Skip to main content

Cumin-Rubbed Grilled Steaks with Chili-Lime Butter

Summer is officially just a week away, and that means grilling season is in full swing at my house.  Steak on the grill is one of our favorite dinners this time of year. 

With food prices on the rise, you'll want to make your grilled steaks memorable for family and friends.  Today's recipe won't disappoint you.  That's because it is packed with extra flavor you will love.

Southwest Steak on the Grill 

Use a dry rub and compound butter to jazz up grilled steak


This kicked-up recipe for grilled steak has been a family summer grilling favorite for many years. It starts with a cumin-flavored dry rub marinade and ends with a chili-lime-butter topping that adds an extra pop of deliciousness as it melts over your perfectly grilled steak.
My preferred steaks to use in this recipe are either rib eyes or sirloin strip steaks, but use whatever steak cut you love.  We always cook our steaks outside on a gas grill, but the type of grill you use is up to you. 

Make the Spice Rub and the Compound Butter in Advance

First, prepare the Southwest-flavored compound butter that I guarantee will become a required ingredient in your refrigerator.  It is an essential ingredient for this dish.  


You'll want to make your chili-lime butter ahead of time so has had plenty of time to firm up before you grill your steaks.  Make it in the morning or several days ahead.  You can keep the butter in your freezer as well.

Use chili-lime compound butter to flavor grilled steak


How to Make Chili-Lime Compound Butter

You will need:
  • 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
  • zest of one lime
  • juice of one lime
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Early in the day, mix the butter, juice of one lime, cilantro, chili powder, garlic, and black pepper together in a small bowl until well combined.  It can be a little challenging to mix the lime juice into the butter. 

Place the butter mixture on a piece of wax paper.  Roll the butter mixture into a log shape, twist the ends and refrigerate until chilled and the butter is solid.  You can keep this butter in the refrigerator for a week or freeze it for a longer period.

How to Make the Cumin Dry Rub


Cumin-rubbed steak with chili-lime butter ingredients
You will need:
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder

Directions
Remove the steaks from the refrigerator approximately one hour before cooking.  Prepare the dry rub by combining the cumin, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Set aside.

To Make the Grilled Steak

Heat your grill.

Approximately 30 minutes before grilling, drizzle olive oil over both sides of the steaks.  Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over both sides of the steaks making sure to cover well.  Set aside.

Grill the steaks to your desired doneness.  We like medium-rare which takes about four minutes per side on a one-inch thick steak.  Use an instant-read thermometer to take the guesswork out of the grilling.  

Place a couple of slices of Chili-Lime Butter on each steak immediately when removing it from the grill.  You'll want the butter to melt over the steaks as you let them rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Steaks on the grill topped with chili-lime butter


The chili-lime butter is perfect on grilled corn-on-the-cob.  

Grilled corn on the cob or mixed vegetables would be delicious side dishes for this steak.  

steak, grilled steak, compound butter for grilling
dinner
American
Yield: 4-6
Author: Donna Urso
Chili-Lime Grilled Steaks

Chili-Lime Grilled Steaks

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 10 MinInactive time: 30 MinTotal time: 55 Min
A kicked-up recipe for grilled steak that starts with a cumin-flavored dry rub marinade and ends with a chili-lime-butter topping that adds an extra pop of deliciousness as it melts over your perfectly grilled steak.

Ingredients

For the Chili-Lime Compound Butter
For the Cumin Dry Rub
For the Grilled Steaks

Instructions

  1. Early in the day prepare the Chili-lime butter and the dry rub. Mix the butter, juice of one lime, cilantro, chili powder, garlic, and black pepper together in a small bowl until well combined. It can be a little challenging to mix the lime juice into the butter.
  2. Place the butter mixture on a piece of wax paper. Roll the butter mixture into a log shape, twist the ends and refrigerate until chilled and the butter is solid. You can keep this butter in the refrigerator for a week or freeze it for a longer period.
  3. Prepare the rub by combining the cumin, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Set aside.
  4. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator approximately one hour before cooking.
  5. Approximately 30-60 minutes before grilling, drizzle olive oil over both sides of the steaks. Sprinkle the dry rub seasoning mixture over both sides of the steaks making sure to cover well. Set aside.
  6. Heat your grill. Grill the steaks to your desired doneness. We like medium-rare which takes about four minutes per side on a one-inch thick steak. Use an instant-read thermometer to take the guesswork out of the grilling.
  7. Place a couple of slices of Chili-Lime Butter on each steak immediately when removing it from the grill. You'll want the butter to melt over the steaks as you let them rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Freeze the chili-lime compound butter to use on burgers, fish, and corn on the cob throughout the summer. Wrap the log of butter well and store it in a freezer bag.

