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Compound Butter, Three Ways

by Matt Kennard

Cowboy butter, shallot and garlic, and a plain herb butter. It starts and ends with the butter itself, so buy the good stuff.

Serves
8
Active
15 min
Total
2 hr 15 min
No-cookDinner
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The base

  • Good unsalted butter, 225 g, softened to room temperature
  • Salt, ½ tsp, plus more to taste
  • Black pepper

Let the butter sit out until a finger dents it easily. Cold butter won't take the additions, and melted butter separates when it chills again.

Cowboy butter

  • The base
  • Garlic, 4 cloves, minced or grated
  • Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp
  • Lemon, 1 — the zest and about half the juice
  • Paprika, 1 tsp
  • Cayenne, ¼ tsp, more if you like it hot
  • Parsley, 15 g, chopped
  • Chives, 10 g, sliced thin

For steak, and for anything off the grill. Good melted into a dish as a dipping butter too.

Shallot and garlic butter

  • The base
  • Shallot, 2, minced fine
  • Garlic, 3 cloves, minced
  • Thyme, 1 tbsp leaves

Sweat the shallot and garlic in a little butter over low heat until soft and sweet, about 5 minutes, then cool completely before folding them in. Raw shallot is sharp and goes sharper in the fridge. This one goes on everything: steak, chicken, bread, vegetables.

Herb butter

  • The base
  • Rosemary, 1 tbsp, chopped fine
  • Thyme, 1 tbsp leaves
  • Parsley, 15 g, chopped
  • Lemon zest, from 1 lemon
  • Garlic, 1 clove, grated

The plainest of the three and the most useful. Rosemary is strong, so chop it finer than you think.

Ingredients

8

Method

  1. Prep a finger dents it easily

    Soften the butter to room temperature. Do not microwave it.

  2. Prep cooled

    Prepare the additions. Anything raw and sharp -- shallot in particular -- gets cooked soft and cooled first.

  3. Assemble evenly streaked through

    Fold everything into the butter with a spatula. A mixer works but whips air in, which you do not want in a log.

  4. Prep seasoned

    Taste it. Butter mutes salt, so it will need more than it seems.

  5. Assemble a log about 1½ inches across

    Spoon it onto parchment or plastic wrap in a line, fold the edge over and roll it into a log. Twist the ends.

  6. Rest 2 hours · firm enough to slice

    Chill at least 2 hours before slicing.

If it's not right

What you seeWhyWhat to do
Greasy or separated The butter was melted rather than softened. Start again at room temperature.
Harsh and oniony after a day Raw shallot or too much raw garlic. Sweat them next time.
Bland Underseasoned. Butter needs more salt than you would expect.
Watery Wet herbs. Dry them properly before chopping.

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