Steakhouse Garlic Butter

Written by
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich is a writer, recipe video producer, and culinary school instructor with more than 20 years of experience in the food industry.
Learn about our editorial process
John Mitzewich
Published on 11/25/19 by John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich is a writer, recipe video producer, and culinary school instructor with more than 20 years of experience in the food industry.
Learn about The Spruce Eats's Editorial Process

Updated 11/25/19

Steakhouse Garlic Butter
The Spruce
  • Total: 10 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 0 mins
  • Refrigeration: 60 mins
  • Yield: Makes 1/2 cup (8 servings)
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
128 Calories
12g Fat
6g Carbs
1g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: Makes 1/2 cup (8 servings)
Amount per serving
Calories 128
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 7g 36%
Cholesterol 31mg 10%
Sodium 81mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Protein 1g
Calcium 36mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

A juicy steak is delicious and satisfying on its own, but when topped with a dollop of garlic butter it becomes even more divine—which is why many steakhouses offer a savory pat of butter atop their sizzling cuts of meat. As the garlic butter slowly melts over the perfectly cooked steak the flavors are soaked into the meat, enriching the beef's natural flavors. Pure heaven.

But you don't need to wait to go to a pricey steakhouse to enjoy this luxury—you can make the garlic butter at home with this simple recipe, which includes Worcestershire sauce, a typical steakhouse ingredient. And it is not only perfect for steak, but also chops, chicken, and even seafood recipes. Even better, garlic butter can be made well in advance and will keep in the fridge.

Ingredients

  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
  • 3 garlic cloves (crushed and minced fine)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (may substitute black)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. 

    Steakhouse garlic butter ingredients
    The Spruce 

  2. Put the butter in a bowl and leave at room temperature until it is soft enough to work with.

    Leave out butter to get to room temperature
    The Spruce 

  3. Add all the other ingredients and mix with a fork to combine thoroughly.

    Mix in other ingredients to butter with a fork
    The Spruce 

  4. Have a piece of plastic wrap ready and scoop out butter onto the wrap, using a spatula to scrape sides of the bowl. Shape into a log and pull sides of plastic wrap over to seal, twisting ends to close tightly.

    Scoop butter into plastic wrap and shape into a log
    The Spruce 

  5. Roll wrapped butter back and forth to create an evenly shaped log. Place in refrigerator or freezer to harden.

    Refrigerate log of butter
    The Spruce 

  6. When ready to use, unwrap and slice into 1/4-inch rounds. Place on top of hot, sizzling steaks just before serving.

    Steakhouse garlic butter on steak
    The Spruce 

  7. Serve and enjoy!

Tips

  • For a speedy preparation, make this flavored butter (also called "compound butter") in the food processor. But first, make sure the butter is soft or the hard pieces will stick onto the processor blades.
  • You can also mince the garlic in your food processor first, and then add the remaining ingredients.

Recipe Variations

  • Add lemon zest to this garlic butter recipe for a citrus zing, or change out the parsley for chives to give it extra spice.
  • Eliminate the Worcestershire sauce—its strong flavor can limit other complementary ingredients.
  • Add cilantro, rosemary, or oregano in place of the parsley. Cilantro gives the butter a Latin characteristic and is wonderful served on pork tenderloin. The rosemary and oregano lend a Mediterranean flavor—perfect for grilled chicken, fish, or shellfish.

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