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How to Make Great Indoor Steaks
Recipe
4 hr 40 min

Garlic Steaks

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Garlic Steaks
Author: Alli Berkey

Recipe By Alli Berkey

Published on August 27, 2026

Garlic goes on the steaks before, during, and after cooking. We're not messing around here.

Time

4 hr 40 min

Yield

Serves 4

Why This Recipe Works

For perfectly cooked steaks with over-the-top garlic flavor, we began by marinating boneless strip steaks in a pungent mix of minced garlic, salt, and olive oil. By briefly cooking smashed garlic cloves in extra-virgin olive oil on the stovetop, we created a subtle garlic oil to use for both searing the marinated steaks and whipping up an emulsified garlic-butter sauce. Adding a bit of raw garlic to the garlic-butter sauce contributed freshness and bite to the mellowed toasted garlic. Finally, we garnished the steaks with the toasted garlic cloves for textural contrast and yet another layer of garlic flavor.

Ingredients

Steaks

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
1 ½ teaspoons pepper, divided
2 (1-pound) boneless strip steaks 1½ inches thick, trimmed

Garlic

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 garlic clove, minced, plus 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 sprigs fresh thyme

Instructions

Cook along with these step-by-step instructions

step 1 imagestep 2 imagestep 3 imagestep 4 image

    Steaks

  1. In 1-gallon zipper-lock bag, combine oil, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Place steaks in bag and seal. Turn bag to evenly coat steaks in marinade. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
  2. Remove steaks from marinade and rinse under cold water to remove any pieces of garlic; discard marinade. Pat steaks dry with paper towels. Sprinkle steaks with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper; set aside.
  3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons garlic oil in skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add steaks and cook, flipping every 2 minutes, until well browned and meat registers 115 degrees (for medium-rare), 12 to 16 minutes. Transfer steaks to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Rewhisk sauce to make fluid again. Slice steaks thin and serve with sauce and reserved garlic cloves.

    4. Garlic Sauce and Toasted Garlic

  4. Combine butter, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in bowl. Heat oil, thyme sprigs, and smashed garlic in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until garlic has softened and turned light brown, about 5 minutes, flipping garlic as needed to ensure even browning.
    Recipe Tip
    We developed this recipe using a nonstick skillet, but a cast-iron skillet will also work well. If you're using table salt, use ½ tablespoon for the steaks and ¼ teaspoon for the garlic sauce and toasted garlic.
  5. Remove garlic cloves from skillet with slotted spoon and set aside; discard thyme sprigs. Add 2 tablespoons hot garlic oil from skillet to butter mixture and whisk to combine (mixture should be emulsified and creamy). Set aside.

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Garlic Steaks

Recipe By Alli Berkey

Published on August 27, 2026

Time

4 hr 40 min

Yield

Serves 4

Garlic Steaks

Ingredients

Steaks

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil6 garlic cloves, minced1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided1 ½ teaspoons pepper, divided2 (1-pound) boneless strip steaks 1½ inches thick, trimmed

Garlic

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened1 garlic clove, minced, plus 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled½ teaspoon kosher salt¼ teaspoon pepper¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil2 sprigs fresh thyme

Instructions

    Steaks

  1. In 1-gallon zipper-lock bag, combine oil, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Place steaks in bag and seal. Turn bag to evenly coat steaks in marinade. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
  2. Remove steaks from marinade and rinse under cold water to remove any pieces of garlic; discard marinade. Pat steaks dry with paper towels. Sprinkle steaks with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper; set aside.
  3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons garlic oil in skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add steaks and cook, flipping every 2 minutes, until well browned and meat registers 115 degrees (for medium-rare), 12 to 16 minutes. Transfer steaks to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Rewhisk sauce to make fluid again. Slice steaks thin and serve with sauce and reserved garlic cloves.

    4. Garlic Sauce and Toasted Garlic

  4. Combine butter, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in bowl. Heat oil, thyme sprigs, and smashed garlic in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until garlic has softened and turned light brown, about 5 minutes, flipping garlic as needed to ensure even browning.
    Recipe Tip
    We developed this recipe using a nonstick skillet, but a cast-iron skillet will also work well. If you're using table salt, use ½ tablespoon for the steaks and ¼ teaspoon for the garlic sauce and toasted garlic.
  5. Remove garlic cloves from skillet with slotted spoon and set aside; discard thyme sprigs. Add 2 tablespoons hot garlic oil from skillet to butter mixture and whisk to combine (mixture should be emulsified and creamy). Set aside.
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