Learn How to Make a Tender, Juicy Steak packed with flavor using a meat injector and a rich garlic herb butter sauce. Whether you’re grilling, pan-searing, or cooking indoors, this easy steak recipe guarantees a moist, tender steak every time. Perfect for date night, family dinners, or special occasions, this method shows you exactly how to cook a steak so it’s juicy and tender, just like a steakhouse!
This recipe is surprisingly simple, thanks to the meat injector, which does most of the heavy lifting by infusing the steak with a rich, buttery flavor. And let’s be honest—what’s better than steak, butter, and savory seasonings all in one bite?
Over the years, we struggled to figure out how to get seasonings deep into a steak—and how to make it truly juicy. We tried everything: grilling, pan frying, oven baking. Each method got us close to perfection, but something was always missing.
Then one Christmas, I bought a meat injector on a whim as a gift for my husband. He was totally intrigued and wasted no time experimenting with it on just about everything he cooked!
Once he started using the meat injector on steaks, everything changed. The flavor wasn’t just sitting on the surface anymore—it was infused deep into the meat. Every bite was tender, juicy, and bursting with buttery, herby goodness. We couldn’t believe the difference it made! Now, it’s our go-to method anytime we want steakhouse-quality results right at home.
Why You’ll Love This Steak Recipe
It’s incredibly juicy and tender—thanks to the meat injector, the flavor goes beyond the surface, delivering a moist and melt-in-your-mouth steak every time.
Steakhouse results at home mean you don’t need to go out or spend a fortune to enjoy a restaurant-quality meal in your own kitchen.
Easy and foolproof, this recipe is simple enough for beginners but impressive enough for date night or entertaining guests.
Flavor-packed from the inside out, the garlic herb butter injection ensures bold, buttery taste in every bite, not just on the outside.
It’s customizable to your taste, you can experiment with different seasonings, butter blends, or cuts of steak to make it your own.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
Steak – Choose a thick, high-quality cut like ribeye, filet mignon, or tenderloin. The thicker the cut, the better it holds the injected flavor and stays juicy.
Unsalted butter – The base of your garlic herb butter. Using unsalted gives you control over the seasoning.
Fresh garlic – Whole garlic cloves add bold, savory flavor to the butter sauce.
Fresh herbs – Herbs de Provence or an Italian herb mix will diffuse beautifully into the butter.
Kosher salt and black pepper – In addition to the salt in the infusion, you’ll want a generous sprinkling of kosher salt and pepper seared into the steak’s surface.
Olive oil – Optional, but great for coating the outside before searing or grilling to help get that golden crust.
Meat injector – The game-changer! Use it to inject the garlic herb butter deep into the steak.
Tools That Help
Meat Injector – This is the key tool in this recipe. It allows you to inject the garlic herb butter deep into the steak, ensuring every bite is juicy and flavorful from the inside out.
Cast Iron Skillet or Grill – Either one works great. A cast-iron pan gives you that golden, caramelized crust, while a grill adds a smoky char that’s hard to beat.
Meat Thermometer – A must-have for perfectly cooked steak. It removes the guesswork and helps you hit your ideal doneness without overcooking.
Basting Brush – Handy for brushing extra garlic herb butter over the steak just before serving for even more flavor.
Cutting Board and Sharp Knife—Proper resting and slicing of your steak is part of what keeps it juicy, so make sure you’ve got a solid board and a good, sharp knife for clean cuts.
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Step-by-Step Stove-Top Instructions
Step 1: Choose the Right Cut of Steak
Start with a thick, quality cut like ribeye, tenderloin, or filet mignon. Thicker steaks are perfect for injecting—they hold the butter better and stay juicy throughout.
Step 2: Make the Herb Sachet
Cut a piece of cheesecloth to roughly 8×8 inches, and pour the herbs into the center. Lift the four corners of the cloth together forming a pouch with the herbs balled into the middle. Twist the top of the cloth a few times and cinch it tight with baker’s twine; a simple square knot will do. Snip off excess cheesecloth above your knot. If you don’t have any cheesecloth, you can add the herbs loose into the garlic-butter mixture and use a fine strainer to filter them out when the infusion is ready. But take note, if you don’t strain out the herbs, they’ll clog the injector — which is why the sachet is my preferred approach.
Step 3: Make the Garlic Herb Butter Infusion
In a small saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over low heat. Add whole (slightly smashed) garlic cloves and your herb sachet. Simmer everything gently for about 10 minutes so the herbs release flavor and the garlic infuses the butter without burning. As noted above, avoid minced garlic or rough-ground herbs, as they’ll clog the syringe.
Let the mixture cool down slightly until it’s warm but not hot. You want it cool enough to handle safely but not so cool that the butter begins to thicken or solidify.
