# Compound Butter(s)



## Cerise (Jun 24, 2012)

Here is a collection I have put together over the years. Enjoy.

Compound Butter - Beurres Composés

The butter is typically softened, cut in half lengthwise, each half is then rolled in a mixture of selected flavorings, and each half is then left in a cylinder or log shape. Each log is then chilled or frozen to harden, so it can be sliced easily and served for a spreading or topping on foods, as a condiment, as an addition to sauces, to baste meats and vegetables as they are grilled or broiled, and as a flavored topping for chops, steaks or seafood; and used to finish a sauce. A specific recipe isn't really necessary. 

Roasted Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomato Butter 
3 cloves roasted garlic
3 oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained and finely chopped
4 tbls (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Mash gently with a fork until thoroughly mixed. Transfer to a serving container and chill until firm. Alternatively, transfer the blended butter to a sheet of plastic wrap, cover, then form the butter into a log and chill. 
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Lemon and Dill Butter 
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
Dill weed, to taste
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Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic Butter 
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1-3 cloves minced garlic or 1 teaspoon garlic powder, adjust to taste
Fresh parsley, adjust to taste
Dried roasted red pepper, to taste (remove red pepper seeds)
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Beurre d'ail - Garlic Butter 
4 cloves of garlic
1 stick (1/4-pound) unsalted butter, softened

Mash to 4 cloves of garlic to a pulp, using a mortar and pestle, or put them through a garlic press. Blend the garlic into the butter. Use immediately or roll into a log using waxed paper. 

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Beurre de Citron - Lemon Butter
1 stick (1/4-pound) unsalted butter, softened
1 Tablespoon freshly grated lemon peel
Serve on vegetables, fish or chicken.
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Beurre à la Maître d'hotel - Lemon Parsley Butter 
1 stick (1/4-pound) unsalted butter, softened
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
3 Tablespoons chopped parsley
salt and white pepper

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Beurre d'estragon - Tarragon Butter
1 stick (1/4-pound) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup fresh tarragon leaves (blanch the leaves for 2 minutes in boiling water. Dry thoroughly)

Mix the whole tarragon leaveas with the butter. Chop the mixed butter and tarragon leaves and remix. This prevents the tarragon from turning dark. Roll into a log using plastic wrap. Use immediately or refrigerate for use in 1-2 days. Wrap the log in waxed paper, place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Delicious on hot grilled fish or vegetables.
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Beurre Marchand de Vins - Red Wine and Shallot Butter
1 cup red wine
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons concentrated beef or chicken stock
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 stick (1/4-pound) unsalted butter, softened

Put the wine, chopped shallot and stock into a saucepan and boil down to 1/4 cup. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice. Cool the mixture. Work the cooled wine reduction into the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Roll into a log using plastic wrap. Use immediately or refrigerate for use in 1-2 days. To freeze: Wrap the log in waxed paper, place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Delicious on grilled steaks
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Pistachio Herb Butter
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup chopped pistachios 
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 Tbsp. butter, softened (NOT margarine)
Salt and pepper to taste 
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GARLIC BUTTER:
Thoroughly combine 1 stick or 1/2 cup butter, softened, 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, 1 garlic clove, mashed and salt to taste. Let stand for 30 minutes. Use for garlic bread.
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Chili Butter 
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
4-5 tsp. chili powder
1½ tsp. lime juice
1 tsp. pepper sauce
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Strawberry Butter 
1 stick butter, softened
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. sugar
Fresh, strawberries, to taste
(hulled and halved)
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Classic Herb Butter 
1 stick butter, softened
Black pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley
Fresh tarragon
Fresh thyme
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Orange Butter 
1/2 cup softened butter
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp grated orange peel
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Roasted Red Pepper Butter 
Makes about 1/2 cup 
1 stick unsalted butter, softened 
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste 
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
1 clove garlic, minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
Fresh minced parsley to taste 
1 roasted red pepper, chopped 
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Recipe variations for 1/2 cup of butter 
Chili Butter 
Add 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice, and 1 teaspoon pepper sauce to butter. This is divine on chicken breasts or grilled flank steak. 

Herb Butter 
Combine butter with ground black pepper, salt, and fresh mixed herbs, all to taste. Top steamed fish and vegetables. 

Lemon Dill Butter 
Mix 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest, and fresh dill weed to butter. Lemon dill butter is especially good on roasted salmon. 

