Easy Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes Skillet with juicy seared steak and crispy roasted potatoes all oven baked in one pan. Nothing goes together better than garlic steak and potatoes!
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It’s been said before that I have the appetite of a man. I’m really not sure if that’s meant to be an insult or a compliment and I’m also not really sure to whom the insult or compliment would be directed. However, I took it in a good way.
I like to eat. Clearly. I like all kinds of cuisines, vegetables, fruits, desserts, and proteins. While I talk a big chicken game, I have a deep, unabiding love for all things beef. Sit me at a table and give me a big steak. I am not, nor have I ever been, ashamed to eat the entire thing in front of any date, girlfriend, family member, or child. The only thing I ask is that you don’t a) ask for a bite or b) try to take a bite without asking. You might lose a finger. Just sayin.
It was because of a craving for meat and also potatoes and also not cleaning up a bunch of dishes that I ended up making this dish for dinner the other night. I’ve found that three steaks is plenty for my family — my husband and I each eat one and the kids split the remaining one up amongst themselves. You can always get four if they are on the smaller side, but that’s about the max I can fit into my cast iron.
It was a quiet dinner simply because we were all so busy stuffing our faces with the delicious steaks and potatoes. Frankly, I’m not complaining. We have chaotic days just like everyone else and I’m not ashamed to say that, on those particular days, I’ll take some peace wherever I can get it.
WHY DO YOU SEAR STEAK?
Nothing beats a good steak sear, amiright? (Shhhhh…listen. If you concentrate really hard, you can you hear it hitting the hot pan.) If you’re thinking about skipping the sear to save on time, forget it. You WANT the sear. The sear allows the hot oil to form a textured “crust” on the steak’s (or whatever meat you are searing’s) exterior. Searing gives a caramelization of sorts to the steak. You know when you cut into a piece of meat (or a meaty fish, like tuna) and it’s nice and brown on the outside and lighter on the inside? That, my friends is the mark of a good sear.
To ensure your steak has a harder outside and a juicer inside, the key is to not sear it for too long. You want a dark brown color (not black) before you flip and sear the other side. This should only take about 2-3 minutes on each side. I should say, too, that having your skillet heated up over medium-high heat a minute or so beforehand is key. You want to put the steak into a hot pan to get that sear. You can either add oil to the pan or right on the meat, either way the oil will aid in the searing process.
Once seared, you can pop those babies into the oven to finish cooking. You’ll be so glad you took a few extra minutes to add that sear once you bite into these steaks!
WHAT SIDES GO WITH THIS STEAK AND POTATOES SKILLET?
Though this dish is plenty filling on its own, I do often add a veggie with it. Some of my favorite, easy sides that go with steak and potatoes are:
One more little note — I used baby potatoes in this dish but you could also use russet (cut into wedges), red, Yukon, or baby fingerling.
Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes Skillet
Easy Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes Skillet with juicy seared steak and crispy roasted potatoes all oven baked in one pan. Nothing goes together better than garlic steak and potatoes!
-
2-4
petite steaks
*see note - salt and pepper to taste
- garlic powder to taste
-
1
tablespoon
olive oil -
12-4
pound
baby potatoes, diced -
2-6
tablespoons
salted butter, soft enough to mash with a fork
one tablespoon per steak, plus two tablespoons for the potatoes -
2
teaspoons
minced garlic -
1
teaspoon
dried Italian herb blend -
1
teaspoon
chopped fresh thyme -
1
teaspoon
chopped fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl combine butter, garlic, and dried herbs and set aside. Season steaks generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder on both sides.
Place skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle with oil. Sear steaks for 2-3 minutes one each side until nice and browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add potatoes to the skillet, season generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and saute 3-5 minutes until browned. Push potatoes to one side of the pan and return steaks to the other side of the pan.
Transfer to oven and cook for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender and steak is cooked to your preferred doneness.
Immediately after removing from oven, place a dollop of the garlic butter on each steak and the rest on the potatoes and let it melt over the food before stirring the potatoes to coat in butter and then topping with chopped thyme and parsley before serving.
I’ve tried this with several cuts of beef and all have worked out to be delicious. I just look for the right size – steaks small enough in a 12-inch skillet and still cram a bunch of potatoes in there (usually steaks that are about 4-6 inches long), and a decent price. The steaks should be about 1 inch thick (I recommend staying away from very thin cuts as they will cook too quickly and end up overdone at the end!).
Any oven-safe skillet will work but I highly recommend a cast-iron pan because it is the best for getting that awesome sear on your steak.
