Chili Garlic Butter Steak and Mushroom Bites

A 15-minute meal that tends to garner rave reviews and shouts of, “I’d order this at a restaurant!” this is a steak night dinner that eats just a little more laid back. These Chili Garlic Butter Steak & Mushroom Bites make the perfect main course on a night when you just can’t even, because they’re so incredibly fast and simple to whip up.

If you blink … you’ll almost miss the whole cooking process.

This is a pretty tough one to mess up, so far as dinner recipes go, however there are a couple of key moves that really can make things even more delicious for you, if you stick to them.

How to Make the Best Steak Bites

1. Keep it Hot

Don’t be shy when it comes to the heat level over which you sear your steak bites. Steak demands a very hot pan to get nice and crusty brown (this isn’t some low and slow meaty romance we’re going for here). So crank your burner up to med-high or high heat to get it there.

2. Don’t Touch!

This is the numero uno rule when it comes to cooking pan-seared steak, I think. As soon as it hits the pan, don’t mess with it or disturb it. You want the continued contact with the super hot pan, as this is what creates and really cultivates that brown crust (maillard reaction!). You want to allow the steak to brown for a couple of minutes, undisturbed, before you turn the pieces.

Otherwise, you’ll be dealing with some gray steak bites. Still delicious, but just not as pretty.

3. One Layer, Please

This rule also contributes heavily to the success of your brown crust. You only want to cook the steak in a single layer, because if the pieces start to overlap and sit on top of one another, they’ll begin to steam, rather than brown.

So, make sure you use the largest pan you have or simply brown your meat in batches to ensure there aren’t any pile ups.

3. Don’t Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil shouldn’t really be used for cooking or for applications that require heat. This diminishes the quality of the oil and since it tends to be pricier than regular olive oil, it just isn’t the most economically efficient choice.

So, when cooking with olive oil, go for the regular variety – labeled “olive oil.” Save the extra virgin stuff for things like salad dressings, raw sauces, and finishing dishes (good extra virgin olive oil makes the best sauce just as it is).

4. Carryover Cooking: Why You Should Take the Meat Off a Little Early

We’re going for tender, juicy bites of steak here – not little hunks of shoe leather and while I’m not one to tell people how to take their steak, I do think it’s worth noting that the steak bites will continue cooking after they’ve left the pan, while they’re resting on the tray (as the mushrooms cook), so just keep that in mind and be sure to take them off the heat a little earlier than you might otherwise.

They will also cook a little bit more when you add them back into the hot pan to toss with the butter sauce.

I take them off when they’re still nice and pink in the middles, so they’ll still be a little pink when I serve them. Just how I like it …

Chili Garlic Butter Steak and Mushroom Bites: The Breakdown

What you’ll need:

EQUIPMENT:

A large, heavy skillet (best for searing meat)

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 to 1.75 lbs. Sirloin steak, cut into bite-sized pieces

Salt and pepper, as needed

Olive oil, for cooking 

16 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced (you can use any kind you like)

5 TBSP unsalted butter

½ tsp crushed red chili flakes (or to taste)

3 to 4 cloves garlic, grated or minced

1 TBSP worcestershire sauce or soy sauce (optional)

How to Make Chili Garlic Butter Steak Bites:

Season the steak with salt and pepper.

Add a couple/few tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet set over high heat. When it shimmers, add the steak bites, in a single layer (no overlapping or they won’t brown). When it’s all in the pan, don’t touch or move it for about 2 minutes, so the meat has a chance to really get brown. It will end up looking gray, otherwise (a good steak cooking tip in general).

After two minutes, stir/turn the steak and continue cooking just until browned all over. You want it pink in the middle, still. Transfer to a tray or large plate and set aside for now. Don’t clean out the pan.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the mushrooms to the pan and allow them to cook until tender, stirring occasionally; about 3 to 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and transfer to the tray with the steak. Don’t wipe out the pan.

With the heat on med-low, add the butter, garlic, chili flakes, 2 TBSP olive oil, and the Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce to the pan and cook, stirring for about a minute. Turn off the heat, add the steak and mushrooms back into the pan (and all of the collected juices), and stir to coat in the butter sauce. Serve right away. 

If you like the looks of these Chili Garlic Butter Steak and Mushroom Bites, you might want to try:

Korean Style Beef with Kimchi

Unstuffed Mushroom Tortellini Skillet

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