Herbed Compound Butter Recipe

February 23, 2022 by Holly Darnell, RD

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Sometimes, we just want a good steak. And maybe some salt and pepper is all you require to make it taste like heaven. But have you ever tried compound butter on top? It takes steak, or chicken, fish or even veggies, to another level.

Compound butter (or a flavored butter) is essentially traditional butter mixed with ingredients. Most commonly it uses herbs and garlic, but you also even go with a hotter spice like chili pepper or a sweet ingredient like honey.

Let’s dig in.

What Is Compound Butter?

So, if you had to guess, where do you think compound butter came from? France, of course! The original compound butter — Beurre Maître d’Hôtel or the Maitre d’s butter — was traditionally made tableside. It included minced parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper. It was whipped into this herbed compound better, and the pats were put on top of grilled steak so it’d melt into the red meat as it “rested.” Yum.

As compound butter evolved, other fresh herbs are sometimes incorporated, as well as minced or crushed garlic or shallots. You can even spice it up with chili powder or hot sauce. The idea is to enhance the flavor in various dishes, almost like a sauce.

Besides using them on a protein like steak or grilled fish, they can also be used as a spread for baked goods. It’s also a perfect topping for a baked potato or sweet potato.

It’s one of the more versatile toppings to have in the kitchen. It can be stored in the freezer, so you can simply slice it whenever a dish calls for it. Simple wrap in plastic or parchment paper, and chill until it is firm enough to be sliced.

How to Make Compound Butter

As you can see, there are many different compound butter variations. Ours features the herbs rosemary and chives alongside shallots and Maldon flaky sea salt. What is Maldon sea salt? They are are irregularly-shaped crystals that lend a crunch to your dish along with a not overly salty flavor.

Prepare to be delighted. Here’s how to make herbed compound butter.

Take a stick of butter out of the fridge and allow it to soften at room temperature. While the butter softens, dice up half a shallot and finely chop the rosemary and chives.

When the butter has softened, add the butter, shallot, rosemary, chives as well as sea salt to a food processor. Mix until thoroughly combined and specks of ingredients are shown in the butter.

Scrap the butter onto saran wrap or parchment paper and roll into a log. Refrigerate for at least one hour, but best if chilled overnight. You can also store part of it in the freezer.

Slice off a “pat” for a steak, grilled fish or roasted chicken dish. You can also add on top of a vegetable dish or baked potatoes.