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Brazilian Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Rice

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Brazilian
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed sauté pan Essential for getting that nice sear on your steak bites. If you don’t have one, a stainless steel pan works as an alternative, but avoid non-stick for this dish as it doesn’t develop the same crust.
  • Mixing bowl To marinate the steak.
  • Chef’s knife and cutting board For cutting the steak and garlic.
  • Small saucepan For cooking the rice.
  • Tongs or a spatula To flip the steak bites quickly while searing.
  • Microplane or zester For the lemon zest (optional, but enhances the sauce).

Ingredients
  

For the Steak Bites

  • 1.5 lbs skirt steak or sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Juice of 1 lime fresh is best
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

For the Garlic Butter Sauce

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 6 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional, for heat
  • Zest of 1 lemon adds brightness

For the Rice

  • 1 cup long grain white rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions
 

Marinate the Steak

  1. Start by cutting the skirt steak into bite-sized cubes. Skirt steak works beautifully here due to its bold beefy flavor and ability to soak up marinades. Place the cubes in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, oregano, lime juice, and soy sauce. Toss to coat evenly. Let this marinate for at least 15 minutes (longer if you have time — even an hour makes a difference).
  2. This step is key if you want tender, flavorful bites and is one reason why this recipe stands out among grilled steak recipes and other butter steak recipe variations.

Cook the Rice

  1. While the steak marinates, rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the rice, a pinch of salt, and a tablespoon of butter or oil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 more minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Sear the Steak

  1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until smoking hot. Add the steak bites in batches to avoid overcrowding (this helps with the seared steak texture). Sear for 1-2 minutes on each side. You want a golden-brown crust and a medium-rare interior. Remove steak bites and set them aside on a plate.

Make the Garlic Butter Sauce

  1. Lower the heat slightly and add the butter to the same pan. Once it melts, add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 1 minute, just until fragrant. Stir in lemon zest and chopped parsley. This is how you make garlic butter that’s loaded with flavor, and it's a perfect butter sauce for steak.

Combine and Serve

  1. Return the steak bites to the pan and toss in the garlic butter sauce to coat. Let them soak up all that buttery goodness for about a minute on low heat. Spoon the steak bites over a bed of warm rice, making sure to drizzle any remaining garlic butter sauce from the pan over everything.
  2. This isn’t just garlic butter steak—it’s practically a tribute to Brazilian steakhouse flavors in weeknight form.