Description
Compound butter for steak is a simple yet flavorful butter blend that melts beautifully over perfectly cooked steak, adding richness and bursts of savory, herbal, or spicy notes. This recipe provides easy-to-follow steps and versatile variations to create restaurant-quality flavors with minimal effort, making any steak cut extraordinary.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter (softened, about 1 cup or 2 sticks)
- Fresh Herbs (such as basil, parsley, chives, or thyme – about 2 tablespoons, finely chopped)
- Garlic (1-2 cloves, minced or roasted)
- Acid or Zest (1 teaspoon lemon zest or 1 teaspoon vinegar)
- Seasonings (Salt to taste, freshly ground black pepper to taste, chili flakes optional)
Variation Ingredients Examples
- Garlic and Herb: minced garlic, parsley, thyme
- Blue Cheese and Chives: crumbled blue cheese (about 1/4 cup), chopped chives (1 tablespoon)
- Spicy Chipotle: chipotle powder (1/2 teaspoon) or minced chipotle peppers in adobo (1 tablespoon)
- Horseradish Kick: prepared horseradish (1 tablespoon)
- Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil: chopped sun-dried tomatoes (2 tablespoons), fresh basil (1 tablespoon)
Instructions
- Soften the Butter: Start by bringing your unsalted butter to room temperature so it becomes soft enough to mix easily but not melted. This ensures smooth blending of ingredients.
- Prepare Flavors: While the butter softens, finely chop your fresh herbs and mince any garlic or other flavorings like chilies or sun-dried tomatoes to a uniform texture for even distribution.
- Mix Ingredients: Using a fork or small spatula, blend softened butter with your chosen flavorings, seasonings, and optional zest until fully combined and vibrant throughout the butter.
- Shape the Butter: Transfer the butter mixture onto a piece of parchment or plastic wrap and form into a log or block shape. Roll tightly and twist the ends to seal.
- Chill Until Firm: Place the wrapped compound butter in the fridge for at least an hour to firm up. This makes it easy to slice and serve alongside your steak when ready.
Notes
- Use Quality Butter: High-quality butter makes a noticeable difference in flavor and creaminess.
- Don’t Over-Salt: If using salted butter, reduce added salt in the recipe to prevent oversalting your steak.
- Fresh is Best: Use fresh herbs and freshly minced garlic for the brightest, most intense flavors.
- Mix Consistency: Ensure all ingredients are finely chopped for smooth, easy spreading.
- Cool Quickly: Chill the butter immediately after mixing to maintain shape but avoid melting flavors.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: No cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 100
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 40mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: compound butter, steak butter, herb butter, garlic butter, steak topping, homemade butter