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There are two things that take a grilled steak from good to unforgettable. The first is the grill temperature: very hot. The second is what goes on the steak at the end (hint: it’s cowboy butter).
Cowboy butter is a garlicy herb compound butter, but dressed up even more. Think paprika, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, and fresh herbs. The Worcestershire sauce makes it taste like a steakhouse and the lemon zest brightens it all up.
This recipe gives you the full dinner: how to grill the ribeye and how to make the butter that makes it. Both pieces, in one place.
I’ve got tons of tips in my grilled ribeye recipe if you need step by step directions!
Why This Cowboy Butter Tastes Like It Came from a Steakhouse Kitchen
Most compound butters are garlic plus herbs, which I love on prime rib. But this cowboy butter goes a couple flavor notes farther.
The Worcestershire sauce adds a deeply savory note to the butter and lemon zest brightens everything so the butter doesn’t feel heavy. The Dijon mustard does two things: it adds a sharp, slightly tangy depth, and it helps emulsify the butter into a smoother, more cohesive sauce.
And for the spices, the combination of paprika, red pepper flakes, and thyme gives it a warm smokiness without overdoing it.
This butter tastes expensive, but it takes about 10 minutes to make.
What Goes into Cowboy Butter (and Why Each Ingredient Matters)
- Salted butter: very soft but not melted. It builds in flavor from the start, but you could use unsalted and add in your own salt. Use a quality European butter (like Kerrygold) for the best results.
- Garlic: fresh garlic grated on a microplane or finely minced so it dissolves more fully into the butter.
- Lemon zest: the zest (no juice) gives you bright citrus flavor without making the butter wet or greasy.
- Paprika: I used sweet paprika because it’s a brighter red and elevates the look of the butter, but I also tested it with smoked paprika and it added a great flavor. Both work!
- Red pepper flakes: Just enough heat to be noticeable. Adjust down if you’re cooking for people who prefer mild.
- Dried thyme: Earthy and rounds out the herbiness without competing with the fresh herbs.
- Fresh chives and fresh parsley: the chives are mild and oniony and the parsley adds freshness and a clean green note.
- Dijon mustard: The emulsifier and flavor bridge. It’s subtle in the finished butter, but you’ll notice when it’s missing.
- Worcestershire sauce: adds umami flavor and ties everything together.
I have the best steak seasoning as well if you want to add that on before you grill.
Two Ways to Serve Cowboy Butter: Log or Sauce
You can make this as a softened/melted sauce or as a compound butter log.
Softened Sauce: The softened version is what this recipe is designed for. You make the butter, keep it at room temperature while the steak grills, and use part of it for basting and part for serving on the side. It’s creamy, dippable, and goes immediately into the steak the moment it comes off the grill.
Compound Log: The compound butter log is the make-ahead option. Roll the finished butter in plastic wrap, form into a log about 1 inch thick, and refrigerate until firm. Cut coins and put them directly on hot steak. This keeps in the fridge for five days and in the freezer for three months.
I usually make the softened version on weeknights and keep a log in the freezer for when I want the butter ready without thinking about it.
How to Make Cowboy Butter for Steak
Step 1. Season and prep: Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper on both sides. The dry surface is what creates a crust on the grill.
Step 2. Make the cowboy butter: Place the softened butter in a bowl. Add the garlic, lemon zest, paprika, red pepper flakes, thyme, chives, parsley, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir with a spoon until fully combined. Taste and adjust salt. Leave it at room temperature until you’re ready to grill.
Step 3. Grill the steak: Clean and oil the grates well. Preheat to high heat (450-500°F). Place the steaks on the grill and immediately close the lid. Sear for 4 to 5 minutes.
Step 4. Flip and baste: Flip the steaks and generously baste the cooked side with cowboy butter using a brush or spoon. Don’t be shy with the amount. Close the lid and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 130°F for medium-rare.
Step 5. Rest: Remove the steaks to a clean plate or cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Step 6. Serve: Spoon or brush more cowboy butter over the sliced steak. Serve the remaining butter on the side for dipping.
Tips for Grilling steak
Start with good steak. Ribeye is what this recipe is built for. The fat marbling bastes the inside while it cooks and gives you the richness that holds up to cowboy butter. You want fillets at least 1 inch thick so the inside has time to come to temperature before the outside overcooks.
Pull the steak from the fridge: Take the steaks out 30 minutes before you grill. This reduces the chill so the outside and inside cook at a more even rate. While they rest, chop your herbs and get all the butter ingredients ready.
When to Baste with Cowboy Butter (and When Not To)
Basting before the flip is the mistake most people make.
If you brush butter onto raw steak and put it on a 500°F grill, the butter burns before the steak has time to develop a crust. You get smoke, bitterness, and char that doesn’t match the flavor underneath.
Once you’ve flipped the steak, the first side has its crust and you can paste. The butter melts into the surface of the sear, absorbs into the warm meat, and adds flavor rather than burning off.
Steak Doneness Temperatures (and Why You Pull 5 Degrees Early)
| Doneness | Remove from Heat | Target Temperature |
| Rare | 120-125°F (49°C) | 125-130°F (52°C) |
| Medium-Rare | 125-130°F (54°C) | 130-135°F (57°C) |
| Medium | 135-140°F (60°C) | 140-145°F (63°C) |
| Medium-Well | 145°F (63°C) | 150°F (66°C) |
| Well Done | 150°F+ (65°C+) | 160°F+ (71°C+) |
What to Serve with Cowboy Butter Steak
Cowboy butter is already the sauce, so the best sides let the steak stay the centerpiece. You could also put it on burgers!
Roasted or mashed potatoes are the natural partner. The extra cowboy butter doubles as a sauce for them too. If you want something lighter, roasted mini peppers or a simple green salad works well.
Cowboy Butter for Steak
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Ingredients
- 2 ribeye steaks at least 1-inch thick
- 1/2 cup salted butter very soft, but not melted
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried time
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon finely diced chives
- 2 Tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon worcesterchire sauce
Instructions
- Remove the steak from the fridge and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This helps reduce the chill for even cooking. Pat dry with paper towels and season with kosher salt an dblack pepper. I like to let it sit out while i chop the herbs and get the butter ingredients ready.2 ribeye steaks
- Add the butter to a small bowl with the rest of the cowboy butter ingredients and stir with a spoon. Taste and add more salt if needed. Store at room temperature until you’re ready to use it.1/2 cup salted butter, 2 cloves garlic, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon dried time, 1 1/2 Tablespoon finely diced chives, 2 Tablespoon finely chopped parsley, 2 teaspoons dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon worcesterchire sauce
- Clean the grill grates and oil them well (I use avocado oil). Preheat the grill to high heat (450-500°F).
- When the grill is hot, place the steaks on the grill and immediately close the lid. Sear the steaks with the lid closed for 4-5 minutes. Flip and generously baste the cooked side with the cowboy butter. Close the lid and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 130°F for medium-rare (see more cook temp and times below).
- Remove to a clean cutting board or plate and tent with foil to rest. This allows the juices to reabsorb prior to cutting.
- Serve with the remaining cowboy butter on the side for dipping or spread it over the steaks after slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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