There’s a kind of quiet that settles in after the last run of the day.
The dust hangs low, the trailers start to hum, and you can feel it in your bones—you’ve earned whatever comes next. Win or lose, good run or missed shot, one thing’s for certain… you’re hungry.
Not fancy hungry. Not ‘let’s try a new recipe’ hungry. Just plain, honest, feed-me-something-good hungry.
That’s where a cast iron skillet and a little fire come in.
I’ve been learning lately that some of the best meals don’t come from a fully stocked kitchen. They come from keeping it simple—good meat, a hot pan, and just enough patience to let it sear up right.
Steak bites have become one of my favorites for exactly that reason. No fuss, no long prep, no pile of dishes waiting on the other side. Just bite-sized pieces of steak hitting a hot skillet, sizzling in their own juices, and turning into something that feels a whole lot bigger than the effort it took.
Add a little butter, maybe a touch of garlic if you’re feeling fancy, and you’re in business.
It’s the kind of meal you can throw together on a tailgate, over a camp stove, or back at the house when the day finally winds down. No measuring cups required.
And somehow, out there in the open air, it just tastes better.
Maybe it’s the smoke. Maybe it’s the company. Or maybe it’s just that simple food has a way of hitting different when you’ve worked for it.
Either way… it gets the job done.
Cast Iron Steak Bites with Cowboy Compound Butter
Hearty, simple, and built for after a long day. Cook it anywhere—tailgate, camp stove, or kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs sirloin or tri-tip, cut into bite-size pieces
- Salt & black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp butter
Cowboy Compound Butter
- 4 tbsp butter, softened
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Pinch of chili flakes
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix all compound butter ingredients until combined. Set aside.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Add oil.
- Season steak pieces with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Add steak to hot skillet in a single layer. Sear without moving for 2–3 minutes.
- Stir and cook another 2–3 minutes until browned and cooked to your liking.
- Add 2 tbsp butter to the skillet and toss steak to coat.
- Remove from heat and top with a dollop of cowboy compound butter.
- Serve hot straight from the skillet or on a cutting board.
Notes
- Cook in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Great served straight from the skillet on a tailgate.
- Works over fire, camp stove, grill, or kitchen range.
— Bambi Porter, bambiporter.com
Bambi Porter’s Cast Iron Steak Bites use 1½ pounds of sirloin or tri-tip cut into bite-size pieces. Both cuts sear quickly in a hot cast iron skillet and stay tender.
Cowboy compound butter is a simple finishing butter made by mixing 4 tablespoons of softened butter with minced garlic, chopped parsley, lemon juice, a pinch of chili flakes, and salt. A dollop melts over the hot steak bites just before serving.
Yes. Bambi Porter’s cast iron steak bites are built to cook anywhere — on a tailgate, over a camp stove, on a grill, or a kitchen range — with no measuring cups required.
Heat the cast iron skillet over high heat, add the steak in a single layer, and sear without moving it for 2–3 minutes. Cook in batches if needed so you don’t overcrowd the pan, which causes the meat to steam rather than brown.
