Making Herb Compound Butters
Compound butter is simply softened butter folded with fresh herbs, aromatics, and seasoning, then chilled into a log for easy slicing. It is a way to finish a hot steak, melt over roasted vegetables, or smear onto warm bread without needing a pan or a sauce reduction.
Temperature is the only variable that matters.
Your butter must be soft enough to indent with a finger but not so warm that it turns oily. If it loses structure, your herbs will bleed and the butter will separate.
- small mixing bowl
- silicone spatula
- parchment paper
- sharp chef's knife
What goes in.
- 1/2 lbunsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cupfresh soft herbs (parsley, chives, or tarragon), finely minced
- 1 tspflaky sea salt
- 1 tsplemon zest, finely grated
- 1 clovegarlic, grated into a paste
Using the parchment as a tool
Place your butter line near the edge of the parchment, fold the paper over, and use a bench scraper or straight-edge ruler to pull the paper taut against the butter to compress it into a uniform cylinder.
The method.
Prep the herbs
Finely mince your herbs while they are bone-dry. Any residual water from washing will make the butter weep.
Combine
In a bowl, fold the butter, herbs, salt, zest, and garlic together until evenly distributed. Do not overwork it or the heat of your hands will melt the butter.
Shape
Transfer the mixture to the center of a sheet of parchment paper. Roll into a tight log, twisting the ends of the paper like a candy wrapper to seal it.
Chill
Place the log in the refrigerator for at least an hour until firm enough to slice cleanly with a knife.
Other turns to take.
Steak House
Replace herbs with cracked black pepper and a tablespoon of minced shallots sautéed in a splash of red wine.
Citrus Seafood
Use dill and lime zest; omit the garlic entirely for a cleaner finish on white fish.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always use unsalted butter so you control the exact salinity of the final product.
If using woody herbs like rosemary or thyme, chop them significantly finer than soft herbs to avoid a jagged texture.
Keep the log in the freezer for up to three months; it slices best when slightly frozen.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use a food processor?
Avoid it. The heat from the motor will melt the butter and bruise the herbs, leaving you with a greasy, discolored mess instead of clean streaks of color.
How long will this stay good?
In the refrigerator, it will last as long as the expiration date on the original butter package.
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