Black Olive Rosemary Butter 
Add 2 tablespoons chopped black olives and 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary to butter. Try this on warm French bread or whipped into mashed potatoes. 

Rosemary-Garlic
Combine butter with a pureed garlic clove and 1 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary. Serve with fresh rolls or smear over french bread.


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## no mayonnaise (Jun 24, 2012)

Funny you posted that, your tarragon butter is similar to mine that I posted in the other compound butter thread on page 1 right now except I add a little lemon juice + zest since the stuff it goes on can usually benefit from the brightness in flavor.

Your recipes sound dank though, I'm gonna have to try a few.  I love compound butters; they're a totally blank canvas and you can incorporate any flavor into them.  I just thought up cranberry-honey-chipotle, wonder if that would be good on grilled things.


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## Margi Cintrano (Jun 24, 2012)

Buon Giorno,

Valuable information. 

I rarely employ butter in my diet however, there are a couple of dishes I do use butter and thus, we have similar compound home made butter recipes. 

Topaz had done a lovely pictorial on compound butter making back in April or so ...

Have nice Sunday.
Ciao, Margi.


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## Harry Cobean (Jun 24, 2012)

*caesar salad butter*

caesar salad butter:
combine butter,grated parmesan,ground black pepper,anchovy paste,crushed garlic,grated lemon rind(no need for salt 'cos of the anchovy/parmesan)
use to top off cooked asparagus,brussels sprouts,peas,cabbage etc or chuck a chunk in with mixed peas,green beans,tenderstem broccoli & finely sliced leeks or shallots then cover & cook in the  microwave


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## no mayonnaise (Jun 24, 2012)

Harry Cobean said:


> caesar salad butter:
> combine butter,grated parmesan,ground black pepper,anchovy paste,crushed garlic,grated lemon rind(no need for salt 'cos of the anchovy/parmesan)
> use to top off cooked asparagus,brussels sprouts,peas,cabbage etc or chuck a chunk in with mixed peas,green beans,tenderstem broccoli & finely sliced leeks or shallots then cover & cook in the  microwave



Idea = Stolen


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## Harry Cobean (Jun 24, 2012)

no mayonnaise said:


> Idea = Stolen


no problemo mayo.....i sometimes zizz it up with a splash of worcestershire sauce too....lea & perrins of course what what!


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## Cerise (Jun 24, 2012)

no mayonnaise said:


> Funny you posted that, your tarragon butter is similar to mine that I posted in the other compound butter thread on page 1 right now except I add a little lemon juice + zest since the stuff it goes on can usually benefit from the brightness in flavor.
> 
> Your recipes sound *dank* though, I'm gonna have to try a few. I love compound butters; they're a totally blank canvas and you can incorporate any flavor into them. I just thought up cranberry-honey-chipotle, wonder if that would be good on grilled things.


 
Nice to "meet" you No Mayonnaise.  Have not seen your thread.  A DC member (roadfix) had some questions re cb, & I answered his query & wanted to share my collection.

I agree w/ adding citrus (lemon, lime, orange, etc) zest and/or juice to the mix.  It is especially delicious on fish/seafood.  The sweet butters (orange etc) pair nicely with pancakes, french toast etc.

Have you read my tips re adding fresh herbs?

Will look for your thread when I get a chance.

Re "*Dank"* - perhaps it has another meaning other than the one I am familar with - dark and moist.  Please help me understand the terminology. Thank you for your reply & input.


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## Cerise (Jun 24, 2012)

Margi Cintrano said:


> Buon Giorno,
> 
> Valuable information.
> 
> ...


 
Perhaps there is a language barrior here?  You rarely employ butter, & have similar recipes.  Can you share?


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jun 24, 2012)

Nice recipes Cerise!


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## Chef Munky (Jun 24, 2012)

Cerise,

I appreciated your post. Your ideas have inspired me to try a few of them, incorporate your ideas into a pie crust. Now that would be a nice twist.

You have every right to post as you please here. It is a forum. To share ideas, recipes, techniques.  Not all of us have all day to sit and memorize all posts made on a certain subject by other members.

Munky.


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## Cerise (Jun 24, 2012)

Chef Munky said:


> Cerise,
> 
> I appreciated your post. Your ideas have inspired me to try a few of them, incorporate your ideas into a pie crust. Now that would be a nice twist.
> 
> ...


 

Thank you, Munky.


