Butter-Basted Steak With Asparagus
Published May 31, 2024
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Prep Time
- 30 minutes
- Cook Time
- 15 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:2 servings
- 1boneless New York strip steak (1½ inches thick, ideally with a fat cap; about 1 pound)
- Kosher salt
- 1pound asparagus, preferably thick spears
- Avocado or canola oil
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2large garlic cloves, unpeeled but crushed
- 1(1-inch) piece fresh ginger, unpeeled and thinly sliced
- 1thyme or rosemary sprig
- Cracked black pepper
- 1tablespoon soy sauce
- Lime wedges, for serving
Preparation
- Step 1
If your steak has a thick fat cap, use a sharp paring knife to score it with a crosshatching pattern. Generously season the steak all over with salt. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- Step 2
While the steak rests, trim an inch off the ends of the asparagus, then peel the tough, woody bottom two inches off each spear. (This means you don’t have to throw so much of the ends away.) Cut each spear in half crosswise at an angle.
- Step 3
Heat a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium-high. Dab the steak dry with a paper towel. Add enough oil to lightly coat the skillet. Wait for a wisp of smoke, then use tongs to hold the steak perpendicular to the cast-iron and gently sear the fat cap until some of the fat renders, about 2 minutes. Carefully lay the steak down and sear on one side without moving it until a nice golden crust forms, about 4 minutes. Flip and sear the other side until browned, about 2 minutes.
- Step 4
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the butter, garlic, ginger and thyme. When the butter bubbles, tilt the skillet slightly so the butter pools. Spoon the hot, foaming butter over the steak. Repeat, like you’re bathing it, until the internal temperature of the steak reaches 120 degrees (medium-rare), 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the steak to a cutting board, season with freshly cracked pepper and let rest for at least 10 minutes or up to 30 minutes.
- Step 5
Meanwhile, raise the heat to medium-high then add the soy sauce and asparagus to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus turns shiny and bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and cover with a lid. Let the asparagus steam in the residual heat while the steak rests.
- Step 6
When ready to eat, slice the steak against the grain (perpendicular to the fibers running across the meat), so the meat is especially tender when you eat it. Serve the steak slices sprinkled with salt and spritzed with lime, if using, and with the steamed asparagus.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
mka
Hi, How would you manage two steaks or even 3? Cook one at a time? Can two be done at once? Thx!
Ruas
This recipe worked to perfection. The trick of peeling the asparagus, although time consuming, to my surprise rendered them looking quite nice. They were a little undercooked following the cooking instructions, so I nuked them an extra minute. I used a ribeye steak, because it was the one I had. The sauce it rendered was so very good... Go for it!
jean
Really delicious- followed the suggestion of using pork chops and since I didn’t have asparagus I lightly sautéed arugula with great results. Will definitely make again when I have steak and asparagus on hand
Tracey
Wow, this was really good. Wasn’t sure how ginger would translate in a steak but it worked. Cooking times were spot on for how I like my steak.
Marie
Any suggestions on an alternative steak to NY strip? The recipe was good but there was a fair amount of gristle in the steak and a lot of meat was wasted.
Eric Kim
Hi Marie, this tastes amazing w/ boneless ribeye. Eric
Ruas
This recipe worked to perfection. The trick of peeling the asparagus, although time consuming, to my surprise rendered them looking quite nice. They were a little undercooked following the cooking instructions, so I nuked them an extra minute. I used a ribeye steak, because it was the one I had. The sauce it rendered was so very good... Go for it!
Joe
I don’t make steak too often (price, eating less red meat etc.), but this was an outstanding treat. Did everything exactly as written (after temporarily relocating my smoke detector), and have never had a steak turn out better. Finished with flaky salt on the asparagus, but the steak needed nothing else. Might try fish sauce next time for some extra funk, or Brussels sprouts when they’re in season—what a fantastic base!
Louisa
Works wonderfully with pork chops, just takes a bit longer to come up to temp. Delicious!
scott
A couple of things. I didn’t have steaks at one and a half inches thick which meant I somewhat overcooked them by following the recipe to the letter. The other thing I’ll do next time is not jam for steaks into one cast-iron pan asparagus though with the best I have ever tasted well done New York Times.
mka
Hi, How would you manage two steaks or even 3? Cook one at a time? Can two be done at once? Thx!
Mar
I cooked mine 1 at a time (I did three for our father's day dinner). It takes a little over 10 mins per steak and they are supposed to rest for 10 to 30 minutes so the one I cooked first rested a little longer. They all tasted great.
Note - Metro Philly
If I'm eating a half pound of steak, adding a big knob of butter seems like gluttony. Is there another way infuse the thyme, garlic and ginger flavors into the dish? A little more oil perhaps?
coco
No one answered the question about cooking 2 steaks in the same pan- can that be done? Do you double the recipe? Thanks
jean
Really delicious- followed the suggestion of using pork chops and since I didn’t have asparagus I lightly sautéed arugula with great results. Will definitely make again when I have steak and asparagus on hand
pam llorens
We tried this with a filet mignon and it was spot on .
laconstance
This is a wonderful way to cook steak! Made as written, except used broccoli instead of asparagus because that’s what I had on hand. Next time I will substitute a good balsamic vinegar for the soy sauce which I found overwhelming. Made it for two people, but with the vegetable and fluffy steam baked potato it easily would serve 4.
Wade
After eating beef steaks prepared at great parrillas in Buenos Aires, I don’t order beef at restaurants in the USA.
Kate
what does this have to do with the recipe?
me
Has anyone tried this method with a pork chop?
LotaRain
I plan to use goat butter due to a cow dairy allergy—other fats just aren’t the same
HS
From a allergy perspective, goats milk is no different than cows milk, the allergic proteins are the same
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