Garlic Butter Steak & Grits

Name: Garlic Butter Steak & Grits
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 (8oz) picanha steaks; 1/4 cup Bear &amp; Burton’s The W Sauce (Worcestershire); Cattleman’s Grill California Tri-Tip Seasoning; 2 tbsp Texas Olive Ranch Roasted Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 4 tbsp garlic butter (recipe below); 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 1/2 tsp Yoder Smokers Beef Rub; 1 tsp garlic, grated on microplane; 3/4 cup Marsh Hen Mill White Grits, washed; 2 1/2 cups water; 1 cup half n half; 1 tbsp Bear &amp; Burton’s The W Sauce (Worcestershire); 1/4 cup (1/2 oz) Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated on microplane; 1/2 cup (2 oz) truffled sharp cheddar; 2 tbsp garlic butter; Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt, to taste; 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced thin; 2/3 cup white vinegar; 1/3 cup water; 1/4 cup smoked blue cheese, crumbled; 2 tbsp chives, minced

Sep 24, 2024 • Tom Jackson

The Garlic Butter Steak & Grits recipe delivers a new take on comfort food, blending the rich flavors of perfectly grilled picanha steaks with creamy, cheesy grits. The steaks are marinated in Bear & Burton’s W Sauce and seasoned with Cattleman’s Grill California Tri-Tip Seasoning, then seared to perfection and topped with a savory garlic butter that adds a layer of indulgence. The garlic butter, infused with Yoder Smokers Beef Rub and freshly grated garlic, enhances the steak's flavor while keeping it juicy. The accompanying cheese grits, made with Marsh Hen Mill White Grits, Parmigiano Reggiano, and truffled sharp cheddar, offer a creamy, tangy balance to the meal. Pickled cherry tomatoes and a garnish of smoked blue cheese and chives add brightness and complexity, rounding out a dish that’s both rich and vibrant. This recipe is perfect for a gourmet cookout or a special dinner, showcasing the value of high-quality ingredients and thoughtful preparation.

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE

Garlic butter does double duty: The same compound butter — unsalted butter, Yoder Smokers Beef Rub, and microplane-grated garlic — goes both into the grits and on top of the resting steaks, which means the flavor thread running through the whole dish is literally the same ingredient used twice.
Truffled sharp cheddar and Parmigiano in the grits: Marsh Hen Mill White Grits finished with truffle cheddar, Parmesan, and garlic butter produce a bowl of grits that is a genuinely luxurious base — creamy, complex, and rich enough to carry the picanha on top without disappearing underneath it.
Pickled cherry tomatoes cut through everything: Thinly sliced cherry tomatoes quick-pickled in white vinegar add bright, sharp acidity that breaks up the richness of the steak, the grits, and the garlic butter — they're not garnish, they're a structural component.
Smoked blue cheese finish: A small crumble of smoked blue cheese over the top adds a final layer of funk and salt that ties every other element together in the last bite.

Garlic Butter Steak & Grits

Tom Jackson

Rated 4.0 stars by 2 users

Cuisine

American

Servings

4

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Calories

946

Elevate your next cookout or dinner party with this Garlic Butter Steak & Grits recipe, where rich, juicy picanha steaks meet creamy, decadent grits for a match made in flavor heaven. Infused with bold garlic butter and a savory seasoning blend, these steaks are perfectly complemented by the luxurious combination of Parmigiano Reggiano and truffled sharp cheddar in the grits. Bright, tangy pickled cherry tomatoes and crumbles of smoked blue cheese provide a sophisticated contrast, making this dish both comforting and gourmet. Whether you’re grilling for friends or treating yourself, this recipe turns a classic favorite into a memorable culinary experience.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

4 (8oz) picanha steaks
1/4 cup Bear & Burton’s The W Sauce (Worcestershire)
Cattleman’s Grill California Tri-Tip Seasoning
2 tbsp Texas Olive Ranch Roasted Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 tbsp garlic butter (recipe below)

Garlic Butter:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp Yoder Smokers Beef Rub
1 tsp garlic, grated on microplane

For the cheese grits:

3/4 cup Marsh Hen Mill White Grits, washed
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup half n half
1 tbsp Bear & Burton’s The W Sauce (Worcestershire)
1/4 cup (1/2 oz) Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated on microplane
1/2 cup (2 oz) truffled sharp cheddar
2 tbsp garlic butter
Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt, to taste

Pickled tomatoes:

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced thin
2/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup water