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## LPBeier (Jun 24, 2012)

Cerise, I am seeing the post for the first time right now and so haven't had the chance to reply.  To have it be deleted because of a few posts you don't like would mean people like me don't get a chance to see your ideas.

I haven't used too many compound butters since culinary school but one of my favourites is blue cheese and rosemary on steak.  I really like some of your ideas and will definitely give them a try.

I think what the others are trying to say is that someone DID recently start a thread on this topic, but I don't see them saying one is better than the other.  It happens a lot (and has happened to me) that you don't know something has been posted.  That doesn't make yours any less valuable.


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## Margi Cintrano (Jun 24, 2012)

Cerise,

I am writing in response to your post to me. I have stated that your post is of valuable information.

I had not wished to go into cow dairy product lactose intolerance, and thus, I have not employed very much butter in my predominately Mediterranean culinary style.

Since my Mom is Swiss French and my father was Italian, I had adopted Olive Oil as my main lard source. There are a few recipes that I do use butter however, as Evoo would not pair well with them.

I have some similar butters, and had posted one or two on a thread of Topaz´s when she had done her pictorial. 

I apologise if I have offended you in anyway, however, that was never the intention.

Since it is already quite late in Madrid ( 20.00 hrs. ), I cannot post the butter recipes which are part of our family for many many years. 

Cerise, being a journalist, I can see how much hard work has gone into your thread. 

I just did not wish to go into a minor lactose intolerance, which has subsided quite sufficiently here in The Mediterranean, as I buy organic fed cow butter which did not exist when I had lived in San Francisco or Manhattan ... 

Best of luck and your thread is a great reference encyclopedia of gourmet compound butters.

Thanks for your post.
Ciao. 
Margaux Cintrano.


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## Katie H (Jun 24, 2012)

Interesting thread, Cerise.  I have't made any compound butters in a long time and, as a matter of fact, I'd forgotten about what a nice addition they are to many foods.

However, I rarely use butter in my cooking.  Occasionally, but I mostly use olive oil, which I've been using for years.  

As it turns out this thread is quite timely for me as my husband has a birthday next week and grilled steak is one of his favorites.  I think he'd especially enjoy a little dab of the red wine and shallot butter with his "birthday" steak.

Thanks for reminding me of these tasty goodies.

P.S.  If you could figure out how to make a compound "butter" out of bacon drippings, you'd have a southern following for sure.  I may not use much butter, but there's always a big mug of bacon drippings in the refrigerator.


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## Dawgluver (Jun 24, 2012)

These all look really good, Cerise!  Thanks for sharing!


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## Andy M. (Jun 24, 2012)

Katie H said:


> ...P.S.  If you could figure out how to make a compound "butter" out of bacon drippings, you'd have a southern following for sure.  I may not use much butter, but there's always a big mug of bacon drippings in the refrigerator.



Are you kidding me!?!?!  Bacon butter!  

What could be better.  Combining two fats should be no problem!  Mix in a few bacon-friendly herbs or spices and you are set!  You could even skip the butter and just make compound bacon fat!


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## FrankZ (Jun 24, 2012)

Andy M. said:


> ...You could even skip the butter and just make compound bacon fat!



Andy,

You are a dangeorus man you know that?


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## Zagut (Jun 24, 2012)

Quote:
Originally Posted by *Andy M.* 

 
_...You could even skip the butter and just make compound bacon fat!_

"Andy,

You are a dangerous man you know that? "


But you can't go wrong with bacon.

Dangerous but smart.


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## Andy M. (Jun 24, 2012)

FrankZ said:


> Andy,
> 
> You are a dangeorus man you know that?




"Dangerous" 

...is my middle name.


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## Dawgluver (Jun 24, 2012)

Andy M. said:
			
		

> Are you kidding me!?!?!  Bacon butter!
> 
> What could be better.  Combining two fats should be no problem!  Mix in a few bacon-friendly herbs or spices and you are set!  You could even skip the butter and just make compound bacon fat!



Oh sure.  I'm prepping the syringe with bacon butter, will plunge it directly into my aorta.

Bad! Bad!


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## Andy M. (Jun 24, 2012)

Dawgluver said:


> Oh sure.  I'm prepping the syringe with bacon butter, will plunge it directly into my aorta.
> 
> Bad! Bad!



Not a good idea.  Bypasses the taste buds.


