One Herby Infused-Oil Is The Perfect Finishing Touch For Steak

Aromatic fresh herbs pair perfectly with robustly flavored savory beef — it's why the uncooked herby sauce chimichurri is often served with grilled meats. With its pine-like scent and woodsy taste, earthy rosemary works especially well with steak. But rather than simply cooking your steak with rosemary together, it's worth transforming the hardy herb into a fragrant oil to dress the cooked meat with.

Making your own rosemary oil rather than buying a bottle means you can control the intensity of the flavor, so it doesn't overpower the steak. Using fresh rosemary will give an unbeatable taste, but make sure it's completely dry before making the oil. This is because any water will cause the oil to spoil and also increase the potential risk of botulism spreading. Whether you're storing your fresh rosemary in water to maximize its freshness or you're washing the herb before making the infusion, just make sure there's no moisture present.

Use whatever oil you like the taste of, and which suits how you're going to be using it. Extra virgin olive oil is great for drizzling over your cooked steak as well as other foods such as chicken, roasted potatoes, bread, or even popcorn, or you could try something with less odor and a higher smoke point such as safflower, canola, or sunflower oil if you're cooking with it. The process of making the oil is simple, and you can either use heat or follow a cold infusion method.

To make rosemary oil on the stove, gently heat a cup of oil with a quarter-cup of fresh rosemary leaves in a pan. Let the mixture infuse for 30 minutes over the low heat — or for a faster result, give it five minutes over medium-low heat then let it cool to room temperature. Alternatively, use a slow cooker — just heat the oil and rosemary uncovered on high for a couple of hours before letting it cool.

For a cold infusion, it's best to dehydrate fresh rosemary. Either do this in the oven or use your microwave to dry herbs in just a few minutes. Combine the dried rosemary and oil in a clean sealed jar and let it infuse for up to two weeks, then strain it before use.

To amp up the flavor of the oil even further, add some extra ingredients to really make your steak sing. Try a couple of cloves of garlic for a rich, tasty oil that perfectly complements beef. Add other herbs that go well with rosemary, such as thyme or oregano, or chili for some heat. 

As well as drizzling the aromatic oil over the steak as a dressing, you could also use it as the base for a quick sauce to boost your steak. Just mix it with ingredients such as salty capers, bright lemon juice and zest, and extra fresh herbs such as parsley or chives.