compared to using raw garlic, and then you stir all the components into a uniform paste.

The garlic

The recipe calls for one large minced garlic clove. You need about one teaspoon of chopped garlic in total. You should use a sharp knife for this step. A garlic crusher produces a wet paste. The wet paste cooks too fast in the pan. The crushed garlic will burn if you cook it over high heat.

You start the process by placing a frying pan over medium heat. You measure out 1 tablespoon (15 g) of the unsalted butter. You melt the butter in the pan. You watch for the butter to get foamy.

You add the minced garlic to the foaming butter. You stir the garlic around the pan and cook it for 30 seconds. The quick sauté improves the taste compared to using raw garlic. The garlic is ready when it turns a pale golden color.

You take the frying pan off the stove. You let the garlic sit in the hot pan for 3 minutes. The short rest gives the garlic time to cool down. The garlic continues to turn more golden as it rests in the residual heat. You pour this cooled mixture over the remaining softened butter in the next step. A hot pan of garlic butter would melt the remaining butter. Melted butter ruins the thick, spreadable texture of the final dish.

Mixing the butter

The recipe uses the remaining 6 tablespoons of softened butter for the base. You place the soft butter into a mixing bowl. You add 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard to the bowl. You measure out 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika. You can use regular paprika if you do not have the smoked version. You add 1 teaspoon of chili flakes. You can swap the chili flakes for red pepper flakes. The recipe calls for 0.25 teaspoon of kosher salt or cooking salt. You need to cut that salt amount in half if you use regular table salt.

You pour the cooled garlic and its melted butter from the frying pan into the mixing bowl. You stir the wet ingredients into the dry spices. You keep mixing until the paste looks uniform. The ingredients must combine into a single mass. The cowboy butter is now ready to serve.

Serving Options

You have several choices for using the softened butter exactly as it is straight from the bowl. You can also prepare it for later use.

• You can dollop the soft spread directly onto hot meat. The thick mixture melts over the surface to form an even coating on top of the food.
• You can melt the spread down to dip steak bites. You melt the butter in a saucepan or microwave. You pour the warm liquid into a small dipping bowl and serve it alongside sliced steak.
• You can form a compound butter log by enclosing the mixture in cling wrap. Leave the wrapped spread in the refrigerator until it turns firm. You can then slice the solid log into individual coins and set them on top of hot steaks to melt.
• The prepared mixture can be stirred into hot white rice or tossed with steamed vegetables. You can also let the spread soften over plates of chicken and toast.

Storage

You can make the butter ahead of time. You store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to five days. The fresh taste begins to fade after that time. You can freeze the butter for up to three months if you need longer storage.