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## GotGarlic (Jun 24, 2012)

Andy M. said:


> Are you kidding me!?!?!  Bacon butter!
> 
> What could be better.  Combining two fats should be no problem!  Mix in a few bacon-friendly herbs or spices and you are set!  You could even skip the butter and just make compound bacon fat!



That just sounds so good ... compound bacon fat. Mmm.


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## Dawgluver (Jun 24, 2012)

Andy M. said:
			
		

> Not a good idea.  Bypasses the taste buds.



True.  Maybe there's a bacon compound tasting, like wine tasting?  Where you swish it around and spit it out in a bucket?  OK, forget that.  I wouldn't spit it out...


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jun 24, 2012)

Dawgluver said:


> Oh sure.  I'm prepping the syringe with bacon butter, will plunge it directly into my aorta.


How about injecting it into a pork roast instead?


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## Dawgluver (Jun 24, 2012)

Greg Who Cooks said:
			
		

> How about injecting it into a pork roast instead?



Bet the compound butters would be good that way too.  Hmmm.


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## Katie H (Jun 24, 2012)

Heavens to Betsy!  Looks like I stirred something up.

But, seriously, there are so many uses for bacon drippings.  I'm never without a quantity in the refrigerator.  With a little creativity, I'll wager someone can come up with a "compound" that includes it.


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## CraigC (Jun 24, 2012)

Bacon jello shots!


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jun 24, 2012)

Bacon belly shots!


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## Harry Cobean (Jun 25, 2012)

bacon flavour jelly belly's!mum used to save the fat from cooking bacon & most things she roasted etc in an earthenware jar in the pantry to fry chips(fries) & roast potatoes in.we mostly ate smoked bacon.roast spuds in smoked bacon fat....mmmmmmmmmmmmm!


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## no mayonnaise (Jun 25, 2012)

Chef Munky said:


> You have every right to post as you please here. It is a forum. To share ideas, recipes, techniques.  Not all of us have all day to sit and memorize all posts made on a certain subject by other members.
> 
> Munky.



Is that aimed at my comment?  All I was saying is how it was a coincidence, nothing more.  There was no malcontent there whatsoever.  I think you're totally misinterpreting the intent of my post.  I was referencing http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f19/making-compound-butter-76300.html#post1152446 that post, and Cerise made this thread quickly after that about compound butters.  And I just pointed out the coincidence of us both posting compound butter recipes for tarragon butter.

@Cerise Dank = good or something of high quality, but you'd have to consult Urban Dictionary to find that definition since I don't think its in Websters.


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## Hoot (Jun 25, 2012)

no mayonnaise said:


> @Cerise Dank = good or something of high quality, but you'd have to consult Urban Dictionary to find that definition since I don't think its in Websters.


Ahhh....Clarity seeps in!!
Having spent my youth in the 60's, I can appreciate the reference!
Yep...learn somethin' new ever' day!


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jun 25, 2012)

dank: unpleasantly moist or humid; damp and, often, chilly: a dank cellar.

It seems the word was already taken. Maybe the urbans should stick to words like ginormous.


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## Hoot (Jun 25, 2012)

I reckon in a language where a fat chance and a slim chance means the same thing; where the word 'little" is twice as long as "big"; and that uses the overly long word "abbreviation" to indicate a shortened form of a word, there is likely room for one or two more euphemisms.


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## DaveSoMD (Jun 25, 2012)

dank = awesome  as in " The party was dank!".  

Dank has evolved in its alternate meaning from the original usage. Check out the Urban Dictionary for full details.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jun 25, 2012)

I don't know but if somebody posts a dank recipe I doubt I'll be interested in cooking it.


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## Andy M. (Jun 25, 2012)

Greg Who Cooks said:


> ...It seems the word was already taken. Maybe the urbans should stick to words like ginormous.




Great idea!  Making rules for the 'urbans' to use when they make up new words.  That'll fly.


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## taxlady (Jun 25, 2012)

Andy M. said:


> Great idea!  Making rules for the 'urbans' to use when they make up new words.  That'll fly.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jun 25, 2012)

I'm still not going to eat any dank food.


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## Andy M. (Jun 25, 2012)

As I suspected.   Dank you very much.


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## Dawgluver (Jun 25, 2012)

Wilcommen.  Dank schoen.

My vision of dank:


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## Cerise (Jun 25, 2012)

In my best Wayne Newton voice, Danka Shane!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUryeDLpY_c


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## Katie H (Jun 26, 2012)

Does all this "dank" talk serve to _compound_ the problem?


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