Cowboy Butter Sauce (Printer-Friendly)

Bold butter sauce with lemon, garlic, mustard & spices—perfect for steak, seafood, or vegetables.

# What You Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter

→ Fresh

02 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

→ Pantry

06 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
07 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
08 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
09 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
11 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

# Directions:

01 - In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter until just foamy.
02 - Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
03 - Stir in Dijon mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, black pepper, salt, and cayenne.
04 - Simmer gently for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly.
05 - Remove from heat and stir in parsley, chives, and thyme.
06 - Serve immediately as a warm sauce or use as a dipping sauce for steak, seafood, vegetables, or bread.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • This sauce has this magical quality where it somehow knows exactly what your food needs, whether its steak that needs brightening or vegetables that need a flavor boost.
  • You can whip it up in less time than it takes to heat your grill, and people will think you spent hours developing the flavors.
02 -
  • After burning the garlic in my first attempt, I learned that adding it to already hot butter requires quick work, only 30 seconds before it turns bitter.
  • The sauce might look like its separating as it sits, but a quick whisk brings it back together, no need to start over.
03 -
  • When serving with steak, slice the meat, then spoon the warm butter sauce over it and let it rest for 2 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the butter to slightly penetrate the meat.
  • Reserve a small portion of the fresh herbs to sprinkle on top just before serving for a burst of color and fresh flavor that makes the presentation restaurant-worthy.
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