Compound butter is the professional kitchen's most versatile flavour tool — real butter combined with aromatics, rolled into a log, and sliced as needed. A disc of herb butter on a resting steak melts into a sauce in 60 seconds. A compound butter pushed under chicken skin before roasting bastes the breast from inside throughout the cook. A compound butter stirred into cooked pasta finishes the dish in one step. This is how restaurant kitchens deliver consistent depth of flavour quickly — and it is the easiest technique to replicate at home with nothing more than good butter and a sharp knife.

The Base: Choosing Your Butter

Use unsalted butter — this gives you control over salt levels. Use room temperature butter — properly softened, not melted. The butter must be soft enough to beat aromatics through it without streaks or lumps. European-style butter at 82-84% fat produces a richer compound butter with better coating properties. Kerrygold, Anchor, or any high-fat grass-fed butter are the correct choices.

Kerrygold Unsalted Butter 4-Pack
High-fat Irish grass-fed butter — the correct base for compound butter.
The butter all compound butters on this site are built on.

10 Compound Butters for the MAHA Kitchen

1. Herb Butter (Maître d'Hôtel)
100g butter, 2 tbsp parsley, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt. Classic French. On steak, fish, vegetables.
2. Garlic and Thyme Roast Chicken Butter
100g butter, 4 garlic cloves minced, 2 tbsp thyme, lemon zest, smoked paprika. Under the skin of roast chicken.
3. MAHA Burger Butter
100g butter, 2 tbsp Dijon, 1 tbsp Worcestershire, 1 tbsp caramelised onion, black pepper. On smash burgers.
4. Berbere Butter
100g butter, 2 tbsp berbere spice, 1 tbsp honey. On grilled chicken, vegetables, or corn.
5. Miso Butter
100g butter, 2 tbsp white miso, 1 tsp sesame oil. On noodles, fish, roasted vegetables, rice.
6. Ras el Hanout Butter
100g butter, 1.5 tbsp ras el hanout, 1 tsp honey, pinch of salt. On lamb, couscous, roast vegetables.
7. Brown Butter Sage
100g butter, 8 sage leaves crisped in the butter, black pepper. On pasta, gnocchi, ravioli.
8. Anchovy Butter
100g butter, 4 anchovy fillets, 1 tsp capers, lemon zest. On steak, lamb chops, or grilled fish.
9. Gochujang Butter
100g butter, 1.5 tbsp gochujang, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp honey. On Korean-inspired meats and vegetables.
10. Truffle Butter
100g butter, 1 tsp truffle paste, sea salt. On eggs, pasta, risotto, or finishing a steak.

The Method for All Compound Butters

Soften butter at room temperature for 2 hours — it must be completely soft. Beat with a fork or wooden spoon until smooth. Add all flavour components and beat until fully incorporated with no streaks. Taste and adjust seasoning. Lay a sheet of cling film flat. Spoon the butter in a line along the centre. Roll the cling film around the butter, shaping it into a log 3-4cm in diameter. Twist the ends to seal. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing. Keeps 2 weeks refrigerated, 3 months frozen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze compound butter?

Yes — slice the log into 1cm rounds before freezing so you can take one piece at a time without defrosting the whole log.

How much compound butter per serving?

One 1cm slice (approximately 15-20g) per portion of protein or 200g of pasta.

Can I make compound butter with ghee?

Technically yes — softened ghee works but is always liquid above room temperature, so it cannot be shaped into a log. Use it immediately or pour into ice cube trays and freeze.

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