Name: Herb Butter (Compound Butter Recipe)
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter (softened ); 2 cloves garlic (crushed ); 2 tbsp parsley (chopped ); 1 tbsp chives (chopped ); 1 tsp thyme (chopped ); 1/4 tsp salt

Recipe Video Print

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Herb butter is a delicious topping to use on poultry, beef, and bread. Make this compound butter recipe to add flavor to your Thanksgiving turkey!

What is compound butter?

Compound butter is a mixture of herbs, spices, cheese or aromatic liquids that are combined with soft butter.

The flavored butter is then reformed, in either wax paper, plastic wrap or parchment paper, and chilled until it is firm enough to be cut into slices.

How to make herb butter

For this recipe, we will add fresh herbs to soft butter, creating a delicious topping for chicken, turkey, fish, vegetables, or even potato rolls.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Soft butter – A little bit cold or even room temperature is fine; just don’t allow it to start melting.
Fresh or dried herbs – For the best flavor, use fresh herbs. I use parsley, chives, and thyme, plus a couple of minced garlic cloves.

STEP BY STEP DIRECTIONS

Add room temperature butter and fresh herbs or flavorings of your choice to a mixing bowl. Use a silicone mixing spatula or wooden spoon to combine everything together.
Form the butter mixture into a small tube shape on a piece of plastic wrap, parchment paper, or waxed paper.
Wrap it up, being careful not to squeeze it too tightly. TIP: Use a cardboard tube from a roll of bath tissue to assist in creating the shape.
Slide one end of the wrapped butter into the tube, positioning it neatly inside. Then, pat the edges to help form a perfect cylinder.
Refrigerate the compound butter until it is firm enough to cut into slices.

Uses for flavored butter

There is nothing better then a nice herbal butter rubbed under the skin of a turkey. This isn’t the only use for it, though!

Melt a slice on top of a perfectly grilled ribeye steak, or add it to a bowl of steamed rice or vegetables. Although you could also make it for any other dish where you would need a nice dab of hot melted butter, like muffins, breads, etc.

There are many different compound butter recipes, but they all serve a common purpose; to add flavor!

An herb butter like this is best on top of turkey, chicken, and vegetables.

Adding cheese to a compound butter recipe, like Gorgonzola steak butter, creates flavor as well as a bit of texture. Cheese butter is fantastic on any type of beef ,and it’s also a great way to make cheesy garlic bread.

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can you freeze herb butter? Yes, you can! Just be sure to wrap it well to prevent freezer burn. It will keep well in the freezer for about 6 months.

Does butter need to be refrigerated? It’s generally okay to keep butter at room temperature for a couple of days, but it’s best if the temperature in the room is below 70 F. Otherwise, the butter may start to melt. If the butter won’t be used up in 2-3 days, it’s best to store it in the refrigerator or freezer.

This recipe first appeared on Kevin Is Cooking September 2013 and has been updated with new photos and video.

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Herb Butter (Compound Butter Recipe)

Herb butter is a delicious topping to use on poultry, beef, vegetables, and bread. Make this compound butter recipe to add flavor to your Thanksgiving turkey!

4.91 from 11 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Keyword: compound butter, herb compound butter

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Refrigerate: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: servings

Calories: 103kcal

Author: Kevin Is Cooking

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter softened
2 cloves garlic crushed
2 tbsp parsley chopped
1 tbsp chives chopped
1 tsp thyme chopped
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Let butter come to room temperature and place in a bowl
Using the side of a knife, smash the cloves of garlic to remove the skins and chop fine.
Chop the fresh herbs and mix in with butter, garlic and salt.
With a spatula incorporate all the ingredients and fold onto a sheet of wax paper.
Roll the butter mixture into a cylindrical shape working with the wax paper. (See Note 1) Twist the edges and refrigerate until firm.
Remove from refrigerator, unroll and slice into pieces to top each steak.
Roll up and refrigerate the remaining compound butter.

Video

Notes

1. Form the butter herb mixture into a small tube shape on a piece of plastic, wrap it up and use a bath tissue cardboard tube to assist in keeping it's shape. Slide one end of the plastic wrapped butter through and position it neatly inside and pat the edges to help form a perfect cylinder.

*** Recipe video shows the inclusion of blue cheese (optional).

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.