Perfect Grilled Steak with Herb Butter features a homemade steak seasoning and buttery herb finish. This easy sizzling grilled steak recipe is mouthwatering!
“I’ve been grilling steaks for 45 years and this is without a doubt the best recipe ever. My family raves about it!”
My husband and I were lounging on the deck after the kids went to bed a few nights ago, cold drinks in hand, enjoying the quiet summer evening when I suddenly realized that Father’s Day is this weekend! I’ve been waiting for some big summer kick off to happen, but without me noticing, it’s arrived along with a day to celebrate our dudes.
A craft from the kids is likely in the cards, plus a big, juicy steak. Perfect Grilled Steak with Herb Butter, to be specific!
Watch How to Make It
Perfect Grilled Steak with Homemade Herb Butter
Thick-cut steaks are rubbed with a generous layer of homemade steak seasoning then grilled and smothered with thick-cut compound herb butter, which is fancy talk for butter mixed with fresh herbs, garlic, and steak seasoning.
You are going to want to put this butter on EVERYTHING.
How Do you Grill the Perfect Steak?
The trick for perfect grilled steak is to create two heat zones on your grill – one side will be screaming hot with a high flame, while the second side will be unlit and cooler. Sear the steaks on the hot side to get a flavorful, golden brown crust and those coveted grill lines, then move them over to the cooler side to finish cooking all the way through. This creates a sizzling steak on the outside, and tender, buttery steak on the inside.
YUM.
Hey you know what? Steaks on the grill with sweet corn on the side? THIS is the kickoff to summer I’ve been waiting for!
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Pin ItPair it with Scalloped Potatoes
Step 1: Make the Steak Seasoning
Start by making the homemade steak seasoning. Trust me – this homemade version is light years better than anything you have pre-mixed in your cupboard. Add rock salt, whole black peppercorns, minced dried garlic, minced dried onion, fennel seeds, and red chili pepper flakes to a mortar then grind it up with the pestle.
If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, add the ingredients to a heavy duty Ziplock bag, squeeze all the air out then crush with a meat mallet, rolling pin, or heavy bottomed skillet.
How to Grind Spices
It’s hard to beat freshly ground spices for flavoring steaks and other cuts of meat, and as I mentioned, a mortar and pestle is the way to do it. This one from ChefSofi Mortar and Pestle is made of granite and costs about $30.
Another option is an electric spice grinder, which could be useful if you find yourself grinding your own spices often. This one from Krups has a removable bowl that’s dishwasher safe and you can get it for around $40.
Step 2: Make the Herb Butter
Next make the Herb Butter. To a bowl add salted butter that’s been softened to room temperature, finely minced rosemary and thyme, chopped parsley, minced garlic, plus a big pinch of the homemade steak seasoning. That last addition is what totally makes the butter.
Mix to combine then scoop the butter onto a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a log. Refrigerate until solid – overnight is great – or freeze for 20-30 minutes if time is of the essence.
Step 3: Prep the Steaks
These photos show 1lb Bone-In Strip Steaks cut 1-1/2″ thick but you can use whatever steak cut you like best. Ribeyes are a treat!
Pat the steaks very dry with a paper towel then drizzle both sides with a small amount of vegetable oil and rub with a generous pinch of steak seasoning. Don’t be afraid to add a lot – this is a TON of meat.
Step 4: Grill the Steaks
As I said, the best way to get sizzling steaks on the outside and juicy, buttery steak on the inside is to first sear the steaks over a hot, high flame, then move the steaks over to a cooler, unlit portion of the grill to finish cooking via indirect heat. Here’s how you do that:
- Step 1: Turn 1/2 to 2/3 of the burners on your grill to high (if you have 2 burners, light 1 – if you have 3 burners, light 2) then let the grill preheat for at least 10 minutes, or until it reaches 500 degrees. If you have a charcoal grill, heat your coals then move them to one side of the grill when they’re screaming hot.
- Step 2: Add the steaks to the lit portion of the grill then sear for 1-1/2 minutes on each side (if your steaks are thicker or thinner than 1-1/2″, adjust accordingly.) Move the steaks over to the unlit portion of the grill then continue cooking until they’ve reached your preferred level of doneness. My 1-1/2″ thick steaks took ~7 minutes to reach medium.
Grilling Tip
KEEP THE LID DOWN when you are searing and cooking so you don’t lose all the heat you’ve worked to build up!
Steak Temperatures for Doneness:
- Rare (cool red center): 125 degrees
- Medium rare (warm red center): 135 degrees
- Medium (warm pink center): 145 degrees
- Medium well (slightly pink center): 150 degrees
- Well done (little or no pink): 160 degrees
Let the steaks rest on a platter for at least 15 minutes, then top them with big fat slices of herb butter.
Juicy grilled steak perfection!! That salty-seasoned crust and compound herb butter are mind meltingly-delicious. Your quest for perfect grilled steak ends right here. Enjoy, enjoy!
