Kentucky Bourbon Garlic-Butter Steak Bites

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: About 10 minutes once ingredients are staged (plus an optional 30-60 minutes uncovered in the fridge if your schedule allows, to dry the surface before cooking)
• Active Cook Time: Approximately 8-10 minutes
• Rest Time: 3 minutes
• Servings: 4 as a main dish, or 6-8 as an appetizer
• Cooking Method: Outdoor griddle, finished in a small cast-iron skillet or saucepan
• Featured Product: Serenity Valley Farms 21-day dry-aged sirloin steak

Ingredients

Steak

• 2 pounds Serenity Valley Farms 21-day dry-aged sirloin steak
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (adjust down if using a salty steak seasoning instead)
• 1 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon beef tallow or a neutral high-heat oil

Bourbon Garlic-Butter Sauce

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided and kept cold
• 5 large garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/4 cup Kentucky bourbon
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons Kentucky sorghum (substitute dark brown sugar if you don't have sorghum)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes, optional
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or chives, for garnish

Instructions

1. Trim only the hard exterior tissue or excessive surface fat from the sirloin — don't over-trim.
2. Cut the sirloin into even pieces, approximately 1 1/4 inches across.
3. Pat the pieces very dry. If your schedule allows, refrigerate them uncovered on a rack for 30-60 minutes — a drier surface browns better.
4. Preheat one zone of your griddle to approximately 450-500°F, keeping a cooler zone open on the side.
5. Pat the steak dry again, then season evenly with the salt and pepper.
6. Apply a thin film of tallow or oil to the hot griddle.
7. Arrange the steak bites with visible space between them — crowd the griddle and they'll steam instead of brown. Cook in two batches if you need to.
8. Leave the first side undisturbed for 60-90 seconds to build a crust, then turn and brown the remaining sides for another 60-90 seconds. Check the largest pieces with an instant-read thermometer.
9. Move the steak bites to the cooler zone of the griddle or a clean tray while you build the sauce.
10. In a small cast-iron skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 20-30 seconds, just until fragrant — don't let it brown.
11. Move the skillet off the direct heat before adding the bourbon (a flame can catch the alcohol). Add the bourbon, Worcestershire, sorghum, Dijon, and red-pepper flakes if using.
12. Return the skillet to moderate heat and simmer 2-3 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by roughly half and no longer smells sharply of alcohol.
13. Reduce the heat to low. Whisk in the remaining 4 tablespoons of cold butter, one tablespoon at a time, to build a glossy sauce. Don't let it boil once the butter's in, or it can break and turn greasy instead of glossy.
14. Return the steak bites and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Toss for 30-60 seconds, just long enough to coat the bites and finish heating them through.
15. Rest for 3 minutes, garnish with parsley or chives, and serve immediately.

Internal Temperature

Check the largest bite with an instant-read thermometer. USDA food-safety guidance for whole-muscle beef steaks is 145°F, followed by a 3-minute rest — that's the target for these bites as well.

Bob's Tips

• Keep the griddle hot and don't crowd it — a gray, boiled-looking bite almost always means the surface wasn't hot enough or the pieces were too close together.
• Add the garlic after the steak comes off the griddle, not before or during the sear — it burns and turns bitter fast if it goes in while things are still ripping hot.
• Pull the sauce off the direct heat before adding the bourbon, and let it reduce until it stops smelling sharply of alcohol before you move on.
• Whisk the cold butter in off the heat, one tablespoon at a time, and don't let the sauce boil after it's in — that's what keeps it glossy instead of greasy.
• Cut your bites even. Pieces that are too small or unevenly sized cook unevenly, so some end up overdone while others lag behind.

Serving Suggestions

(General pairings that fit the dish — not claimed from the video.)

• Serve on toothpicks as a party appetizer
• Spoon over a bed of rice or mashed potatoes for a full meal
• Pair with a simple green salad
• Serve alongside grilled or roasted vegetables
• Tuck into a warm dinner roll for a steak-bite slider

Leftovers

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat, or in a 300°F oven, just until warmed through — a hard reheat will overcook already-cut bites fast.