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Cowboy Butter Steak Sliders

Get ready to elevate your slider game with these Cowboy Butter Steak Sliders—a bold, juicy, flavor-packed recipe perfect for game day, backyard BBQs, or a mouthwatering dinner. These sliders combine tender, grilled steak with melty Havarti cheese, sweet caramelized onions, and rich, herby cowboy butter all layered on soft slider buns.

Why You’ll Love These Steak Sliders

  • 🥩 Juicy steak + herby garlic butter = unmatched flavor
  • 🧄 Cowboy butter is packed with lemon zest, garlic, Dijon, fresh herbs, and a kick of heat
  • 🧅 Sweet, slow-cooked caramelized onions add a rich depth
  • 🧀 Melty cheese takes it over the top
  • 🔥 Perfect for grilling season, but works great indoors too!

🔑 Key Ingredients

For the Sliders:

  • Steak: Tenderloin (filet mignon) is used here, but ribeye, NY strip, or sirloin all work
  • Slider Rolls: King’s Hawaiian or any soft slider bun
  • Havarti Cheese: Creamy and mild—perfect melt factor
  • Onions: Sweet onions for that caramelized magic
  • Oil, Salt & Pepper: For seasoning and grilling

For the Cowboy Butter:

  • Butter: The hero of this recipe—use real unsalted butter
  • Garlic: Freshly minced for bold flavor
  • Lemon Juice & Zest: Adds brightness
  • Dijon Mustard: Adds a subtle tang (you won’t taste “mustard”)
  • Paprika, Cayenne, Thyme, Red Pepper Flakes: Spice + warmth
  • Fresh Herbs: Chives and parsley for a fresh, herby finish

👨‍🍳 How to Make Cowboy Butter Steak Sliders

1. Prep the Steak

Trim any fat or silver skin. Rub with neutral oil and season generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally a few hours to let the seasoning penetrate.

2. Make the Cowboy Butter

In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Stir in lemon juice, zest, garlic, Dijon, paprika, cayenne, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Remove from heat and add chopped chives and parsley. Set aside a few tablespoons for basting steaks. Reserve the rest for the buns.

3. Grill the Steaks

  • Preheat grill to medium-high with indirect heat zone.
  • Let steaks come to room temp (30 min).
  • Grill 2–3 minutes per side over direct heat, brushing with cowboy butter as they cook.
  • Transfer to indirect heat and finish until desired doneness is reached (about 5–6 minutes total).
  • Let rest under foil for 10 minutes before slicing thinly.

💡 No Grill? Use a cast iron skillet indoors. Sear 4 minutes per side, then baste with cowboy butter until done. See notes below.

4. Caramelize the Onions

Add butter to a cast iron skillet on the grill or stove over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and soft (about 15 minutes).

5. Assemble & Broil the Sliders

  • Preheat broiler.
  • Split the buns and brush inside with reserved cowboy butter.
  • Add Havarti cheese to both halves of buns, layer on caramelized onions and sliced steak.
  • Broil 1–2 minutes until cheese melts.
  • Top with bun lids, slice, and serve!

🧑‍🍳 Chef’s Tips

  • Let the buttermilk and steaks come to room temp before cooking.
  • Don’t skip pre-seasoning the steak—it deepens flavor.
  • Pre-slicing the buns and brushing with butter helps create a crispy, buttery edge.
  • Cowboy butter can also be used for veggies, chicken, or shrimp!

🔥 Cast Iron Skillet Method (If Not Grilling)

  1. Let seasoned steaks rest at room temp for 30 minutes.
  2. Heat 1–2 tbsp avocado oil in a hot cast iron skillet.
  3. Sear steaks 4 minutes on each side.
  4. Lower heat, add cowboy butter, and baste until steaks reach desired doneness.
  5. Let rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing.

🍽️ Serving Ideas

Pair these sliders with:

  • Garlic parmesan fries
  • Creamy coleslaw
  • Grilled corn on the cob
  • Pickled jalapeños for an extra kick

⭐ Cowboy Butter Steak Sliders Recipe

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the Sliders:

  • 1½ lbs boneless steak (tenderloin, ribeye, or sirloin)
  • Neutral oil (e.g., avocado)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 3 sweet onions, thinly sliced
  • 9 slider buns
  • ¾ lb Havarti cheese, sliced

For the Cowboy Butter:

  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp chives, minced
  • 2 tbsp parsley, minced
  • Salt & pepper to taste

👀 More Must-Try Sliders

  • 🥓 Honey Mustard BLT Chicken Sliders
  • 🌽 Elote Brisket Sliders
  • 🍗 Southern Fried Chicken Sliders (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)
  • 🐟 Salmon Honey Mustard BLT Sliders