The Ultimate Grilled Steak with Garlic Browned Butter Sauce: A Steakhouse Experience at Home

Elevate your grilling game with this phenomenal Grilled Steak featuring a luxurious Browned Butter sauce, richly infused with aromatic garlic and freshly cracked black pepper. Forget the hassle of butter dripping through the grill grates; this recipe allows you to capture that unbeatable, nutty browned butter flavor reminiscent of a premium Steakhouse Steak, right on your barbecue or even indoors.

Whether you’re firing up the grill in your backyard or opting for an indoor grill pan, no culinary event is truly complete without a show-stopping steak. And what better way to complement a perfectly cooked steak than with a selection of mouth-watering sides? Our favorites include garlic mushrooms, velvety browned butter mashed potatoes, and tender buttery sautéed green beans. We confidently believe that this grilled steak recipe delivers a taste and texture that is just as good, if not better, than what you’d find at a high-end restaurant, making it a must-try for any steak enthusiast.

The Secret to a Perfect Grilled Steak with Browned Butter Sauce

One of the common challenges when grilling steak on a barbecue is the loss of basting liquids. Whether you’re working with tender eye fillets, robust skirt steak, or any other cut, liquid marinades or sauces often drip through the grill grates, taking precious flavor with them. This is especially true for thinner sauces. While skillet-seared steaks make it easy to continuously baste your meat in a pool of rich browned butter, achieving the same effect on a grill requires a clever approach.

Our unique grilled steak recipe offers a solution, guiding you through methods to ensure your steak is infused with maximum flavor. We’ll show you how to prepare the garlic browned butter so it enhances your grilled steak, preventing it from being lost to the flames below. This technique allows you to achieve a beautifully seared crust while locking in the incredible nutty, savory notes of the butter, resulting in a grilled steak that’s incredibly juicy and flavorful.

What is the Best Cut of Steak to Grill?

Choosing the right cut of steak is fundamental to a fantastic grilling experience. While preferences vary, some cuts consistently deliver exceptional results on the grill. Popular choices include Grilled Ribeye, known for its rich marbling and intense flavor; Strip Steaks (also known as New York Strip) for their robust beefy taste and firm texture; Sirloin, a leaner but still flavorful option; the incredibly tender Eye Fillet (or Filet Mignon); the generous Porterhouse or T-Bone, offering both strip and tenderloin; and for our Australian readers, Scotch Fillet or Rump Steaks. Each cut brings its unique characteristics to the table, but all are superb when prepared correctly.

We’ve explored various cuts in our other recipes, from the rich flavors of steak and creamy garlic shrimp to the succulent pan-seared garlic butter steak and vibrant steaks with chimichurri. However, there’s an undeniable allure to a classic grilled steak, especially when elevated with our signature garlic browned butter sauce.

How to Grill Steak Like a Pro: Essential Tips for Success

• Prepare Your Grill in Advance: For optimal results, set up your grill at least 15 minutes before you plan to cook. Start with impeccably clean grill grates to prevent your steaks from sticking, ensuring those beautiful sear marks.
• Preheat Your Grill to Sizzling Temperatures: Heat is your friend when it comes to grilling steak. Your grill needs to be scorching hot, ideally around 450°F (230°C) or even higher. This intense heat is crucial for achieving a perfect crust, deep sear, and crispy edges. To find the hottest spots, carefully and slowly wave your hand about 6 inches above the grates – the area where you can only hold your hand for 2-3 seconds is typically the hottest.
• Lightly Oil the Grates: Using tongs, carefully oil the hot grill grates. Dip a folded paper towel in a high-smoke-point oil (like canola or grapeseed) and quickly wipe down the grates. This further prevents sticking and aids in crust formation.
• Bring Steaks to Room Temperature and Pat Dry: Remove your steaks from the refrigerator at least 15-30 minutes before grilling. This allows the meat to cook more evenly. Crucially, pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels. Moisture on the surface inhibits searing, preventing that perfect, flavorful crust. Season generously with salt and pepper, and feel free to add other desired spices like paprika, chili powder, cumin, or garlic powder for extra depth.
• Handle with Tongs, Flip Only Once: Always use a sturdy pair of tongs to handle your steaks. Avoid piercing the meat with a barbecue fork, as this releases precious juices, leading to a drier steak. For the best crust, flip the steak only once during cooking. You’ll know it’s ready to flip when it easily lifts off the grill grates without sticking.
• Drizzle with Browned Butter: Once your steaks are almost done, spoon a generous amount of the prepared garlic browned butter over them. This infuses the steak with incredible flavor and moisture, creating a luxurious finish.

How Do You Make Perfect Browned Butter?