Step 3: Prepare Your Meat Injector
Use a large syringe tip with a single hole at the end. Avoid the injector needle that has holes along the sides—it tends to squirt the butter out in unpredictable directions and makes it harder to control.
Draw the warm butter mixture into the injector.
Step 4: Inject the Steak
Place your steak in a baking dish or tray with raised edges—this can get messy! Even when we do our best to infuse carefully, there’s the occasional butter geyser. An apron is required equipment.
Insert the needle deep into the steak, and gently press the plunger as you withdraw the infuser to release the garlic herb butter. The surface of the steak should be dotted with buttery injection holes when you’re done — about a half inch between perforations, all of them oozing butter.
Step 5: Season and Sear
Once the steak is infused, season the outside with salt and pepper.
Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the herb-butter drippings from the baking tray where you infused the steak. Drop the meat into the skillet and season with kosher salt and pepper. Sear the steak for 3 to 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness and cook preference. You want a deep, golden crust on the outside.
Step 6: Rest and Serve
After cooking, let the steak rest for 5 to 10 minutes to lock in the juices. Slice and serve with any extra garlic herb butter drizzled on top—if you have any left, don’t let it go to waste!
How to Make a Tender Juicy Steak Recipe
Ingredients
Herb Sachet
- 3 Tbsp Herbs de Provence (or Italian herbs) Any blend of French or American herbs will do (sage, basil, oregano, marjoram, etc.)
- 8×8 Inch Cheesecloth If you don't have cheesecloth use a fine strainer after simmering herbs in butter.
- Baker's Twine Used to tie off the herb sachet
Butter Infusion
- 1/2 Cup Butter
- 6-8 Cloves Garlic (smashed)
- Herb Sachet (per above)
Steak
- 2 Filet Mignon Steaks (or similar) Sized to fit in the skillet without crowding.
- 1-2 tsp Kosher salt Steak requires generous amounts of salt; sprinkle on each side of the meat while cooking.
- 1/2 – 1 tsp Freshly ground pepper Pepper to taste.
Instructions
- Allow steaks to reach room temperature while you prepare other ingredients.
Make the Herb Sachet
- Cut a piece of cheesecloth to roughly 8×8 inches, and pour the herbs into the center. Lift the four corners of the cloth together forming a pouch with the herbs balled into the middle. Twist the top of the cloth a few times and cinch it tight with baker’s twine; a simple square knot will do. Snip off excess cheesecloth above your knot. If you don’t have any cheesecloth, you can add loose herbs into the garlic-butter mixture and strain them off once the infusion is ready.
Make & Inject the Butter Infusion
- In a small saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over low heat. Add whole (slightly smashed) garlic cloves and your herb sachet. Simmer everything gently for several minutes so the herbs release flavor and the garlic infuses the butter without burning. Avoid minced garlic or rough-ground herbs, as they’ll clog the syringe.Let the mixture cool down slightly until it’s warm but not hot. You want it cool enough to handle safely but not so cool that the butter begins to solidify.Use a large syringe tip with a single hole at the end. Avoid the injector needle that has holes along the sides—it tends to squirt the butter out in unpredictable directions and makes it harder to control. Draw the warm butter mixture into the injector.Place your steak on a baking tray with raised edges—this can get messy! Even when we do our best to infuse carefully, there’s the occasional butter geyser. An apron is required equipment.Insert the needle deep into the steak, and gently press the plunger as you withdraw the infuser to release the garlic herb butter. Injection holes should cover the surface of the steak when you’re done — about a half inch between perforations, all of them oozing butter.
Cook the Steak
- Once the steak is infused, season the outside with salt and pepper.Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the herb-butter drippings from the baking tray where you infused the steak. Drop the meat into the skillet and season with kosher salt and pepper. Sear the steak for 3 to 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness and cook preference. You want a deep, golden crust on the outside.After cooking, let the steak rest for 5 to 10 minutes to lock in the juices. Slice and serve with any extra garlic herb butter drizzled on top—if you have any left, don’t let it go to waste!
Nutrition
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Steak Cooking Temperatures Chart
Knowing when your steak is perfectly cooked can make all the difference. Use a meat thermometer designed specially for stovetop steaks to check the internal temperature and take the guesswork out of cooking.
| Doneness | Internal Temp | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 120–125°F (49–52°C) | Cool, red center. Very soft texture. |
| Medium-Rare | 130–135°F (54–57°C) | Warm, red center. Tender and juicy—ideal for most steaks. |
| Medium | 140–145°F (60–63°C) | Warm, pink center. Slightly firmer but still moist. |
| Medium-Well | 150–155°F (65–68°C) | Slightly pink center. More firm and less juicy. |
| Well-Done | 160°F+ (71°C+) | Fully cooked through. No pink, firmer texture. |
💡 Pro Tip: Pull your steak off the heat when it’s about 5°F below your target temperature. It will continue cooking slightly as it rests.
