Compound Butter – The Homemade Way to Jazz Up Food

Compound butter is one of those things that seem fancy.  They sound like something chefs would make and that us normal people would find too fussy to use.  And of course, they are made from butter, which we have long been told is the enemy.  But now as awareness is growing that butter isn’t a bad thing, people are starting to turn their eye to compound butters and wonder how they can jazz up food.

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Compound butter basics

The most commonly encountered type of compound butter is garlic butter.  We see it in many store-bought garlic breads and in potato dishes such as Parmesan potatoes.  It showcases just how simple compound butters can be – it is basically garlic and maybe a few herbs mixed with softened butter to create a flavour filled, buttery substance.

The thing is about compound butters, using garlic butter as the prime example, is you can get them just as you like them.  If you are a garlic fan, like me, then you can stick as much garlic into that mix as you want.  Or if it is a taste you like rather than love, then mix with a delicate portion for a bit of flavour that doesn’t hit too hard.

Making garlic butter

Likewise, making garlic butter can be as simple or as complex as you want.  For me, when I just want some simple butter to put on my Parmesan potatoes (it’s as near as speciality as I have!) then I will just use some garlic puree, dried parsley and mix it with salted butter.  It does a great job and transforms the potatoes into a buttery, garlic heaven.

If you are of a fancier mindset, like my husband Robert the chef, then you can roast some fresh garlic and put it through a garlic crusher, use some fresh herbs diced up small and even add a little basil puree into the mix as he did recently for our meal.

Another thing about these style of butter is that they can be made up, wrapped in grease proof paper or plastic wrap and frozen.  Then when you need some, simply chop off a lump, leave it on the bench to defrost and you are ready to go.  A particularly good idea if you take the chef’s route to making it – all that effort for one meal becomes effort for a series of meals over a period of time.

More than just garlic

But what if you don’t like garlic?  Fear not, there are as many ideas for compound butters and what to do with them as you can image.  And once you have selected your ingredients and made up your butter, there are further endless ideas for combining them in different dishes.

Mushrooms are a good partner for butter to use in a variety of dishes, with Porcini mushrooms being a popular choice. 

All it takes to make the butter is to put some mushrooms in a bowl of boiling water for around 10 minutes.  Drain the water, slice up the mushrooms and then pop them in a blender.  Once you have your powered mushrooms, you can add to the butter in whatever ratio hits your taste buds.  You can also add some very finely sliced pieces of the mushroom for an added benefit.  This butter works perfectly drizzled over steak of all varieties.

Other ideas for flavoured butters include chive and herbs, spicy mustard and garlic, cherry tomato and basil and cilantro (or coriander to us in the UK) and lime butter.  All of these can work in a range of different dishes. Blue cheese compound butter is a favourite butter for steak dishes.

Sweet butters

One of the surprises I had when reading up on the bigger world of compound butters is that people also make sweet butters.  Ideals such as a citrus tarragon butter that would work perfectly with fish were among the ideas.

Another one that would make a brilliant touch of something sweet is a strawberry vanilla butter.  Mix up strawberries with vanilla seeds, maple syrup and a touch of salt if required.  The end result can be stored in the freezer just as with any other butters and makes a fantastic sweet accompaniment with different breads.

Easy Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter

Print

This is an easy way to make a favourite compound butter.  Add it to toast, bagels, muffins or croissant or mix with yoghurt and granola for a breakfast.  You can even add it to pancakes or as an unusual sandwich filler

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours

Ingredients

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 can pumpkin puree (or 29 ounces)
• 3/4 cup apple juice
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to slow cooker and stir until thoroughly combined. Cook on low heat for 4 -5 hours. (You may need to adjust cooking time to achieve the thickness you want). For best results, stir occasionally while cooking. 
2. Cool slightly before transferring to airtight glass containers. Store in refrigerator for up to a week. 

Notes

If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, you can make it by combining 3 tbsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp ground ginger, 1 tbsp ground nutmeg, 2 tbsp ground allspice and 2 tbsp ground cloves.  Store any leftover in an airtight container.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 87Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 152mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 2gSugar: 16gProtein: 1g

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Buttered up

So next time you are looking for a way to make a chicken breast taste a little different or to stop a steak going a bit dry, then why not try a compound butter? You can use unsalted butter or even your favourite regular butter and add something to the butter mixture to completely change a meal.

I’d love to hear the versions you create and what meals you make with them!