Fresh Herb Compound Butter

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Compound butter is a fabulous finishing touch. This is a quick and easy way to add a lot of extra flavor to steaks, chicken, fish, or even rice and pasta.

What is compound butter?

Compound butter is butter that’s been creamed together with other ingredients, like herbs, spices, wine, oil, etc. Whip it up, keep it in the fridge or freezer, and slice as you need.

Use any combination of herbs you like. This time, I chose fresh chives and thyme.

Fresh Herb Compound Butter at The Hungry Mouse

Chopped fresh chives

Fresh Herb Compound Butter at The Hungry Mouse

Fresh thyme

Five combinations for compound butter

Here are some other ideas for fabulous compound butters:

+Orange zest + triple sec + chili flakes
+Chili powder + garlic + cumin
+Porcini powder + cognac + caramelized shallot
+Mint + garlic + chives
+Brown sugar + rum + toasted pecans

Fresh Herb Compound Butter

1 stick of butter (8 Tbls.)
2 Tbls. fresh chives, chopped
1 Tbls. thyme leaves, chopped
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper

Fresh Herb Compound Butter: Soften the butter

Leave your butter out on the counter for about a half an hour to soften it up.

Fresh Herb Compound Butter at The Hungry Mouse

Toss it in a bowl.

Fresh Herb Compound Butter at The Hungry Mouse

Mash it up with a fork.

Fresh Herb Compound Butter at The Hungry Mouse

Fresh Herb Compound Butter at The Hungry Mouse

Fresh Herb Compound Butter: Mix the herbs & butter together

Chop your herbs up into small-ish pieces.

Fresh Herb Compound Butter at The Hungry Mouse

Fresh Herb Compound Butter at The Hungry Mouse

Toss the herbs into the bowl with the butter.

Fresh Herb Compound Butter at The Hungry Mouse

Fresh Herb Compound Butter at The Hungry Mouse

Add kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.

Fresh Herb Compound Butter at The Hungry Mouse

With a fork, mix the herbs into the butter until you have a fairly uniform consistency.

Fresh Herb Compound Butter at The Hungry Mouse

Fresh Herb Compound Butter: Wrap and chill your butter

Spoon your compound butter out onto a piece of wax paper in the shape of a log, like this:

Fresh Herb Compound Butter at The Hungry Mouse

Fold the wax paper over the butter, and roll it into a tight cylinder.

Fresh Herb Compound Butter at The Hungry Mouse

Fresh Herb Compound Butter at The Hungry Mouse

Twist the ends of the wax paper (like a hard candy wrapper) to seal the butter up.

Fresh Herb Compound Butter at The Hungry Mouse

Fresh Herb Compound Butter at The Hungry Mouse

Pop the butter into the fridge to chill it and harden it up. When it’s firm, it should look about like this:

Fresh Herb Compound Butter at The Hungry Mouse

Store butter in the fridge or freezer. Slice as needed!

 

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Jessie Cross is a cookbook author and creator of The Hungry Mouse, a monster online food blog w/500+ recipes. When she's not shopping for cheese or baking pies, Jessie works as an advertising copywriter in Boston. She lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her husband and two small, fluffy wolves.

27 COMMENTS

  1. This could be very dangerous. Almost everything is better with butter! I really like your flavour combination suggestions.
  2. I love compound butters. One of my absolute favourites is caramelized shallots with lemon. I know it's not what they are generally used for, but I like them on fresh, crusty bread. Kind of like garlic bread but with minimal effort.
  3. Hi Jessie! Just wanted to tell you that this was WONDERFUL. I topped two filets with it. Of course, after we inhaled it, I realized I should've snapped a picture and emailed it to you :( Next time I will, promise. I make your chicken quarters at least once a month also, and never thought to send you a picture!
  4. Look good! I love making compound butter. My favourite is honey and curry powder! So good on toast as well as frying up eggs or making shrimp. Delicious!
  5. Hi Jessie. Would you please create actual recipes for your Five Combinations for compound butter? They would be delicious!
  6. That looks so yummy! I can tell I'll be making lots of different flavours when my herbs come up! You have also given me an excellent 'frugal idea' for my portfoilo for my course. Your site has now been bookmarked. :)

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