Whether you’re an experienced home cook or just getting into cooking, this recipe is easy to follow, highly customizable, and designed to help you master the art of a delicious, balanced meal. From choosing the right cut of steak to perfecting the garlic butter, you’ll find everything you need to know in this guide to make your next meal truly memorable.
Why This Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes Recipe is a Must-Try
1. Perfect Flavor Combination
- Steak and Potatoes: One of the combinations that people usually can not go wrong with. It is a tasty tender and juicy piece of delicious non-missing steak alongside crispy creamy potatoes and some garlic butter adventurous flavor.
- Garlic Butter: Flavored with fresh herbs, garlic butter sauce not only adds a layer to the steak and potato but makes every taste earthly buttery.
2. One-Pan Cooking for Convenience
- Less cleanup, more flavor. Cooking everything in one pan allows the flavors to meld together, creating a harmonious dish that’s as practical as it is delicious. Plus, you’ll spend less time washing dishes and more time enjoying your meal.
3. Versatile Enough for Any Occasion
- This recipe works beautifully for both weekday meals and special occasions. It’s simple enough for a quick dinner but flavorful and impressive enough to serve to guests or family on the weekends.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes
Every ingredient has its place in contributing to flavor but with only a few ingredients it’s crucial that you get them ‘just right.’ So, let’s take a look at what you’ll need, and how to source and use the best ingredients, in a breakdown.
Main Ingredients
- Steak
- Recommended Cuts: Ribeye, sirloin, and tenderloin are tender cuts with flavors that you want. Marbling and richness come from ribeye; but sirloin and tenderloin are leaner, subtler flavors.
- How to Choose the Right Steak: The best way to get a steak is to choose cuts that have good marbling for tenderness and flavor. This fat will help save some meaty juice and it should be distributed evenly.
- Baby Potatoes
- These potatoes are the perfect size for this recipe, cooking up fast, developing a golden brown crust, with an unadulterated creamy interior without any peeling required!
- Alternative Options: Nutrient values are similar when Yukon Gold potatoes or fingerling potatoes are used. If you are using larger potatoes, cut them into 1-inch chunks to cook so they all cook evenly.
- Butter
- Why Butter Works Best: The garlic sauce thickens up from the butter, making the sauce rich and creamy and fitting nicely with meat and potatoes.
- Optional Additions: If you’d like the butter a bit more nutty, gently brown it before adding the garlic. It adds flavor density to the entire dish.
- Garlic
- When sautéed, fresh garlic clove provides a robust and slightly sweet flavor. Newbies: do not purchase pre-minced garlic, as the flavor is better with fresh cloves.
- How to Mince for Best Results: Chop the garlic as finely as you can so that it’s uniformly distributed in the butter without taking over the flavor of the dish. There are a couple of things I want to do to make our garlic butter aromatic and well-rounded.
- Fresh Herbs
- Best Herbs to Use: Good choices are rosemary and thyme because they give a nice, slightly peppery earthiness that complements potatoes and steak well.
- Alternatives: Rosemary and thyme tend to keep their flavor in high heat, but other fresh herbs like sage or parsley work pretty well, as well.
Optional Add-Ins
- Olive Oil: It adds a little extra layer of flavor, but also helps sear the steak without burning.
- Seasoning: Some salt, some pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like that kind of heat.
Ingredient Table for Quick Reference
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Steak | 1 lb (ribeye, sirloin, etc.) | For best results, choose well-marbled cuts |
| Baby Potatoes | 1 lb | Halved for even cooking |
| Butter | 3 tbsp | Can use salted or unsalted |
| Garlic | 4 cloves, minced | Freshly minced for best flavor |
| Fresh Rosemary/Thyme | 1-2 sprigs | Optional for flavor enhancement |
| Salt & Pepper | To taste | Adjust based on personal preference |
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes
1: Prep the Ingredients
- Slice the Potatoes: For even cooking, you’ll want to cut the baby potatoes in half, as they’ll choose up a golden, crispy exterior.
- Season the Steak: Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if you are using them on both sides of the steak are generously seasoned. Mix in salt and pepper and then bring the steak to room temperature for a few minutes so that the seasonings can work their magic and the steak cooks a little more evenly.
2: Sear the Steak to Perfection
- Heat the Skillet: For the best results, use a cast iron skillet or a heavy-bottomed pan. Cast iron also keeps heat well, the ideal surface to sear the steak on.
