Last Updated on January 17, 2023 by Share My Kitchen
Homemade herb butter is versatile, and it is simple to make. You can imagine the many possibilities you can infuse flavor into them. It is also a great way to preserve fresh summer herbs, so you can use them all year long! You can try these three best compound butter flavors if you want to make your own.
However, this is where the beauty of homesteading comes in. Summers seem too short if you are so busy harvesting and gardening. It makes it difficult to take a moment to enjoy it all.
Even so, everyone has to face the fact that it is over, and you now need to scramble to harvest the remaining summer crops before they rot.
While you may be focusing your attention on the peppers and tomatoes, you also need to ensure that your herbs are preserved before it gets too cold. Dry some of the herbs and make infusions. But, you can also preserve their freshness and flavor, so they would be enjoyable to you now and throughout the winter.
Homemade Compound Butter or Herb Butter
Making herb butter is one of the best ways to preserve your summer herbs. It is also known as “compound butter.” It’s butter mixed with other ingredients; in this case, herbs.
Compound butter made with herbs from your own garden is great since you can use fresh herbs, and preserve them at their peak. So, when you are ready to use them, you have ingredients as if they were fresh out of your garden.
Enjoy the finished herb butter on bread, biscuits, meat, including steak, roasted chicken, turkey, and more. You can also use the herb butter on your vegetables like carrots, potatoes, or even mushrooms! Fry some mushrooms in herb butter…Wow! You can also try rolling your corn in herb butter when it’s fresh and soft during the summer.
To make homemade herb butter, you can use any herbs that you want. There are some suggestions and full recipes for a few of the best blends below. However, you can be creative with the ingredients you use and their quantities in your blends. When making compound butter, there are no hard and fast rules regarding ratios and ingredients. Make compound butter according to your taste and the amount of each ingredient you have.
However, certain flavors go well together compared to others, so here are some of the best compound butter flavors that you can use to start making your own.
3 Best Compound Butter Flavors To Try At Home
Plenty of herbs and ingredients can be combined to create herb butters (aka. compound butters) at home. But, before you learn about a few blends, you first need to read the directions. These directions are the same regardless of what herbs you use.
Directions
- In a mixing bowl, combine butter and herbs. Use a hand mixer to mix all the ingredients. Or, use a mixing spoon to incorporate the ingredients.
- If you are storing herb butter in the fridge, transfer it to a container. Or, scoop out herb butter onto a piece of plastic wrap, and roll in plastic to freeze.
If you have many herbs you wish to preserve, you are allowed to mix them up in a batch of compound butter. Then, freeze them. One of the easiest ways to preserve them is to roll the herb butter into a log using a plastic wrap. Put a label on it, and store in the freezer.
When you are ready to use it, simply cut off as much as you need, and let it come to room temperature.
Now, you will be able to make herb butter. Here’s a list of three of the best recipes, with some other suggested combinations.
Garlic and Chive Butter
This is a classic! You may use garlic and chive butter on some toasted garlic bread, whip it into mashed potatoes, or put some on top of baked potatoes.
- 1 cup salted butter (room temperature)
- ¼ cup finely chopped garlic
- ½ cup chopped chives
Garlic, Rosemary, and Thyme Butter
You can use this garlic, rosemary, and thyme butter to rub all over roasts. Baste with this compound butter if you are cooking roast beef, roast chicken, or roast turkey.
- 1 cup salted butter (room temperature)
- ¼ cup finely chopped garlic
- ¼ cup finely chopped rosemary
- ¼ cup finely chopped thyme
Mint, Parsley, and Chive Butter
This compound butter, which contains mint, parsley, and chives will transport you back to summer at any time of the year. Use it in scrambled eggs, smear some biscuits, or roll your corn on the cob in it.
- 1 cup salted butter (room temperature)
- ¼ cup finely chopped mint
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
- ¼ cup finely chopped chives
Other Best Compound Butter Flavors Combinations
These are some other flavor blends you can try when making compound butter.
- Basil and lemon zest
- Lavender and honey
- Rosemary and orange zest
- Sage, rosemary and garlic
- Parsley, chives, and dill
- Basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme
Single-herb compound butter can also be made. You can use tarragon butter on chicken, sage butter on roast turkey, lemon balm butter on seafood or pasta, mint butter on roast lamb, or some rosemary butter on roast beef.
No matter what flavor combination you choose, compound butter is a must-have in your summer preserves (before it’s too late!)
Don’t forget to dry some for your sauces, soups, and stews during the winter. Or, to infuse, and enjoy as tea. Maybe you can also come up with the best compound butter flavors, who knows?
