Here it is: the ultimate horseradish sauce recipe and the ultimate way to serve it!
Yes, the minute we think of the best horseradish sauce recipe, we think of the creamy sauce alongside an elegant prime rib during the holiday season or as part of a spread at a classic steakhouse. Our favorite way to serve it for anything from date night to a dinner party is with butter-basted steak.
If you’re after steakhouse-level beef, there are few techniques as decadent and spot-on as making it butter-basted. And few sauces pair better than a horseradish sauce’s spicy, tangy, sweet flavors.
Why You’ll Love This Butter-Basted Steak With Creamy Horseradish Sauce Recipe
Here, we’ve combined those classics (restaurant-style steak and a bold horseradish cream sauce) for an elegant and approachable dish.
Before we go further, if you’ve never heard of butter-basted steak, allow us to explain. This steak is seared in a cast-iron pan on the stovetop, like you’ve likely done in the past. But in the last minute or two, you add butter, herbs, and garlic, tilt the pan, and quickly spoon the butter over the steak. This basting method creates an incredible crust on the steak that brings flavor. Is it decadent? Yes. But it is so worth it.
Heads up that the butter basting technique takes a little getting used to. You see, you only want to cook the butter until it is dark brown but not burned (usually less than 90 seconds).
But once you get the hang of it, the butter-basting will feel like old hat, and your dinner guests will love it so much that you’ll wonder why you ever made steak any other way!
The steak is seriously delicious as is, but totally gourmet when paired with the creamy horseradish sauce recipe. The classic version of this sauce is sour cream with horseradish and herbs. But it can sometimes feel heavy and a little lacking in flavor.
We make it with slightly whipped cream to lighten it up and then add fresh lemon zest and juice, grainy Dijon mustard, and fresh herbs for a brighter, lighter California twist.
The result is the perfect date night meal and is generous enough to serve two as a main course or four when paired with sides like roast potatoes, sauteed spinach, and sauteed mushrooms.
California Grown Goodness
This recipe, created with Real California Milk, California Beef Council, and Stater Bros. Markets, is intended to inspire your next dinner party or date night at home.
Stater Bros. Markets is a classic Southern California grocery store with roots dating back to 1936, when twin brothers Cleo and Leo Stater opened their first market in Yucaipa. Nearly 90 years later, it remains a go-to for California-grown produce, high-quality beef, and California dairy, making it easy to shop local for every ingredient in this butter-basted steak and creamy horseradish sauce recipe.
At Stater Bros., you’ll find plenty of Real California Milk products, like heavy cream and crème fraîche or sour cream in the refrigerated section, that form the base of this creamy horseradish sauce recipe.
Look for the Real California Milk Seal when you shop. It guarantees that your dairy is made with wholesome milk from local dairy families committed to quality, authenticity, and sustainability.
Recipe Ingredients
Combined with a perfectly butter-basted ribeye, this recipe delivers restaurant-quality results while still being achievable in your kitchen. Here’s what you need for recipe perfection.
For the creamy horseradish sauce recipe:
- California Heavy cream: creates a creamy base.
- California Crème fraîche or sour cream: Adds tang and richness.
- Prepared horseradish: You want prepared (not creamed horseradish) as it delivers that signature spicy condiment flavor. (P.S. Check this out if you want to know how horseradish is grown.)
- Lemon juice and zest: brighten the horseradish flavor and add California freshness.
- Whole grain Dijon mustard: deepen the flavor with a bit of spice. You can add regular Dijon if you like, but we add the mustard seeds’ crunch.
- Fresh chives and black pepper: fresh herbs and spices for balance.
For the butter-basted steak:
- Bone-in ribeye: a bone-in cut with the best flavor and a tender bite.
- Avocado oil: a high-heat oil for searing.
- California Butter: for that rich taste and classic basting technique.
- Garlic and rosemary: aromatics that infuse the steak with flavor.
- Flaky sea salt: the best condiment to finish with crunch.
How To Make This Recipe
The best part? Once you master butter basting steak, you can create restaurant-quality meals at home. And with this creamy horseradish sauce recipe, you’ll always have a delicious sauce that doubles as a spicy condiment, sandwich spread, or holiday-ready side.
First things first, make the creamy horseradish sauce recipe:
- Whisk The Cream: Whisk the heavy cream in a small bowl until thickened to soft peaks.