For garnish:

1/4 cup smoked blue cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp chives, minced

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Directions

To make the pickled tomatoes, combine the vinegar and water. Add the
tomatoes. Refrigerate for at least one hour before using.
Preheat your Napoleon Phantom 500 gas grill to roughly 450ºF set up with the Napoleon Cast Iron Griddle installed.
Slather the steaks with T Bear & Burton’s The W Sauce. Season with
Cattleman’s Grill California Tri-Tip Seasoning. Let rest while you start to cook the grits.
For the grits, bring the water to a boil in a dutch oven, on the side burner, then
whisk in the grits. Reduce heat and let simmer until the water is absorbed and
the grits are tender, but not soggy, about 10-15 minutes. Cover with a lid to keep warm.
In a small pot, bring the half and half to a simmer inside the grill. Pour the
mixture over the grits and stir to combine. Add the Worcestershire, cheeses and garlic butter and stir until melted. Taste and season with salt, to taste.
For the steaks, put the garlic oil on the griddle, Place the steaks on the oil and
cook to 120ºF-125ºF internal temperature. Remove and rest for five minutes with each steak topped with one tablespoon of garlic butter.
Slice the steaks. Serve each steak atop one half cup of the cheese grits with one quarter cup of pickled tomatoes. Garnish with crumbled blue cheese and
chives.

Recipe Note

Recipe FAQ

What is picanha, and can I substitute a different cut?
Picanha is the top sirloin cap — a triangular cut with a thick fat cap that's hugely popular in Brazilian churrascaria cooking and increasingly common in the US. The fat cap renders during cooking and bastes the meat from above, making it exceptionally juicy and flavorful. If picanha is unavailable, ribeye or strip steak at 8 oz each are solid substitutes. Pull at the same 120°F–125°F target for medium-rare.

Do I need to wash the grits before cooking?
Yes, and this step matters. Rinsing Marsh Hen Mill White Grits removes surface starch and any debris from stone milling. Unrinsed grits can cook up gummy and clumped. Rinse under cold water in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs mostly clear before adding to the pot.

Can I make the garlic butter and pickled tomatoes ahead of time?
Yes — both are better made ahead. The garlic butter needs at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator to firm up before use; it can be made up to a week ahead and keeps well wrapped in the fridge. The pickled tomatoes need a minimum of 30 minutes to absorb the brine but are best after 2–4 hours. Make both the night before and the day-of cook is dramatically simpler.

What does Bear & Burton's The W Sauce do in both the marinade and the grits?
In the steak marinade, The W Sauce (a Worcestershire-style sauce) tenderizes the picanha and adds umami depth before the sear. In the grits, a tablespoon stirred in at the end adds a savory, slightly funky complexity that prevents the rich cheese grits from tasting flat or one-dimensional. It's a small amount but a noticeable difference — don't skip either application.

Can I make this indoors?
4 out of 5 — Great in the kitchen, better on the grill. A cast iron skillet or griddle over high heat on the stovetop replicates the sear perfectly. The grits cook identically on the stovetop. The YS640s at high heat with a cast iron griddle produces a slightly more aggressive sear from the live fire environment, but the dish is fully at home in either setting.

Recipe Highlights

Marinate in Bear & Burton's W Sauce before seasoning: The marinade step isn't just flavor — The W Sauce's acidity begins to break down the surface muscle fibers of the picanha, helping the Cattleman's Grill California Tri-Tip Seasoning penetrate more deeply when applied on top. A quick 20–30 minute marinade before seasoning is enough to make a difference without making the surface too wet to sear.
Pull steaks at 120°F–125°F and rest with butter on top: The target temp is intentionally low because carryover continues during the 5-minute rest. Topping each resting steak with a tablespoon of garlic butter allows the butter to melt slowly into the surface as the internal temperature climbs — you get basting and resting in one step. Don't skip the rest or the garlic butter won't have time to absorb.
Bring the half and half to a simmer separately before adding to grits: Cold liquid added to nearly-cooked grits drops the temperature and can seize the texture. Warming the half and half first in a small pot and then pouring it over the grits maintains the cooking temperature and produces a smoother, creamier final consistency.
Add cheeses and garlic butter off heat: Stirring in the Parmesan, truffled cheddar, and garlic butter after removing the grits from heat prevents the proteins in the cheese from seizing and turning grainy. The residual heat of the grits melts everything smoothly — cheese added over active heat can break and produce a greasy, separated texture.