STEAK BUTTER

Start to finish: 10 minutes
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Servings: Makes about 16 tablespoons (1/2 pound)

1/2 pound Homemade Butter (see recipe below) or store-bought unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons and softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Using an electric hand mixer, combine the butter, Worcestershire, mustard, garlic, and salt, and mix well. Divide the butter in half, roll up each half of the butter in a log shape in plastic wrap or parchment paper and chill or freeze.

STEAKS

Start to finish: 4 hours, 35 minutes
Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

11/2 pounds 1-inch-thick steaks, such as flat iron, tri-tip, or boneless short rib
11/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Pat the steaks dry, season on all sides with the salt, cover, and chill for 4 hours. If you don’t have time, season the steaks as far in advance as you can.

Pat the steaks dry. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium, add the steaks, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer to a plate, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 8 minutes. . Slice the steak into 1/4-inch slices against the grain, arrange one-fourth of the slices on each of 4 plates and top each portion with some of the butter.

Homemade Butter
Start to finish: 20 minutes
Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Servings: Makes about 3/4 pound (the equivalent of 3 sticks)

1/2 quart heavy cream (if you can get it fresh at the farmers market that would be preferable)

Beat the cream in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk on medium speed, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula every so often, until the cream has separated into something that looks like butter (mostly clinging to the tines of the whisk) with a milky liquid at the bottom of the bowl, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Transfer the butter from the whisk to a bowl of ice and cold water. Squeeze the butter with your hands for several minutes under the water, being careful not to get any ice cubes embedded in the butter. Dump off the water, add fresh water, and repeat the procedure until the liquid you squeeze out of the butter is clear. Lift the butter out of the water and squeeze it to remove any excess liquid. Divide into three equal parts and wrap well with plastic wrap and chill it.

Use the butter within the week, freeze it for up to a month, or turn it into a flavored compound butter.