- Fold In the Remaining Ingredients: Then mix in the crème fraîche or sour cream, the prepared horseradish, grainy Dijon mustard, lemon zest and juice, and fresh herbs.
- Let Rest: For the best flavor, refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes (or up to 3 days) in an airtight container.
Next, make the steak:
- Salt the steak: Salt the steak and rub it in well with one teaspoon of Diamond kosher salt for each pound of beef. Let it sit for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days to fully flavor the beef.
- Heat oil to smoking: Heat the oil in a large cast-iron pan until wisps of smoke come off.
- Sear the Steak: Immediately add the beef and sear, flipping every 15 to 20 seconds for even cooking and a restaurant-quality crust.
- Cook until 100 to 110 °F: When the beef is about 100 to 110 °F (after about 4 to 5 minutes), you’ll add butter, rosemary, and garlic. Then it’s go time!
- Butter Baste: To create a rich taste, butter baste by immediately tilting the pan and spooning the foaming butter over the steak. Continue until an instant-read thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the tenderloin side, which registers 120 to 125°F (49 to 52°C) for medium-rare, about 6 to 8 minutes total.
- Immediately Transfer: Have a rimmed baking sheet nearby to immediately transfer the steak and pour the butter, herbs, and garlic on top.
- Let the steak rest before carving: Let the steak rest 10 minutes before carving. This is an excellent tutorial on how to carve a bone-in ribeye steak. I totally agree that the spinalis is an underappreciated part of the steak, so don’t skimp on it!
Remember: Have your ingredient amounts ready mise en place, cook them less if in doubt, and know that it may splatter a touch so your stovetop may need a minor cleanup after.
Variations On This Recipe
This original horseradish sauce recipe pairs ribeye with horseradish, but you can easily adapt it.
What To Serve With This
With this butter-basted ribeye and creamy horseradish sauce recipe, we like to serve it steakhouse-style with simple sides like a crisp butter lettuce salad, mashed potatoes, horseradish roasted potatoes, sautéed spinach, or pan-roasted mushrooms.
Horseradish cream sauce is also the perfect condiment for beef tenderloin or prime rib. Leftovers can be used as a sandwich spread for roast beef sandwiches (add in arugula and some Real California Cheddar cheese to make it magical)!
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Butter-Basted Steak With Creamy Horseradish Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
For The Creamy Horseradish Sauce:
- 1/2 cup Real California heavy cream
- 2/3 cup Real California crème fraîche or sour cream
- 1/2 cup prepared horseradish about 4 ounces
- 1 bunch snipped fresh chives
- 1 medium lemon zested and juice
- kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For The Butter-Basted Steak:
- 1 bone-in ribeye steak about 1.5 pounds
- kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons Real California butter
- 1 to 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 garlic clove peeled
- Maldon sea salt or other flaky sea salt, for garnish
Instructions
For The Creamy Horseradish Sauce:
- In a medium bowl, whisk heavy cream until thickened and soft peaks form. Fold in the crème fraîche or sour cream, the prepared horseradish, chives, lemon zest, lemon juice, grainy Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days.
For The Butter-Basted Steak:
- Pat the steak dry with paper towels, then season liberally on all sides with salt (we like to use one teaspoon or kosher salt for each pound). Let the steak rest at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking it, or refrigerate it loosely, covered, up to 2 days. (If putting the steak in the refrigerator, bring it to room temperature for at least 30 minutes (and no longer than 2 hours) before cooking.)
- Heat the oil over high heat in a large (at least 12-inch) heavy-bottomed cast-iron skillet until just beginning to smoke. Carefully add the steak and cook. Using tongs, flip the steak every 15 to 20 seconds, until a pale golden-brown crust starts to develop, about 4 to 5 minutes total (you want it to be around 100 to 110°F before you add the butter).
- Reduce the heat to medium and add butter, herbs, and garlic. Continue to cook, flipping the steak frequently and basting any light spots with foaming butter. Tilt the pan slightly so the butter collects at one side to baste.
- Use a spoon to pick up butter and pour it over the steak, aiming at light spots. Continue flipping and basting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the steak reads 120° - 125°F, about 6 to 8 minutes total. Immediately transfer the steak to a rimmed baking sheet and pour the pan juices on top. Immediately transfer the steak to a rimmed baking sheet and pour the pan juices on top. Let it rest for 10 minutes until the internal temperature is 145°F for medium. Carve and serve.
