Before chefs started using sous-vide machines for cooking meat while throwing terms like “fat-flashing” and “reverse-searing” into the mix — more on these in a minute — there was only one respectable way to cook a steak on a griddle: butter basting. Butter basting is a cooking technique where spoonfuls of hot butter are repeatedly poured over a piece of meat, fish, or poultry that’s cooking in a pan. Not only does it give your protein a serious injection of flavor, it also helps in getting that beautiful, flavorful crust on the outside of your steak.
The trick that will really take your dish to the next level is to not just season the steak perfectly, but also the butter you’re going to be basting it with. Once you’ve got a good sear on your protein (on all sides, not just the top and bottom), drop a generous knob of unsalted butter in the pan. As soon as the butter melts, throw in your herbs and aromatics to add layers of flavor to the butter itself. Garlic and thyme are used most commonly, but you can experiment with shallots, rosemary, or tarragon as well. Butter has a low smoke point, so you’ll want to turn the heat down before adding these fragrant seasonings.
Butter basting is tricky, but worth the effort
Modern methods like sous-vide, fat-flashing and reverse-searing allow for more control — you cook the meat low and slow before adding a sear at the end. Butter basting is trickier: you have to sear your protein in hot oil, then add the butter at the right time, and once that’s nice and hot, baste until you have the perfect crust and an evenly cooked center. While tricky, butter basting is extremely rewarding when done right, because of how much flavor you layer into your dish.
The correct technique when it comes to basting is to tilt your pan to one side and keep the butter constantly moving over the steak. Take your time with this process. Pay extra attention to any spots that aren’t browning as quickly as the rest. Spooning the butter over once or twice won’t cut it. Keep repeating until your protein has absorbed all that flavor and your protein is cooked exactly how you like to eat it.
Here’s one final tip to keep in mind while flavoring your butter: keep your garlic, shallots, and herbs in large pieces. Chopped fine, they’ll either burn quickly or stick to your steak’s surface, both of which will ruin your meal. Their role in the process is simple — boost the butter’s flavor, which in turn boosts the flavor of the protein.