Optional Grilling Instructions
If you’d rather fire up the grill instead of cooking your steak on the stovetop, this recipe works just as beautifully on open flames.
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (around 400–450°F). Clean and oil the grates well to prevent sticking. Once your steak is injected and seasoned, place it directly on the hot grill.
Grill the steak for about 3-4 minutes per side, depending on thickness and your preferred level of doneness. Remember that the steak continues to cook a bit while it’s resting.
Close the lid of your grill to ensure even heating (grilling + baking). Keep a close eye on the grill though as butter leaking from the infused steaks is very likely to cause flame-ups, and you’ll want to move the steaks around to keep them from over-charring.
Once cooked, remove the steak to a covered plate (I just cover it with a sheet of tin foil and a hand towel) and let it rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute and settle into the meat so they don’t run out when you cut into the steak, giving you that perfect tender bite.
🔥 Grilling Tip: You can also finish your steak with a quick brush of garlic herb butter right off the grill for extra flavor and shine.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make steak tender and juicy, use a meat injector to infuse it with a rich butter and herb mixture before cooking. The injector lets you get that buttery flavor deep into the meat, keeping it moist and bringing incredible flavor in every bite. As the steak cooks, the butter melts from within, keeping it tender and adding back juices for the perfect juicy steak
Sear the steak for 3 minutes on one side to build a flavorful crust, then flip and sear for another 3 minutes to seal in juices. Lower the heat and cook for an additional 3 minutes, or finish in the oven, to reach your preferred doneness without overcooking the outside.
Here’s a simple list of steaks often ranked from most tender and flavorful to more affordable and leaner options:
1. Filet Mignon — Incredibly tender with a mild flavor.
2. Ribeye — Rich marbling makes it juicy and full of flavor.
3. New York Strip — Great balance of tenderness and taste.
4. Porterhouse — Combines tenderloin and strip in one cut.
5. T-Bone — Similar to porterhouse but slightly smaller.
6. Sirloin — Lean, affordable, and still delicious.
7. Hanger Steak — Flavorful and tender when cooked properly.
8. Skirt Steak — Thin, full of flavor, best when marinated.
9. Flank Steak — Lean but tasty, great for grilling or slicing thin.
Several key factors judge a good steak. Marbling (those little streaks of fat) should be evenly distributed, as it adds flavor and keeps the steak juicy. The color should be bright and fresh-looking, not dull or brown. The thickness matters too—thicker cuts cook more evenly, allowing for better searing. Finally, when cooked, a great steak will have a flavorful crust on the outside while remaining tender and juicy on the inside.
You can use fresh herbs instead of dried if you like! Just keep in mind that fresh herbs have a higher water content, so the flavor they infuse into the butter will be lighter and more delicate. Dried herbs create a stronger, more concentrated flavor in the butter.
Absolutely! A meat injector works great on chicken and is a fantastic way to add flavor and moisture. Injecting butter, broth, or marinades directly into the meat helps keep it juicy and flavorful, especially for whole roasted or grilled chickens.
What to Serve With Your Tender Juicy Steak
A perfectly cooked steak deserves some delicious sides to complete the meal. Whether you’re going for comfort food or something a bit lighter, here are a few tasty ideas:
Garlic Mashed Potatoes – Creamy, buttery, and the perfect pairing for steak. Bonus points if you drizzle leftover garlic herb butter over the top.
Caramelized Roasted Brussel Sprouts – A light, crisp veggie side balances the richness of the steak beautifully.
Roasted Potatoes or Sweet Potatoes – Tossed in olive oil, rosemary, and sea salt, these are easy and flavorful.
Caesar Salad or Wedge Salad – A classic steakhouse combo. The crisp lettuce and tangy dressing cut through the richness of the meat.
Rustic No Knead Bread – Perfect for mopping up any extra buttery steak juices on your plate.
Peach Bourbon Glaze Recipe – This glaze blends brown sugar, ripe peaches, warm spices, and peach jam into a rich, flavorful sauce that’s perfect for any dish.
🥂 This steak also pairs wonderfully with a bold red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec, or even a classic Old Fashioned if you’re going all out.
My family is never late to the dinner table when my husband and I make herb-butter steaks. We try to make enough so there will be leftovers for steak-and-chutney sourdough sandwiches the next day. But appetites tend to grow to meet the available supply.
If you try this recipe — or create your own version — please drop a comment and share your results. I love learning from everyone’s experiments!
And please don’t forget to pin or share this with your cooking-obsessed friends!
Cheers,
Photo Credits: MyPhotography.com
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