Compound Herb Butter For Steak

I got these Certified Piedmontese brand steaks from Nebraska and figured they would be even better with a pat of compound herb butter on top of them. So I’ll show you the recipe I used to make the compound butter but first, let me tell you about these grass-fed, grass-finished steaks. Piedmontese beef is an Italian-heritage cattle breed with less fat and marbling than most beef but is some of the most tender and flavorful beef I have ever had. It goes against everything I thought I knew about beef. Less marbling and fat usually means less flavor and tough meat, but that is not the case here.

Now, let’s get into that compound butter recipe.

What is compound butter and why do I need it on my steaks?

Compound butter is butter that has been mixed with other ingredients. You can make sweet or savory variations of compound butter depending on the ingredients used. Some might call this savory compound herb butter that I am making “cowboy butter”, but I prefer to call it compound butter. Why is compound butter good on steaks? The answer is flavor… It’s butter mixed with garlic, herbs and spices. If you have never had it before, it’s close to a chimichurri sauce, but it’s made from butter instead of olive oil and is a bit more subtle in flavor.

Compound Butter Ingredients

There is no right or wrong way to make compound butter, use whatever ingredients you want to create your unique flavor. I basically tossed in everything that I thought would be good on a steak and it turned out exactly how I wanted it to. I tried to use as many fresh ingredients as possible because I wanted that fresh taste and texture to come out in the compound butter.

• 1/2 Cup Salted Butter Softened
• 1 tbsp Fresh Chives
• 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• 1 tsp Fresh Rosemary
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/8 tsp Salt – Salt to taste. Use more if you use unsalted butter. Use less if you use salted butter
• Dash of Cayenne Pepper
• Dash of Red Pepper Flakes

How To Make Compound Butter

Finely dice all the fresh herbs, use a garlic press to smash the garlic, and then toss all the ingredients into a small mixing bowl with the softened butter and mix it up using a plastic spatula.

How To Shape Compound Butter

Once the ingredients are mixed, spoon the compound butter into the center of a piece of plastic wrap and try to form a small log. Wrap the plastic over the butter and begin to roll it into a round log shape. Once you have it in the shape you want, just twist the ends of the plastic wrap to tighten it up and then let it cool in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes or until it is solid.

How Much Should I Use?

I sliced the cold compound butter into about 1 tablespoon pats. They were about 1″ round and 1/4″ thick. You can use as much or as little as you prefer.

When Do I Add Compound Butter?

I added the compound butter to the steaks during the resting stage. This allowed the cold compound butter to melt all over the steak creating a nice sauce. As it melted I spread it evenly over the steaks.

How Did it Taste?

I know what you’re thinking… Seems easy to make, but how did it taste? The compound butter melts over the steak and makes a great little sauce. It did not overpower the beef taste at all, but it added a great fresh silky flavor. Also, remember these were premium grass-fed and grass-finished steaks, so they were going to be amazing with or without the compound butter, but I think the compound butter enhanced the entire steak experience and introduced some really great flavors.

What Meats Can You Use Compound Butter On?

I have some leftover compound butter that I want to try on my reverse-seared smoked tri-tip or steak. I also think compound butter would be amazing on smoked chicken or turkey.

Let me know in the comments below if you make compound butter and what ingredients you decide to use.