- Sear on High Heat: Heat up until the olive oil shimmers, adding a tablespoon of olive oil to the dish. Once the steak is seared on each side, place the steak in the pan waiting for your medium rare cook, and allow it to sear undisturbed for 2-3 minutes on each side.
- Rest the Steak: Leave a little rest under the steak while removing them from the pan, cover with foil, and set aside. The juice of the steak is redistributed to make the steak tender and juicy while this is essential as well.
3: Sauté the Potatoes in Garlic Butter
- Add Butter and Garlic: Put the skillet back on medium heat, then add butter to the same skillet. Let it melt and foam a little bit, and make a nice base for potatoes.
- Infuse with Herbs: Add minced garlic and fresh rosemary or thyme sprigs to the butter. Sauté the garlic until it’s golden but not browned.
- Cook the Potatoes: Put halved potatoes cut side down in the pan, make sure they are coated in garlic butter. Let them simmer until they have a golden bronzed crust and are fork tender, about 8-10 mins.
4: Reunite Steak and Potatoes in the Skillet
- Return Steak to the Pan: Cook the potatoes and when they are done, put the steak back into the pan to heat through. To top the steak and potatoes with a rich, rich sauce, spoon it over each with garlic butter.
- Baste Generously: Put a spoon on the steak and potatoes, baste with melted butter, and let the taste come in.
Pro Tips for Making the Best Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes
Selecting the Right Pan for Even Searing
- Cast Iron Advantage: A good cast-iron skillet evenly distributes heat and holds high temperatures necessary for a well-seared steak. For instance, nonstick pans don’t hold heat as well and will affect the quality of your sear.
Achieving the Ideal Steak Doneness
- Your cooking time will vary depending on your steak’s thickness and how you prefer your steak from rare to well done. Here’s a quick guide for reference: Here’s a quick guide for reference:
- Rare: 120-130°F, approximately 2 minutes per side
- Medium-Rare: 130-135°F, 3-4 minutes per side
- Medium: 135-145°F, 4-5 minutes per side
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure accuracy if you’re aiming for precise doneness.
Mastering the Garlic Butter Sauce
- Low and Slow for Best Flavor: Don’t cook on high heat or burst the garlic as this can burn. Browning too quickly will turn the garlic into a less than perfectly round garlic butter, so the garlic should remain golden but not brown too quickly.
Recipe Variations for Extra Flavor and Variety
Add Vegetables to garlic butter steak and potatoes for Extra Nutrition
- You are also free to add vegetables such as asparagus, green beans, or bell peppers to make this dish more complete. Then add them to the pan, and add the potatoes to the pan as well, depending on how long you cooked them, re-adjust the time if necessary, as all ingredients need to be cooked to perfection.
Make It Spicy with Chili Flakes
- A little bit of chili flakes or cayenne to the butter gives the dish a little bit of a kick. The garlic butter and the heat go so great together because it brings another layer of flavor without boring you all out.
Try a Creamy Garlic Butter Sauce
- To take it to a more decadent place add a dash of heavy cream to the garlic butter after it’s done. Once you stir and have that creamy sauce full of butter and potatoes that coats the steak, let it simmer a little bit and those potatoes absorb that flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What’s the Best Steak Cut for This garlic butter steak and potatoes recipe?
While ribeye, sirloin, and tenderloin work best, flank steak or even New York strip are good alternatives. Each cut has its unique flavor profile, with ribeye offering rich marbling and tenderloin bringing a delicate texture.
How Should I Store Leftovers?
If you haven’t finished making your rice during the week, put the leftovers into a sealed, airtight container and keep them in the fridge where they will keep for about 3 days. For the best texture after reheating a large portion, use the oven; otherwise, use a skillet over medium heat to reheat.
Can I Make This garlic butter steak and potatoes recipe Dairy-Free?
Yes, just use a plant-based alternative or olive oil instead of butter. Although the garlic and herbs will bring richness, they will need to overcome flavor fatigue.
Conclusion
This Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes recipe brings together everything you want in a meal: rich flavors, heartiness that satisfies you, and simplicity. Any night of the week, it’s perfect for a restaurant-quality meal in your own kitchen. It’s a no-fuss, minimum cleanup, and maximum taste kind of one-pan wonder that is likely to become a staple in your meal rotation.
Are you ready to make this fabulous feast? You got the ingredients, the skillet is as warm as it’s going to get, and now it’s time to make Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes which are something else.
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