Grilled Steak with Garlic Butter
We grill all summer long, and for those special occasions when the whole family gathers, I often select beef tenderloin steaks to toss on the barbecue. Wrapped in bacon and topped with garlic herb butter, this exquisite Grilled Steak with Garlic Butter will become your go-to recipe for company.
Plus, scroll down to see my Tips for Grilling the Perfect Steak. A grilled steak with butter will change your BBQ routine!
Why You Must Make
My youngest was home from college for the summer, and when I ask what he’d like for dinner, he invariably answered “steak” with a sheepish grin. So since his time at home is limited, I’ve indulged him on more than one occasion. His carnivore father has no complaints, either, especially when I prepare this family favorite, grilled tenderloin with garlic herb butter.
- The flavor imparted by wrapping bacon around the steaks, plus topping with garlic butter and herbs push the flavor of these divine fillets over the top.
- Plus, it’s such an easy way to jazz up a simple grilled steak.
- My recipe inspiration is from a restaurant in Des Moines, IA. It was on their menu for decades!
And for Father’s Day, I’m going to swap out the tenderloin for another cut of beef–I can’t think of one that wouldn’t be amazing smothered in garlic butter! Flank steak or rib eyes are at the top of the list.
Ingredient Notes
- Kitchen Staples – Kosher Salt, Pepper
- Beef Tenderloin Steaks – 6-8 ounce filets depending on your appetite, well marbled
- Butter – Salted is OK. If you use unsalted add a little salt to your garlic butter
- Garlic Cloves – thinly sliced
- Bacon – Keeps the filets moist and adds flavor
- Fresh Oregano – Chopped; you can often pull the small leaves off the stems by stripping them with your fingers from top to bottom.
- Fresh Basil – Chopped; Stack and roll a few leaves like a cigar, then slice into strips.
- Cognac – Optional. Alcohol is a flavor enhancer like salt.
Recipe and Grilling Tips
- The cut of steak is important. My husband prefers rib eyes and New York strips. Although I love a great fillet, the leanness of this cut is not always ideal for grilling unless you select a brand that’s known for marbling. Plus look for a recipe that adds some needed fat. Wrapping your fillet in bacon and finishing with garlic butter will do the trick.
- Season early. I like the first salting up to 3 hours before grilling, then again right before cooking. I prefer to use (affiliate link) kosher salt over table salt.
- PRO-Tip: Bring your steaks out of the fridge about ½ hour before grilling so they don’t go on the grill cold. This allows for more even cooking.
- Use charcoal if available and make a hot fire. The smokiness from the charcoal adds wonderful flavoring
- Move only 2-4 times during the cooking process, twice if just flipping but twice per side to make cross-hatch marks.
- Use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature. My husband and sons prefer a very rare steak, but I’d rather have mine a little more well done.
- PRO-Tip: Allow the beef to rest at least 5 minutes and up to 10 minutes before serving. Just cover the (affiliate link) serving platter with foil and finish getting all the other dishes to the table.
- This additional time gives the meat juices a bit of time to redistribute. Topping the steaks with garlic herb butter also gives the delicious richness of fat and flavor from the herbs and garlic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Buy the best beef you can afford. Good marbling (fat distribution) makes for a tender, juicy steak. If it’s in your budget, buy prime beef as it’s higher quality.
Bring your beef out of the refrigerator about an hour before grilling to get the chill off. Then use a meat thermometer so you cook your steak to your desired doneness. Finally, let your steak rest, covered with foil for 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
Pull the beef off the grill or out of the oven when it’s 5-10 degrees less than your goal temperature. The residual heat will continue cooking the meat.
Rare is 125° with a cool red center (pull it off at 115-120°)
Medium Rare is 135° with a warm red center
Medium is 140° with a warm pink center
Medium Well is 150° with a slightly pink center
Well Done is 160 ° with little to no pink in the center
You May Also Like:
- Balsamic Burgers by Life Tastes Good
- Caprese Grilled Filet Mignon by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Skillet Filet Mignon
- Korean Grilled Beef Steaks
- Beef Teriyaki Kabobs
- BLT Burgers
- Easy Grilled Flank Steak
- How to Grill a Perfect Steak
- More Beef Recipes
How do you like your beef cooked? I’m a medium-rare girl, but the guys in the family love very rare beef! Let me know in the comments.
Grilled Tenderloin with Garlic Herb Butter
A company worthy grilled steak recipe!
Ingredients
- 4 8-ounce beef tenderloin steaks
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup (one stick) butter
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 4 slices good-quality bacon
- ¼ cup oregano, chopped
- ¼ cup basil, chopped
- 1½ teaspoons Cognac, optional
Instructions
- A few hours before grilling, sprinkle steaks with kosher salt and return to the refrigerator. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add the garlic, then remove from heat. Set aside for a couple of hours.
- A half-hour before grilling, remove steaks from the refrigerator, re-season with salt, and add a bit of freshly ground pepper to taste.
- Grill to desired internal temperature, about 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Rewarm the garlic butter, and add Cognac if desired.
- Plate steaks. Drizzle with garlic butter, then sprinkle with herbs.
Notes
Cooking time varies depending on how thick and how well done you like your beef cooked
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 810Total Fat: 60gSaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 204mgSodium: 399mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 2gSugar: 0gProtein: 59g
40 Comments on “Grilled Steak with Garlic Butter”
That garlic butter was amazing..what a great meal. Weekend doing it again!
It was a huge hit at my house!! And I love that it is really quick and easy! Such a huge win!
The garlic herb butter tops this steak off perfectly! I am in love with this recipe!!!
My husband would flip over this, steak bacon buter oh my great combination of flavors! Just pack on a ton more bacon for him!
My husband’s eyes would light up like a Christmas tree if I presented him with this!
Perfection! I can’t wait to make it!
That steak is done perfectly, but with your Midwestern backgrounds over there, I expected no less than a perfectly grilled Angus steak! 🙂 Yep, the college kid home always wants steak here as well. And we are happy to oblige. 🙂 It all looks wonderful.
I love garlic herb butter and on a tender filet is perfect!
Lizzy,
Your tenderloin looks mouth watering. I love it rare. Great tips too.
Annamaria
Garlic herb butter, for the win!
Yes, please! That looks amazing.
Perfection! And I agree — totally company worthy. YUM!
Oh man, now I m craving meat! This looks wonderful.
Certified Angus Beef really IS the best. When I’m eating it I always find myself saying I’ll never buy any other steak again. So tender and juicy! Loving the garlic butter you made for these beauties!
Steak (and/or lobster) are ultimate celebratory food in my house. We would need extra helpings of these bacon wrapped tenderloins. They look fantastic and are grilled to perfection! And I agree, Kosher salt is the only way to go.
What a great guide for grilling steaks Liz. I never knew about salting the steaks 3 hours before grilling. We will have to give that a try!
Can’t beat butter and bacon to complement top-notch beef =) I presume your the father of your son and your son were happy campers yesterday =)
Perfect Liz! Those slices look so tender and juicy!
Wow, this looks so good my mouth is watering. I love steak and asparagus, such a good combination together.
What a perfectly cooked steak! It’s looks picture perfect!