Cowboy Butter: A Flavor-Packed Butter for Steak and More Recipe
Cowboy Butter is a rich, flavorful compound butter perfect for enhancing the taste of steak and a variety of other cooked meats, seafood, and vegetables. Made with softened unsalted butter, garlic, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, chili flakes, and salt, this versatile butter adds a smoky, spicy kick that melts beautifully over hot dishes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: About 110g / 7.5 tbsp Cowboy Butter 1x
- Category: Sauce / Condiment
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Butter Mixture
- 100g / 7 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (divided)
- 1 large garlic clove, finely minced (about 1 tsp)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
- 1 tsp chili flakes / red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve if using table salt)
Instructions
- Sauté garlic: In a small frying pan, melt 1 tbsp (15g) of butter over medium heat until it starts foaming. Add the finely minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds while stirring continuously until the garlic turns a very light golden color. Remove from heat and let it cool for 3 minutes as the garlic continues to brown slightly.
- Mix ingredients: In a small mixing bowl, combine the remaining softened butter with the Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, chili flakes, and salt. Pour the sautéed garlic butter over this mixture and stir until fully combined.
- Serve: Use the Cowboy Butter immediately on hot steak; it melts into a thick, flavorful sauce. It is also excellent when served with other cooked meats, seafood, or vegetables.
- Usage tips: For best results, use the butter softened so it melts thickly over steak. Alternatively, gently melt the butter for dipping steak bites or roll the butter into a log with cling wrap, refrigerate, and slice as needed to place on hot foods allowing it to melt gradually.
Notes
- Use a knife to finely mince the garlic for best texture and flavor infusion.
- Halve the amount of salt if using table salt instead of kosher or cooking salt to avoid oversalting.
- Smoked paprika can be substituted with regular paprika if unavailable, though it will lack the smoky depth.
- This butter can be stored refrigerated, rolled in cling wrap, for up to one week.
- For a spicier version, increase chili flakes according to taste.
Keywords: Cowboy Butter, steak butter, compound butter, garlic butter, smoked paprika butter, spicy butter, steak sauce, condiment
