How to Make Garlic Herb Butter
Garlic herb butter has to be one of the most amazing flavorings that has ever come along in the world.
Having this butter on hand gives you the flexibility for flavoring things like garlic bread, mashed potatoes or a roux.
A really nice thing is that you can make these butters using different combinations.
In whatever way you like them, all kinds of herbs work being blended into butter.
Other things that go well with butter are different types of peppers, spices, and even zest of lemon or lime.
What is Garlic Herb Butter?
Known as a compound butter, the name given to butter that has other ingredients blended into it.
This butter combination is a very easy thing to make, and to use during the cooking process to add flavor.
Often used as a spread, or when finishing sauces, herb butters were invented in France.
Herb butter is also wonderful as an addition on top of steak or vegetables.
These types of butters are very popular in many professional kitchens and can enhance most any meal.
And don’t forget, you can use dry herbs just as much as fresh herbs.
You want to keep in mind that the dry ones are going to have a stronger flavour than the fresh.
What Herbs to Use
You can use any herbs that take your fancy really, many people use parsley for kind of a neutral flavor..
Any number of herbs will go very nicely with butter, so if you have an herb garden start blending your butter.
I really like cilantro, basil, and thyme, which are probably my three favorites.
And I do like experimenting with other types too, as I work on creating my own herb butter recipes.
I also like to use dill butter when I make fish, and seafood.
The dill has a bit of a delicate buttery dill flavor that goes very well with seafood, and the butter.
And don’t forget fennel which can be paired so well with lamb, and also works with chicken and even beef.
How to Make Garlic Herb Butter
I start with a high quality unsalted butter, every regular butter will work too.
I put the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment to get softened butter.
Then I add the garlic and whatever herb or herb combination I have chosen along with salt.
Mix it all together in the mixer, once done pour the butter mixture onto some plastic wrap.
Shape the butter and wrap tightly in the plastic wrap and refrigerate until use.
These compound butters will normally last in good shape for about a week.
You can also store in the freezer for six months to keep for a longer period.
What to Serve It with
One of my favorite uses is as a condiment for my grilled steak.
I pop the blended butter on top of the steak when my plate arrives, and let it melt.
Vegetables are another thing that can be enhanced very nicely with herb butter.
Fish dishes of all kinds benefit from compound butters either before or after cooking.
With your favorite flavors, you can always spread the butter directly onto a piece of toast.
On occasion a sweetened mint butter can be used on scones with jam.
Tips for Making
- The finner you chop the herbs, the better they will blend into the butter.
- Make sure that the butter softens all the way through ensuring all the ingredients mix thoroughly.
- You can use salted butter if you want for this recipe.
- But I find that using unsalted butter and then adding my own salt gives me more control over my recipe.
Garlic Herb Butter Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz Butter unsalted
- 4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tbsp Cilantro chopped
- ½ tsp Salt
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
- Mix until all ingredients are well blended and the butter is soft.
- Place the butter mixture in plastic wrap, shape and put in the fridge to cool.
