Cowboy Butter Steak Bites (Printable version)
Seared sirloin cubes coated in zesty garlic-herb cowboy butter, brightened with lemon and a hint of heat.
# What you need:
→ Meats
01 - 1½ lbs sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
→ Cowboy Butter Sauce
02 - 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
03 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
07 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
08 - ½ teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco
09 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
11 - Zest and juice of ½ lemon
12 - ½ teaspoon salt
13 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
→ For Cooking
14 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
# How to make it:
01 - Blot steak cubes thoroughly with paper towels and season lightly on all sides with salt and black pepper.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic, parsley, chives, dill, Dijon mustard, hot sauce, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Blend until uniformly incorporated. Reserve until ready for use.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, arrange steak cubes in a single layer. Sear for approximately 2 minutes per side, or until achieving a deep brown crust. Work in batches to prevent overcrowding.
04 - Lower heat to medium. Return all seared steak cubes to skillet. Add prepared cowboy butter sauce and toss thoroughly to coat. Continue cooking for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until butter is melted and steak reaches preferred doneness.
05 - Transfer steak bites to a serving platter and finish with additional fresh herbs if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert tips:
01 -
- The whole thing comes together in 25 minutes flat so weeknight dinners feel fancy without the fuss.
- That compound butter sauce hits every note: garlicky, herby, tangy, with just enough heat to keep you reaching for more.
- Its naturally gluten free and low carb so you can indulge without second guessing.
02 -
- Crowding the skillet is the number one mistake: the steak will steam gray instead of getting that gorgeous crust.
- Adding the butter off screaming high heat prevents it from burning and turning bitter.
- Letting the steak rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before cooking gives you a more even sear.
03 -
- Use a cast iron skillet if you have one: nothing delivers a better crust on small pieces of beef.
- A squeeze of lemon right before serving wakes everything up and makes the herbs pop even more.