Cowboy Butter Arayes is the tasty grilled sandwich you didn’t know you needed in your life until right now. It’s where traditional Middle Eastern street food meets live-fire cooking. What really makes it stand out is the signature flavor of this cowboy butter, an ingredient I can no longer live without in my cooking.
What is Arayes? It’s typically pita bread stuffed with spiced ground beef, grilled until the bread is crispy and the meat is juicy, then served with a tahini or hummus dipping sauce. But today we’re swapping the tahini for a compound butter (aka herby garlic butter). More to the point, my cowboy butter recipe is loaded with fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, fresh garlic, fresh lemon juice, and so much more.
The result? Crispy pita pockets packed with beef and brushed with a cowboy butter that delivers a kick of heat and tons of flavor. Cowboy Butter Arayes is a freakin’ delicious recipe that works as a weekend cookout crowd-pleaser or even a weeknight dinner if you prep ahead.
Why You’ll Love Cowboy Butter Arayes
Seriously, what’s not to love about the Cowboy Butter Arayes? It’s like the best patty melt you’ve ever had, but better with tons of unforgettable flavor. The pita gets crispy in the skillet, the meat stays juicy inside, and the buttery basting gives you that satisfying bite that just hits.
Did I mention how all the fresh ingredients (like parsley, cilantro, jalapeños, and onion) taste after getting that smoky edge from the grill? There are no words, but freakin’ delicious comes to mind.
Then you add the Cowboy Butter, and it’s just insane. It gives the ground meat a strong flavor from the blend of fresh herbs, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Not to mention the Dijon mustard that truly rounds out that herbalicious savory blend.
If you love this Cowboy Butter Arayes recipe, you’re gonna love Grilled Lamb Arayes too! If you’re here for the cowboy butter goodness, check out Cowboy Butter Burgers, Cowboy Butter Sliders, Cowboy Butter Steak Tacos, and Cowboy Butter Steak and Shrimp.
Ingredients Needed for Cowboy Butter Arayes
- Arayes — Grab some high-quality ground beef, kosher salt, garlic cloves, parsley, cilantro, jalapeños, cumin, onion, and fresh pita bread.
- Cowboy Butter — Unsalted butter (you can start with softened butter or melted butter), fresh garlic, fresh parsley, freshly chopped parsley, fresh chives, fresh thyme, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, a little Dijon mustard, and fresh lemon juice (or lemon zest if you want more punch).
Bring the Flavor Home
Now that you know what we need to make the Cowboy Butter Arayes magic happen, come with me. I’ll walk you through the steps! If you’re feeling eager, go ahead and skip to the recipe card below.
Pro Tip
If you want to really make this a game-changing addition to your grilling lineup, double the cowboy butter recipe and keep extra on hand. It’s the perfect accompaniment not just for these arayes, but also for a rib-eye steak, juicy steak, or grilled shrimp.
You may also want to add my Cowboy Butter seasoning to your kitchen collection. It has that rich but balanced butter, garlic, herbs, mustard, smoked paprika, and vinegar flavor with just a hint of cayenne.
How to Make Cowboy Butter Arayes
Arayes Prep
To get this Cowboy Butter Arayes recipe going, start by adding the parsley, cilantro, onion, and jalapeños to a blender. Pulse until chunky.
Transfer to a paper towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible—this extra step helps the beef hold together and gives you that great texture in the filling.
Mix the ground beef with the chopped herbs, onion mix, cumin, cowboy butter rub, and kosher salt in a large bowl. Slice each pita in half to create pockets.
Stuff the pockets generously with the beef mixture, pressing it in so you get an even layer of meat. Place the stuffed pita halves in the fridge for about 15 minutes to firm up.
In another small bowl, I prefer a mason jar, let’s mix the cowboy butter.
For the cowboy butter, combine your melted butter with fresh garlic, Dijon mustard, freshly chopped parsley, fresh thyme, fresh chives, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, and fresh lemon juice. Put the lid back on the mason jar and shake it to mix.
Arayes Grilling Time
Preheat your grill for direct cooking at high heat, around 400F. Place a cast-iron skillet over the flames for about 2 minutes before cooking. Add oil to the skillet, and once it’s smoking, place your arayes meat-side down. Sear for 40–60 seconds until you get a deep crust, then flip and sear the sides.
Next, crank the Cowboy Butter Arayes up (so they’re still over the coals but getting less heat) and cook at 350F for 20–30 minutes, until the meat hits 165F internal. Baste generously with the cowboy butter during this time to lock in a flavorful butter crust with a kick of heat.
Pull the sandwiches off the grill, let them rest for 5 minutes, and serve with more cowboy butter for dipping. Now all that’s left to do is enjoy. Don’t plan on talking much while you eat because your taste buds will be too busy dancing. Cheers!
What to Serve with Cowboy Butter Arayes
A surprising amount of sides could go with the Cowboy Butter Arayes grilled sandwiches. The fun part is deciding! Some starter ideas: grilled green beans, fresh salad, or some roasted potatoes. Sweet potato fries are another favorite when serving grilled beef sandwiches with heaps of flavor.
Leftover & Reheating Instructions
Store leftover Cowboy Butter Arayes in plastic wrap in an airtight container (or other sealed container) in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat on low heat in a skillet so the pita stays crisp. Or let them get crispy again in a hot air fryer for about 8-10 minutes.
More with Cowboy Butter
FAQs
Absolutely. It’s a versatile sauce. Throw it over juicy steak, roasted chicken, fish, or just dip it into some crusty French bread.
Yeap. Make it, keep it in the fridge, and then let it come to room temperature before serving.
Heck, yeah, that’s what I did. Just make sure they are high-quality and can hold together with stuffed meat inside.
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Cowboy Butter Arayes
Ingredients
Arayes:
- 2 lbs Ground Beef
- 2 tbsp Cowboy Butter Rub
- 1 tbsp Ground Cumin
- ¼ cup Parsley
- ¼ cup Cilantro
- ½ Yellow Onion
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 2 Jalapenos
- 5-6 Whole Pita Bread
Cowboy Butter:
- 2 sticks Unsalted Butter melted
- 2 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1.5 tbsp Chopped Parsley
- 2 tsp Red Chili Flakes
- 1 tsp Cayenne Powder
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
Instructions
Ground Beef
- In a blender, add the parsley, cilantro, onion and jalapenos to a blender and blend until chunky. Add to a paper towel and squeeze until all the water comes out.
- Add the ground beef to a bowl and mix with the rest of the ingredients for the stuffing.
Cowboy Butter
- In another bowl, mix together your cowboy butter and set to the side.
Arayes
- Slice your pita bread in half and open it up so it has a pocket. Take a handful of the stuffing and carefully add into the pocket of the pita bread. Repeat this process so that all your pita is stuffed full.
- Place the arayres in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm.
- Preheat your grill to a high heat (around 400F) for direct cooking. Add a cast iron skillet over the flames 2 minutes before cooking.
- Add plenty of oil to the skillet and once it is smoking, add your arayes meat side down to the skillet. Sear the raw meat until you have developed a nice crust (about 40-60 seconds).
- Then flip the arayes to its side and sear both sides for another 40-60 seconds.
- Once everything is crispy and seared, crank the arayes up on the grill so they're still cooking but getting less heat. Let them cook at 350F for 20-30 minutes until the meat is 165F internal. Baste the outside with cowboy butter at this time. Once done, pull off and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Serve the arayes with the cowboy butter for dipping on the side. Enjoy!