Nutritional information is approximate.

Before you go...Never miss a Just One Donna post by signing up to receive posts in your email or your favorite RSS feed.  Links are in the sidebar.


Enjoy!


Comments

  1. Donna, this steak and chilli lime butter sounds so very delicious, Your tutorial is helpful, I can almost smell it cooking.

    Kathleen
    Bloggers Pit Stop - we love good posts

    ReplyDelete
  2. This sounds amazing! I must give this a try. Thanks for sharing and nice to meet you through the Summer BBQ Link Up :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. This sounds OMG AMAZING! I can't wait to try it. I can already taste it;)...

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Talk to me. I welcome your comments. (These comments are strictly moderated. Spammers take note.)

More Popular Posts

Crunchy, Spicy Gingersnap Cookies

Crunchy, spicy, and yummy are all words used to describe a good gingersnap cookie.   While my hands-down, favorite cookie is a gooey chocolate chip cookie I occasionally crave a spicy ginger snaps cookie or  this molasses cookie .  This old-fashioned gingersnap cookie is a winner.  It's easy to make and will be a favorite in your recipe rotation. Traditional Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe ( This post contains affiliate links.  I will be compensated when you make a purchase with these links.) Gingersnaps Cookies In the U.S., gingersnaps are usually drop cookies with lots of cracks on the surface.  That's exactly how I like them.  Those found in other countries may be thinner and sliced.  The Lebkuchen, a traditional German cookie, and the pepparkakor, from Sweden, are often cut into festive shapes.  My gingersnaps are round. Reasons You'll Love These Gingersnap Cookies These gingersnaps are tasty cookies at any time of the year.   Their spiciness is perfect as a holid

How to Make a Perfect Bacon and Eggs Breakfast

In my opinion, the best breakfast consists of two perfectly fried eggs, crispy bacon, and toast made with hearty bread. This bacon and eggs recipe delivers. Bacon and eggs or eggs and bacon? No matter, it is definitely the breakfast you want on those lazy mornings when you have time to relax around the kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee or two. The Best Bacon and Eggs Breakfast (This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience.  When you make a purchase using these links you help support this blog.) How to Cook Bacon and Eggs My technique was learned from my mom, by watching her make our family's breakfast over and over again, year after year.  This is a basted egg recipe which means the eggs are cooked in bacon grease. Cooking eggs in bacon fat is easy and takes just a little practice to perfect. All you really need for a great bacon and eggs breakfast is a good nonstick skillet and a good toaster . If you want to make your own bread fo

Grandma's Soft and Chewy Date-Filled Cookies

One of the things I can count on as the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons arrive each year is a feeling of nostalgia. The traditional foods we serve at our family's holiday tables can sure bring out all the feels. Now that it is officially cookie season, we should kick it off with an old-fashioned homemade date-filled cookie recipe. This is a soft, tender cookie with dates that is a special, nostalgic, family recipe.   An Old-Fashioned Date Cookies Recipe This old-fashioned, date-filled cookie was my dad's favorite cookie from his childhood. My dad was born in 1932 so this recipe has been around for quite a while. 

Traditional New England Whoopie Pies

Are you looking for the best whoopie pie recipe?  Whoopie pies are a quintessential New England dessert and a memorable treat from my childhood.   My mom would make them for us every once in a while.  Oh, what a treat to come home from school to a platter of chocolate whoopie pies!  Yum! Today I'm sharing my recipe for the best-ever whoopie pies. The Best Whoopie Pies Recipe without Marshmallow Fluff Whoopie Pies Whoopie pies are soft round cookie-like cakes with a smooth cream filling sandwiched in the center. Debate rages about the whoopie pie's origin.  Some say these goodies originated in New England, others say they originated with the Amish.   There is also debate about what ingredients should be in the filling.  Many recipes include fillings made with Marshmallow Fluff or buttercream but neither is  traditional, in my opinion.  The whoopie pie of my childhood is a traditional Maine whoopie pie recipe, made with a cooked flour and milk mixture added to suga

The Best Asian Dipping Sauce You'll Ever Taste

If you're looking for a versatile, easy-to-make Asian dipping sauce perfect for sushi and dumplings, then you've come to the right place. This recipe for the best Asian dipping sauce is perfect for any time you want a  kick of delicious Asian flavor. An Asian Dipping Sauce for Sushi and Dumplings Try this if you are looking for a dipping sauce that is a little more flavorful than you typically get with your takeout order. You'll love it with dumplings, too!

