Making Garlic Butter
This is the baseline for finishing steaks, basting fish, or elevating a loaf of bread. Once you have the ratio down, you will find yourself reaching for a disk of this from your freezer for almost every meal.
Temperature is everything.
If your butter is cold, it will stay in clumps. Leave it out on the counter until it yields to a light press of your finger.
- Mixing bowl
- Silicone spatula
- Chef's knife
- Parchment paper
What goes in.
- 1 cupunsalted butter, softened
- 4 clovesgarlic, minced to a paste
- 1/2 tspkosher salt
- 1 tbspfresh parsley, finely chopped
Creating a Paste
After mincing the garlic, use the flat side of your knife and a pinch of salt to smash the garlic into a paste on the cutting board. This removes the harsh bite of raw garlic and ensures it disperses evenly through the fat.
The method.
Prep the garlic
Mince the garlic and use the flat of your knife to drag it across the board with a pinch of salt until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
Combine
Place the softened butter in a bowl. Add the garlic paste, salt, and parsley. Use the spatula to fold the ingredients together until the butter is uniform in color.
Form the log
Scoop the butter onto the center of a sheet of parchment paper. Roll it into a tight cylinder, twisting the ends of the paper to seal it.
Chill
Place the log in the refrigerator for at least an hour to firm up before slicing.
Other turns to take.
Lemon Herb
Add one teaspoon of fresh lemon zest to the mix for a bright finish on grilled white fish.
Roasted Garlic
Substitute raw garlic for two heads of roasted garlic. Mash the cloves into the butter for a deeper, mellow profile.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a microplane or grater for the garlic if you want the flavor to be completely invisible in the butter.
If you are freezing the butter, wrap the parchment-covered log in a layer of foil to prevent it from picking up freezer odors.
To use, slice a coin of the frozen butter and drop it onto a hot steak or into a pan of sautéing mushrooms.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use salted butter?
You can, but adjust the added salt down. It is easier to control the outcome starting with unsalted butter.
How long does this stay good?
It will keep in the refrigerator for one week or in the freezer for up to three months.
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