Cowboy butter originated in 1800s chuck wagons where cooks mixed herb scraps with butter to preserve them without refrigeration.
Cowboy Butter Steak Bites
Savor the mouthwatering flavor of cowboy butter steak bites, perfectly seared to juicy perfection and nestled on a bed of creamy roasted garlic mashed potatoes. Topped with sweet, caramelized onions, this dish is a hearty celebration of bold tastes and comforting textures. Get ready to indulge in a plateful of deliciousness that will have everyone coming back for seconds!
The Story
This isn't cowboy cuisine—it's 1980s steakhouse marketing genius meets French compound butter technique that Auguste Escoffier would recognize, bastardized by Texas ranchers who discovered that slapping 'cowboy' on herb butter makes city folk pay triple for what's essentially beurre maître d'hôtel with a Stetson hat and an attitude problem.
Regional Twist
In Montana's Billings county, ranch cooks swap the ribeye for local bison and double the cayenne, finishing with wild chives foraged from prairie meadows.
Prep
15
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
450
Protein
28g
Carbs
42g
Fat
15g
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 tsp (5 ml) chili flakes
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) chives
- 1 lemon
- ½ tbsp (7 ml) parsley
- 1 lb (454 g) ribeye steak
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- black pepper (to taste)
- butter (to taste)
- cayenne (to taste)
- dijon mustard (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- paprika (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Melt butter in a stainless steel pan on low heat.
- 2
Add all ingredients for cowboy butter and whisk well to combine.
- 3
Remove from heat and set aside at room temperature until ready to serve.
- 4
Slice ribeye steak into large bite-sized pieces and season heavily with salt and pepper.
- 5
Sear the steak on all sides in a stainless steel pan.
- 6
Remove the meat from the pan and coat with cowboy butter.
- 7
Serve with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and caramelized or fried onions.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cut ribeye into 1.5-2 inch cubes against the grain to break muscle fibers, ensuring tender bites even with the quick sear method.technique1.5-2 inch cubes
- ✓Heat your stainless steel pan to 400-450°F before adding steak bites so the Maillard reaction occurs in 60-90 seconds per side, creating crust while keeping centers medium-rare.timing400-450°F, 60-90 seconds
- ✓Keep cowboy butter at 70-75°F when coating hot steak so it melts partially but maintains herb suspension instead of separating into oil.temperature70-75°F
- ✓Season steak bites with 0.75% salt by weight 15 minutes before cooking to allow salt penetration without drawing out excessive moisture from the small pieces.timing0.75% by weight, 15 minutes
- ✓Use clarified butter or ghee in the cowboy butter base because milk solids burn at 250°F, creating bitter flavors when coating the hot seared meat.ingredient250°F burn point
Share this recipe