Side Dish Ideas for Grilled Steak
- Healthy Chickpea Salad
- Creamy Parmesan-Garlic Orzo
- Esquites (Mexican Street Corn Salad)
- Baked Potatoes
- Healthy Mashed Potatoes
- The BEST Pasta Salad
- Gluten Free Potato Salad
- Best Baked Beans EVER
- Napa Sweet Corn Salad
- Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Equipment
- Grill
Ingredients
- 2, 1 lb bone-in strip steaks cut 1-1/2″ thick, or your steak of choice
- vegetable oil
For the 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
For the Herb Butter:
- steak seasoning, see above
- 1 stick salted butter, 1/2 cup, 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
Directions
For the Steak Seasoning:
- Add ingredients to a mortar and pestle then coarsely grind. Alternatively, add ingredients to a heavy duty Ziplock bag, squeeze all the air out, then crush ingredients with a meat pounder, rolling pin, or heavy bottomed skillet.
For the Herb Butter:
- Add ingredients to a bowl then stir with a fork to combine. Scoop herb butter onto a sheet of plastic wrap then shape into a thick log and refrigerate until firm (if time is of the essence you can freeze for 20-30 minutes.) Can be done ahead of time.
For the steaks:
- Trim steaks of any big hunks of fat to avoid flare ups on the grill then pat dry with a paper towel. Rub each side with oil then season generously with the steak seasoning and press gently into steaks so it adheres – you should use most if not all of the seasoning.
- Light 2/3 or 1/2 of your grill burners (2 of 3 burners, or 1 of 2 burners, depending on how many burners you have) then heat on high for 10-15 minutes, or until the grill reaches 500 degrees. Add steaks to the lit side then sear on each side for 1-1/2 minutes (adjust accordingly if your steaks are bigger or smaller than 1lb cut 1-1/2" thick,) keeping the lid closed between flipping. Transfer steaks to unlit portion of grill then continue cooking for 7-10 minutes with the lid closed for medium doneness, or until they've reached your preferred level of doneness. Remove steaks to a platter then let rest for at least 15 minutes. Top with sliced herb butter then serve.
Notes
- Steak Temperatures for Doneness:
- Rare (cool red center): 125 degrees
- Medium rare (warm red center): 135 degrees
- Medium (warm pink center): 145 degrees
- Medium well (slightly pink center): 150 degrees
- Well done (little or no pink): 160 degrees
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
This is my favorite steak recipe. I’ve sent it to so many people!
OMG gurrrrl, we made this tonight with some grass fed New Zealand steaks and it was SO FREAKING GOOD! I plan to slather this butter on everything. Thank you!!
I’ve sent this link to so many people because this is literally the best steak I’ve ever had.
Wow. This was great. I just made it for my family in Colorado and they LOVED it. Thank you for the post.
So glad to hear it, Peter! Thanks so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I made this for Christmas and I feel like I’ve mastered cooking steak! I’ve always been hesitant to make it since my dad grilled the best steaks growing up. Thanks so much! The herb butter is amaze.
Amazing. Husband says 10*
question to anyone, does the Fennel seed give it a noticeable black licorice taste? I’d like to try this as is the 1st time, but I’m going to be trying it on some Prime beef so I’m a little worried (I hate black licorice) Dunno if this makes any difference, but I’ll be Sous Vide’ing the steak and searing it with a torch. Hummm… maybe I’ll be brave and try it as posted and report back.
I’ve never used rock salt for cooking. It’s considered the ice cream salt, correct? I’ve read negative things like bad taste. Thoughts?
Thank you
You’d think a girl who grew up on a beef cattle farm in southern Iowa would know how to grill a steak, amirite? Not so much. My mother made steak one way: T-bones, wrapped in foil and baked in the oven until they were tough as shoe leather. I realized how awesome steak is once I went off to college, but I was always too afraid to try making it myself, until last night. I bought myself some eye of round and made this recipe. The butter really, really brings it home. I had some leftovers of it for lunch today, reheated, and holy crap, it’s just as delicious. Thank you!
Ohh this makes me so happy you have no idea!! My Mom did the same thing with pork chops – baked them until they almost literally turned to dust in our mouths. UGH!! ?
I rarely post to comment on recipes, BUT TWO HOURS LATER I’M STILL IN AFTERGLOW. Like reminiscing about how good that steak was. Listen, when an Iowa girl tells you what to do with a steak, you’d best believe her. Well done!!
You made my week!! Love it!!
Kristen the herb butter is off the chain! Just tried it on shrimp and it was super……next will be grilled chicken…Thanks for sharing your recipes. I am now being tested for celiac diesase and trying to change my diet as well….thanks again
Oh I’m so glad to hear it, Byron – love the idea of putting the butter on shrimp! Best of luck on your testing, too!
Ribeye or bone in strip
If only the food that is in front of me now .. I will enjoy themselves: D