Perfect Grilled Steak with Herb Butter Recipe
This Perfect Grilled Steak with Herb Butter recipe delivers tender, juicy bone-in strip steaks enhanced with a robust homemade steak seasoning and topped with rich, fresh herb butter. The steaks are seared over high heat on the grill to develop beautiful grill marks, then finished over indirect heat for perfect doneness. The herb butter adds a flavorful, creamy touch that elevates the steak to restaurant-quality right at home.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Steak Seasoning
- 3/4 Tablespoon rock salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/8 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
Steaks
- 2 bone-in strip steaks, 1 lb each, cut 1 1/2" thick (or your steak of choice)
- Vegetable oil for rubbing
Herb Butter
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon finely minced fresh rosemary
- 1 Tablespoon finely minced fresh thyme
- 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
Instructions
- Prepare the Steak Seasoning: Combine 3/4 tablespoon rock salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, 1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion, 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, and 1/8 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes in a mortar and pestle. Coarsely grind the mixture. Alternatively, use a spice grinder or place ingredients in a heavy-duty Ziplock bag, squeeze out air, and crush with a meat pounder, rolling pin, or heavy skillet.
- Make the Herb Butter: In a bowl, mash 1/2 cup softened salted butter with 1 tablespoon each of finely minced fresh rosemary and thyme, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, and 1 pressed or minced garlic clove. Mix until well combined. Shape the butter mixture into a thick log using plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. If pressed for time, freeze for 20-30 minutes. Herb butter can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored refrigerated.
- Prepare the Steaks: Trim any large pieces of fat from the steaks to prevent flare-ups on the grill. Pat steaks dry thoroughly with paper towels. Rub each side lightly with vegetable oil and season generously on all sides with the prepared steak seasoning, pressing the seasoning into the meat to adhere well. Use most or all of the seasoning.
- Preheat the Grill: Heat 2/3 or half of the grill burners on high with the lid closed for 10-15 minutes, until the grill reaches an internal temperature of about 500°F. This creates a very hot direct heat zone for searing.
- Sear the Steaks: Place the steaks directly over the lit burners and sear each side with the lid closed until grill marks form, approximately 1 1/2 minutes per side. Adjust sear time for steak thickness. Keep the grill lid closed between flips.
- Finish Grilling: Move the steaks to the unlit portion of the grill to cook with indirect heat. Close the lid and grill for 7-10 minutes for medium doneness, or cook longer or shorter depending on your preferred level of doneness. Use a meat thermometer if you like: 130-135°F for medium rare, 140-145°F for medium.
- Rest and Serve: Remove steaks from the grill and let them rest for at least 15 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Top each steak with sliced rounds of the chilled herb butter just before serving to melt over the warm steaks for maximum flavor.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to check steak doneness for best results: 120-125°F rare, 130-135°F medium rare, 140-145°F medium, 150-155°F medium well, and 160°F+ well done.
- Trimming excess fat helps prevent dangerous flare ups when grilling.
- The herb butter can be prepared ahead of time and stored refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- If you don’t have a grill, you can pan-sear the steaks in a hot cast-iron skillet and finish them in a preheated 400°F oven until done to your liking.
- Letting the steaks rest after grilling is crucial to keep them juicy.