Skip to content

Steak Bites with Sea Salt

Butter-basted grass-fed steak cubes seared in cast iron with garlic and rosemary — done in under 15 minutes.

15 min intermediate Yields 1 pound cooked steak Keeps 3-4 days refrigerated

Ingredients

  • 1.5 pounds Grass-fed steak (sirloin or ribeye, cut into 1-inch cubes)
  • 3 tablespoons Butter
  • 4 cloves Garlic (smashed with the flat of a knife)
  • 2 sprigs Fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon Sea salt (coarse)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper

Steps

  1. Remove the steak from the refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking to take the chill off. Pat every surface dry with paper towels — this step is not optional. Moisture on the surface creates steam instead of sear, and you will not get a proper crust on wet meat. Season all sides generously with the sea salt and black pepper.

  2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat for 2-3 minutes until the pan is smoking hot. You need intense, even heat to sear the cubes quickly without overcooking the interior.

  3. Add the steak cubes to the dry pan in a single layer with space between each piece. Do not move them for 90 seconds. Flip and sear the second side for another 90 seconds. If your pan is not large enough, work in two batches — crowding the pan drops the temperature and causes the meat to steam.

  4. Reduce heat to medium. Add the butter, smashed garlic, and rosemary sprigs to the pan. As the butter melts and foams, tilt the pan slightly and use a spoon to continuously baste the steak bites with the garlic-rosemary butter for 60-90 seconds.

  5. Remove from heat when the internal temperature reaches 130F for medium-rare. Transfer the steak bites to a plate and spoon the browned butter and garlic from the pan over the top. Rest for 3 minutes before serving.

Why It Works

Searing at high heat triggers the Maillard reaction, creating hundreds of flavor compounds on the surface while keeping the interior tender and juicy. Butter basting adds richness and carries the fat-soluble aromatic compounds from the rosemary and garlic directly into the meat. Grass-fed beef has a superior omega-3 to omega-6 ratio compared to grain-fed, and delivers higher concentrations of conjugated linoleic acid and fat-soluble vitamins.

Tips

  • Doneness. For snacking, medium-rare (130F) gives the best texture. Steak bites cooked past medium become chewy and lose their appeal as a finger food.
  • Pan choice. Cast iron is non-negotiable here. Stainless steel works in a pinch, but nonstick pans cannot reach the temperatures needed for a proper sear.
  • Cold prep. These steak bites are excellent cold the next day, making them a high-protein snack you can grab straight from the fridge.

More Active Fuel recipes

Try "protein balls" or "movie night"