How to Doctor Up Store-Bought Potato Salad

Here's a potato salad time-saver for you just in time for summer cookouts. You'll love how you can transform grocery store potato salad so easily no matter whether you are hosting a BBQ or bringing a side dish for a summer barbecue. There's no judgment here. We don't always have the time to make a potato salad from scratch. Sometimes it is just easier to stop by your local grocery store to pick up a container of store-made potato salad. It's good. It's predictable.  It will do.  All it needs is a little doctoring. How to Make Store-Bought Potato Salad Better When you need a quick potato salad, and have no time to make one from scratch, that ordinary store-bought potato salad you have in your refrigerator can go from blah to amazing in just a few minutes with just a few ingredients. Yes, you can improve store-bought potato salad. How to Doctor Up Potato Salad to have a little more flavor? You're going to a potluck picnic or you are having

Easy Chicken Parmesan-A Make Ahead Freezer Dinner

Chicken Parmesan is a favorite dinner in the Just One Donna house because it is a delicious dish that can satisfy your cravings for Italian food. It's also easy to make at home with simple ingredients you probably have in your pantry.  But what if you don't have time to cook on a busy weeknight? Don't worry, you can make Chicken Parmesan ahead of time and freeze it for later. I like to prepare Chicken Parmesan to have on hand in my freezer for those busy weeknights when we might be tempted to head to a restaurant instead of eating at home.  How to Make Freezer Chicken Parmesan for Busy Nights This post contains affiliate links.  I receive a small compensation when you shop using these links Easy Freezer Chicken Parmesan for Dinner Chicken Parmesan, also known as Chicken Pa

Can You Make Better Bacon in Water?

What is the best way to cook crisp, tender bacon? Today, let's investigate a new method for cooking bacon on the stove that I'm seeing suggested as a technique that will change your life.  It's frying your bacon in a pan with a small amount of water.  Is cooking bacon with a bit of water in the pan a better way to make bacon? How to Cook Bacon in Water This is a simple, relatively fast way to make perfectly cooked bacon every time. Whether you are looking to impress your guests with a decadent breakfast or just want to enjoy a delicious bacon treat, this technique is the perfect solution.

How to Trap and Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Fruit flies can be a huge annoyance at certain times of the year. What can you do to kill fruit flies? We've all been there wondering how to get rid of fruit flies.  Fruit flies in the kitchen.  Fruit flies in the bathroom.  Fruit flies buzzing around everywhere in your home.   It's a frustrating problem that happens to everyone at one time or another.  If you are a fresh fruit and produce lover you certainly know what I mean. How to Kill Fruit Flies with Two Ingredients Those pesky little buggers can often be brought into your home on the vegetables and fruit you buy. You don't have to tolerate the annoyance.  This homemade fruit fly trap is one I have been using for many years and it works every time. 

Irish Cream Mousse Cake

Here's a chocolate cake that will help you celebrate St. Patrick's Day but you'll love it any day of the year. What's better than chocolate cake? In my family chocolate cake is one of the top five favorite desserts.  I know this because I took a poll. The only other cake to make the top five desserts list is our favorite carrot cake.  We usually prefer our chocolate cake with a simple chocolate buttercream frosting, but occasionally I try to mix it up by introducing a new filling, like this Irish Cream Cheesecake Mousse. A Kicked-up Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting This post contains affiliate links.  When you shop with these links we receive a small compensation. Irish Cream Mousse Chocolate Layer Cake The Irish Cream mousse used in this cake is yummy by itself or in these  Irish Cream Trifles .  Individual trifles are delicious and would be a fun alternative to this cake for St. Patrick's Day. Our favorite chocolate cake i