For the most part, I'm kind of a steak purist. The only thing I put on the steak before it goes on the grill is coarse salt and pepper. Grill over as high a heat as possible, turning only 3 times: one flip and two 45 degree turns for pretty grill marks. Medium rare. Yum.
My family, for the most part, are not quite the purists I am. They like their slabs of beef to have flavors other than just... beef. I've done rubs and marinades, which are the same things I do for other cow products. If I want to eat a t-bone, I don't want it to remind me of the way I treat a bottom roast.
The solution I've come up with is flavored butters. Mix the butter together with herbs and spices, and as soon as the steak comes off the grill, dot it with a pat of butter. As you let the steak rest it gets a marinade in yummy buttery flavory goodness. (It also is a nice insurance policy if you overcook your steak. The added fat adds back some of the moisture and richness lost by cooking a steak past medium.)
Last night's recipe was Garlic-Cumin Herb Butter. All measurements are approximate, because I don't really measure stuff... ever.
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cloves garlic, roasted in the oil until super mushy and carmelized
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp crushed chipotle pepper or your favorite chili powder
- 1/2 tsp dried oreggano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