As you might gather from our popular recipes like browned butter honey garlic shrimp, browned butter parmesan roasted potatoes, and garlic browned butter baked asparagus – we are undeniably passionate about anything involving browned butter. This grilled steak recipe is no exception! Browned butter, or Beurre Noisette, is a culinary magic trick that instantly elevates the taste of virtually any dish, but it’s particularly transformative for grilled steak. The process is simple and takes just a few minutes, yielding a rich, nutty, and deeply flavorful sauce.

Melt the Butter: Start by melting unsalted butter in a small, light-colored pot or skillet. Using a light-colored pan allows you to clearly monitor the color changes as the butter browns. Place the pot directly on your grill grates over medium-high heat.
Stir Continuously: Stir the butter continuously with a wooden spoon while occasionally swirling the pan. This ensures even cooking and helps prevent splattering, keeping the browning process controlled.

Achieve Golden Perfection: As the butter melts, it will foam. Once this foam begins to subside, continue cooking for about another minute. The butter solids at the bottom of the pan will start to toast, turning from a light tan to a rich, golden brown color, and you’ll notice a distinct, delicious nutty aroma. As soon as this happens, immediately remove the pan from the heat to prevent burning.

After generously drizzling your perfectly grilled steaks with this incredible browned butter, it’s crucial to let them rest. Allow your steaks to rest for a good 5 minutes (or even up to 10 minutes for thicker cuts) before slicing and serving. This resting period allows the juices, which have been driven to the center of the meat by the heat, to redistribute evenly throughout the steak, ensuring every bite is moist and flavorful. Skipping this step can result in dry steak and a puddle of juice on your cutting board.

How Long to Grill a Steak for Your Desired Doneness

Achieving your preferred steak doneness is a matter of precision and practice. While the “touch test” can be helpful, for truly accurate results, especially when you’re starting out, a reliable meat thermometer is your best friend. Remember that steaks will continue to cook slightly after being removed from the heat (this is called carry-over cooking), so aim to pull them off the grill about 5°F (3°C) below your target temperature.

• Rare Steaks: Will have a soft texture and maintain a slight indent when pressed. Target internal temperature: 140°F (60°C).
• Medium-Rare Steaks: Offer a soft and springy feel when pressed. This is often considered the ideal doneness by many steak connoisseurs for maximum juiciness and flavor. Target internal temperature: 145°F (63°C).
• Medium Steaks: Will have a noticeably springier feel, bouncing back quickly when pressed. Target internal temperature: 160°F (70°C).
• Well-Done Steaks: Will feel firm to the touch, with very little give. Target internal temperature: 170°F (76°C).

Always remember to remove steaks from the grill when they are approximately 5°F (3°C) below your desired final doneness, as they continue cooking while resting. This “carry-over cooking” is essential for a perfectly cooked steak.

And for those days when outdoor grilling isn’t an option, fear not! You can still achieve fantastic results by using a good quality, heavy-bottomed grill pan on your stovetop. Just ensure it’s preheated adequately to mimic the high heat of an outdoor grill.

What to Serve with Grilled Steak for a Complete Meal

A magnificent grilled steak deserves equally impressive accompaniments. Here are some of our top picks that pair beautifully with the rich flavors of our browned butter steak:

• Cauliflower Potato Salad: A lighter, yet satisfying take on a classic, offering a creamy texture and savory notes.
• Avocado, Corn and Tomato Salad: Fresh, vibrant, and bursting with summery flavors, providing a refreshing contrast.
• Garlic Mushrooms: Earthy and savory, these are a classic steak pairing that soak up any extra pan juices.
• Chili Lime Texas Caviar: A zesty and colorful bean salad that adds a delightful kick and fresh texture.
• Crispy Garlic Parmesan Smashed Potatoes: Irresistibly crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, with rich garlic and Parmesan flavors.
• Parmesan Zucchini: A simple yet elegant vegetable side, offering a tender texture and cheesy crust.
• Garlicky Herb Red Potato Salad: A robust and flavorful potato salad, perfect for soaking up rich steak juices.
• Cucumber Salad: Light, refreshing, and crisp, a wonderful palate cleanser alongside a hearty steak.

Explore More Irresistible Steak Recipes

If you loved this grilled steak, you’ll definitely want to try these other fantastic steak dishes from our collection:

• Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy: A comforting classic reinvented.
• Steak with Creamy Mushroom Sauce: Indulgent and rich, a perfect cozy meal.
• Chimichurri Steak: A vibrant, herb-packed sauce that brightens any steak.

Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply craving an exceptional meal, this Grilled Steak with Garlic Browned Butter Sauce is sure to impress. With our detailed tips on choosing the best cuts, mastering grilling techniques, and perfecting the art of browned butter, you’re well on your way to a steakhouse-quality experience right at home. Enjoy the rich aromas and succulent flavors!