Garlic Herb Compound Butter

Have you ever been disappointed by a steak cooked at home?

Assuming it was cooked correctly, I know why it didn’t live up to those “cooked at a restaurant” standards: You probably didn’t use enough butter.

I know, I know. There’s a reasonable expectation that the steak itself should have enough flavor on it’s own. Technically, you’re not wrong. The problem is that a steak alone just doesn’t have ENOUGH flavor – in that classic, steakhouse sense – because most sensible home cooks don’t think to load their food with salt and fat.

So I have a quick fix: add that butter back in. In fact, PACK it with savory flavors and luscious fat. Because fat is delicious. As is seasoning… but mostly fat.

So – as flavorful solution to your low-fat living – here is a simple compound butter (‘compound’ just means there’s stuff mixed in, so no, it’s not scary) recipe that’s super easy to make, and will help you kick you next homemade meal up a notch or two!

I cut a couple rounds of compound butter to melt over these filets as they rested.

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter, softened
1 tbs fresh chopped parsley
1 tbs fresh chopped rosemary
1 tbs fresh chopped thyme
2 cloves of fresh garlic, crushed
salt and pepper

Directions:

Soften the butter, either by leaving it out, or microwaving it for 20 seconds or so. Make sure not to cook it for too long, you want it softened not liquefied.
Prepare all of your seasonings. Crush the garlic. Strip the herbs, and chop them up to make sure they’re roughly the same size/texture.
Place the softened butter in a bowl, and add the rest of the ingredients. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Fold it all together with a spatula or spoon.
Lay out a piece of parchment paper, and transfer the mixed butter to one end of the sheet.
Roll the butter up in the sheet, and twist the ends together. It should end up roughly the size of a sausage.
You can seal the rolled ends of the parchment with twine or tape, and then place the rolled butter in the refrigerator.
Refrigerate for at least an hour (or until it solidifies)
Slice rounds of the butter to add to your food

This compound butter is a great way to finish steak, but would work well on anything you want to hit with some herbaceous, savory flavor!