9 Compound Butter Recipes for Steak, Chicken or Fish

Choose any of these 9 compound butter recipes for an easy dinner, whether it's a busy weeknight or you're throwing an upscale dinner party.

There has never been a time when I don't have some type of flavored butter in my refrigerator.

I make it to keep on hand for easy weeknight meals. I make it to serve to guests for a simple yet upscale dinner (especially with these tomahawk steaks). I make it to use up leftover herbs and spices. I even make sweet versions to use up the last of a jar of jam.

And I've likely made every possible flavor combination known to man.

It makes a great gift for a friend who needs an easy dinner night. Or for that one friend who you don't know what to buy for (especially Truffle Butter)! I use a butter mold when making for gifts; the combination of a pretty jar with something homemade inside is something everyone loves.

What is compound butter?

Compound butter is a flavored butter with various ingredients mixed into softened butter. It is a versatile ingredient that can be used to enhance the flavor of dishes or as a condiment. The butter is mixed together with the desired ingredients, shaped into a log or molded, and then chilled until firm.

What is compound butter made of?

Anything you can think of, really! It can be mixed with herbs, spices, garlic, honey, citrus zest, alcohol, and other flavors, but the sky is the limit when it comes to flavor combinations. It can be sweet or savory, it's all up to you.

What is compound used for?

It's most commonly used as a "finishing butter" for grilled meats such as steak, chicken, turkey, shrimp, mussels or fish such as salmon. This means that after it's cooked and plated, a round of flavored butter is placed on top and allowed to melt into the meat. It can also be used to top grilled vegetables, pasta, or bread, or it can be melted and used as a sauce or flavoring agent in cooking and baking.

It's an easy way to add a lot of flavor without much effort, and it adds elegance to almost any dish.

How to make Compound Butter

It's very easy to make compound butter at home. Here are the basics:

1. Place the softened butter in a mixing bowl then add the other ingredients. Stir it really well to make sure the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
2. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a flat surface. Put the mixture into the center of the paper to as close to a log shape as you can. Fold up the sides of the paper and use your hands to press the butter into a log. Twist the ends of the paper.
3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then reform into a log (sometimes the bottom of the log will get a bit flat). Place in the freezer for one hour.
4. Slice into 8 rounds and use to top your steak, chicken, fish or warm bread.
5. The entire log or separate rounds can be refrigerated for up to one month and frozen for up to three months.
6. You can also put it in a small dish and skip forming it into a log. In that case, it can go straight into the refrigerator after mixing. This is what I usually do unless I'm serving it for guests.

How long does compound butter last?

Depending on the ingredients, it will last for about 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Anything with fresh ingredients, such as herbs, should be used within a week. Other versions can last two weeks or longer.

Can you freeze compound butter?

Yes, you can also freeze herb butter for up to 3 months. It's also fairly easy to slice from frozen, so if I haven't used mine up within a week of making it, I'll put it in the freezer until I'm ready.

Which compound butter flavor should I use for steak, chicken and/or fish?

Here's a list of the compound butter recipes in this post as well as what each is best served with. All of them will work for just about anything, and these are just suggestions. Try adding any one of them to a slice of warm bread. The Chipotle Butter and Jalapeño Lime Butter are wonderful slathered on cornbread!

• Garlic Herb - best with steak, chicken or fish
• Chipotle - best with chicken or fish
• Orange Apricot - best with chicken
• Basil - best with chicken or fish
• Jalapeño Lime - best with steak, chicken or fish
• Sundried Tomato - best with steak, chicken or fish
• Tarragon - best with steak, chicken or fish
• Blue Cheese - best with steak
• Truffle - best with steak

What are some other ways I can use compound butter?

• Stirred into rice (use cauliflower rice for low-carb or keto)
• Toss with roasted broccoli or asparagus (or cooked carrots)
• Rub it under chicken skin before roasting
• Hot corn on the cob
• Skip the horseradish sauce and use it to top boneless prime rib
• Use it to make garlic bread with a twist
• Sweet versions can be used to top pancakes, waffles or muffins
• Over roasted potatoes or baked potatoes
• Slather it on a warm roll
• Turn it into a dip just by melting it

Tips for Making Perfect Compound Butter

• Make sure your butter is very soft before mixing. It's nearly impossible to distribute the other ingredients evenly otherwise.
• Make sure your ingredients are finely chopped. You want all the flavors to meld and it will also make your butter smoother and easier to roll.
• Use a high-quality unsalted butter (I'm a fan of Minerva Dairy) as well as fresh herbs and spices. There are so few ingredients that you want them all to be top-notch.
• Use only small quantities of liquid, such as citrus juice, a dash of Worcestershire sauce or a splash of whiskey or bourbon, into the mixture. 1 to 2 teaspoons at most.

Continue to Content

9 Compound Butter Recipes for Steak, Chicken or Fish

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Compound butter is most commonly used to top steak, chicken, or fish. It's delightful and so easy to make! Keep some on hand for an easy weeknight meal that will make you glad it's not the weekend.

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Ingredients

Garlic Herb Compound Butter

• ½ cup high-quality unsalted butter, softened
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Chipotle Compound Butter

• ½ cup high-quality unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ tablespoons chipotle pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• ¼ teaspoon coarse salt

Orange Apricot

• ½ cup high-quality unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoon apricot jam
• 1 tablespoon orange liqueur
• zest from one whole orange
• ¼ teaspoon coarse salt

Basil Compound Butter

• ½ cup high-quality unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 handful fresh basil
• ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Jalapeño Lime Compound Butter

• ½ cup high-quality unsalted butter, softened
• ½ jalapeno pepper, minced
• juice of ½ lime
• ¼ teaspoon coarse salt

Sundried Tomato Compound Butter

• ½ cup high-quality unsalted butter, softened
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
• ⅓ cup finely chopped sundried tomatoes
• ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Tarragon Compound Butter

• ½ cup high-quality unsalted butter, softened
• 2-3 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 tablespoon finely minced onion
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Blue Cheese Compound Butter

• ½ cup high-quality unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup blue cheese or gorgonzola (add more or less to suit your tastes)
• ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Truffle Compound Butter

• ½ cup high-quality unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon grated truffles (more or less to taste)
• ½ teaspoon coarse salt

Instructions

1. Place the softened butter in a mixing bowl then add the other ingredients. Stir well to make sure the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
2. Place a sheet of parchment or waxed paper on a flat surface. Dollop the butter into the center of the paper to as close to a log shape as you can. Fold up the sides of the paper and use your hands to press the butter into a log. Twist the ends of the paper.
3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then reform into a log (sometimes the bottom of the log will get a bit flat). Place in the freezer for one hour.
4. Slice into 8 rounds and use to top your steak, chicken, fish or warm bread.
5. The entire log or separate rounds can be refrigerated for up to one month and frozen for up to three months.
6. You can also put the butter in a small dish and skip forming it into a log. In that case, it can go straight into the refrigerator after mixing. This is what I usually do unless I'm serving it for guests.

Notes

The nutritional information was calculated using only ½ cup unsalted butter, ¼ teaspoon coarse salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Any additional ingredients should be calculated separately.

Try this amazing Cowboy Compound Butter Recipe next.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 204Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 148mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.

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Kristy Bernardo

Kristy Bernardo is a chef, recipe developer, and five-time cookbook author. A former personal chef and cooking instructor, she loves creating easy, delicious recipes to share!

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