A Guide to Making Compound Butters

Compound butters are incredibly easy to make but can really bring a dish to life. Similar to a great sauce or condiment, compound butters can really transform the flavour of a dish. In the words of Anthony Bourdain: “I like butter. I like a lot of butter.”

Now if you are wondering what the best uses are for compound butter, then fear not we are on hand to guide you on some really great combinations and our favourite way to use them this Christmas!

How to use compound butters:

• First and foremost, compound butter works really well on a simple piece of fresh sourdough. Yes it can literally be that simple.

• When coating your turkey, push some of the Christmas compound butter under the skin to get it extra crispy and to absorb all of the  flavour.

• If you like your brussel sprouts fried, just as you are about to finish them add some of your favourite compound butter, it adds an incredible flavour.

• Maybe you want to upgrade your mash?! Then replace your regular butter with some flavoured butter and you are on to a winner.

• For your roast potatoes just before they are finished roasting, add a knob of your compound butter to the roasting tray and baste them in the butter to give some delicious flavour.

• Compound butters make great edible gifts.

• Compound butters are not just for Christmas as they work amazingly well with fish, steak, or any meat or maybe you want a more boujee garlic bread then simply swap out the regular butter and use your own compound butter.

We have collaborated with McCormack’s Family Farm to create our top 3 combinations:

Christmas Butter – Cranberry, Mandarin & Herbs

• Ingredients:
• 227g butter, room temperature
• 1 sprig thyme
• 5 sage leaves
• 2-3 stalks of parsley
• 100g dried cranberries, finely chopped
• Zest from 1 mandarin

1. Place the butter in a shallow bowl or on a plate then mash with a fork to soften.
2. Rinse the herbs and pat dry with paper towel. Pick off the thyme leaves from the stem and finely chop with the sage and parsley (with stems), then add herbs to the butter along with the chopped dried cranberries and mandarin zest.
3. Work the additions into the butter with the fork until distributed evenly.
4. Spoon butter onto a piece of parchment paper.
5. Fold the parchment paper over the butter and roll up, then twist the ends tight so that the butter compresses into a neat log shape.
6. Chill in the fridge until firm. Can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
7. Ideally prepare butter 1-2 days before eating or using for the best flavour.

Lemon, Garlic & Thyme Butter

• Ingredients:
• 227g butter, room temperature
• 1-2 sprigs thyme
• Zest from 2 lemons
• 1 clove garlic, minced

1. Place the butter in a shallow bowl or on a plate then mash with a fork to soften.
2. Rinse the herbs and pat dry with paper towel. Pick off the leaves from the stem (you need about 1 tbsp) and roughly chop, then add thyme to the butter along with the lemon zest and minced garlic.
3. Work the additions into the butter with the fork until distributed evenly.
4. Spoon butter onto a piece of parchment paper.
5. Fold the parchment paper over the butter and roll up, then twist the ends tight so that the butter compresses into a neat log shape.
6. Chill in the fridge until firm. Can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
7. Ideally prepare butter 1-2 days before eating or using for the best flavour.

Sun-dried Tomato, Basil & Garlic Butter

• Ingredients:
• 227g butter, room temperature
• 10-12 basil leaves
• 100g semi sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained (about 15 tomato pieces)
• 1 clove garlic, minced

1. Place the butter in a shallow bowl or on a plate then mash with a fork to soften.
2. Rinse the basil and pat dry with paper towel. Roughly chop the basil and add to the butter, then roughly chop the semi sun-dried tomato and add to the butter along with the garlic.
3. Work the additions into the butter with the fork until distributed evenly.
4. Spoon butter onto a piece of parchment paper.
5. Fold the parchment paper over the butter and roll up, then twist the ends tight so that the butter compresses into a neat log shape.
6. Chill in the fridge until firm. Can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
7. Ideally prepare butter 1-2 days before eating or using for the best flavour.

We are big supporters of Irish producers and farmers , here is just a little information on McCormack’s Family Farm:

McCormack’s Family Farm is 2^nd generation farm based in Kiltale, Co. Meath. We’re Ireland’s leading grower and importer of fresh herbs, as well as the largest grower of baby salad leaves, microgreens and edible flowers. We supply unwashed leafy greens, which means that they are in their natural state and not tainted with chlorine. Because they don’t go through industrial washing and drying process, they naturally last much longer, which helps reduce food waste. 

Their herbs are available in Lidl and Aldi stores nationwide and our leafy salads are available in Dunnes Stores, Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and selected SuperValu stores, as well as in good greengrocers.