This Cowboy Butter loaded with fresh shallots, chive, parsley, and thyme and bright lemon is the compound butter you didn’t know you needed.
Cowboy Butter
Cowboy butter is one of those things that, once you try it, you’ll have it on hand all the time. It takes everything you already love about butter and infuses it with a blend of herbs and spices that would make the colonel jealous. I always keep a log of this stuff in my fridge. It goes great on any kind of steak, but it’s also great on grilled asparagus and mixed veggies. Spread it on warm bread, toss it with your shrimp, sneak some into your morning eggs: the possibilities are endless.
The whole thing comes together in about 10 minutes, with no cooking or fancy equipment. You just need a bowl, a spatula, your favorite combo of fresh herbs and spices, and you’re ready to create your very own Cowboy Butter.
Ingredients for Cowboy Butter
The ingredient list might seem a little intimidating at first glance for a butter, but trust me, each ingredient pulls its weight. Plus, there isn’t anything crazy here. Just common pantry items you likely have on hand already:
- 1 cup unsalted butter: I recommend unsalted to start with so you have full control over the salt levels. You want it softened so your ingredients will mix easily.
- 1 Tablespoon fresh shallots: Mince them so they melt into the butter for a more mellow sweetness than you get from onions.
- 1 Tablespoon fresh chives: Once again, you want them finely minced. The chives complement the shallots without overpowering.
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley: This adds a beautiful color to the butter and brings earthy flavor to keep things from becoming overly rich.
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme: Thyme also adds to the earthy flavor. You can strip the leaves right off the stems for mincing.
- 1 lemon (juice and zest): The juice adds acidity that cuts through the rich butter, and the zest provides the bright, fragrant flavor.
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard: This adds a subtle tang and a little bit of bite. You can also use mustard seeds here if you like.
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce: This provides, the savory, umami punch that makes this butter perfect for meats.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: Season to taste, but start with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper.
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika: This adds a subtle smokiness to the butter, so everything feels like it came right off the grill.
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper: If you don’t like heat, you can skip this altogether. If you’re a heat fan, start with a ¼ teaspoon and add a little at a time to taste.
How to Make Cowboy Butter
This recipe is so simple you don’t even have to fire up the grill. Here’s how to make it:
- Soften the butter. Trust me on this one, softened butter works best. Set the butter out on the counter about 30 minutes before you’re ready to start. You want it soft enough to incorporate all the mix-ins, but you don’t want it melted. Softened butter is the only way to go.
- Mix everything together. Add the softened butter to a medium-size bowl, then toss in the rest of the ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to stir everything together until all the herbs, spices, lemon, and other ingredients are evenly distributed. You want every bite to have a little bit of everything.
- Use it or store it. You can enjoy your butter immediately (and why wouldn’t you?), but it also stores beautifully. Use a pat on a hot grilled steak, melt it in a skillet for dipping bread, or roll it up tight in plastic wrap to store in the fridge for later. This butter keeps for up to a week in the refrigerator, or you can freeze it for up to 3 months.
Susie’s Cowboy Butter Pro Tips
- Use fresh herbs. Dried herbs will work if that’s what you’ve got, but there’s no replacing the punch and bright color of fresh herbs.
- Soften, don’t melt. I know I’ve already mentioned softening the butter, but that’s how important it is. DO NOT melt your butter in the microwave. You want a soft butter that isn’t separated. Room temperature is the sweet spot, so just set your butter out 30 minutes early.
- Roll it tight. When you’re making the log for storage, roll the plastic wrap as snug as you can. The tighter and cleaner your log is, the easier it will be to slice later. Twist both ends like a candy wrapper, and your butter is ready to store.
- Slice from frozen. If you freeze your butter log, slice it into rounds right after taking it out of the freezer. This gives you the perfect-sized slices for resting your steaks.
What to Use Your Butter
- Grilled Rib Eye Steak: A pat of this Cowboy Butter melting over a seared rib eye is about as good as backyard dining gets.
- Grilled Asparagus: Toss your grilled asparagus with a spoonful of Cowboy Butter for a fast, flavorful side.
- Strip Steak: Use it as a resting butter under your New York strips while they rest.
- Steak Frites: Swap in Cowboy Butter for the mâitre d’hôtel butter for a bold, smoky finish.
- Grilled Vegetables: Melt a couple tablespoons over any mix of grilled veggies, then watch them disappear.
More Condiment Recipes
If being known for homemade condiments excites you, you’re in the right spot. I’ve got dozens of condiment recipes here on the https://homefrontking.com/, as well as in the Hey Grill Hey App. For now, check out these popular BBQ condiment recipes:
Homemade Cowboy Butter Recipe
Make this Cowboy Butter to spread on something delicious to share with the people you love. After that, come back and butter me up with a 5-star review and drop a comment telling me about all the delicious ways you used your Cowboy Butter.
If you snap any beautiful shots of your buttered BBQ, share them with the community! Make sure you’re following me on Instagram and Facebook, then tag @heygrillhey so we can all see what you’re grilling up!
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Make the butter. Place your softened butter in a medium-size bowl, then add in the rest of your ingredients. Mix everything together thoroughly with a rubber spatula.
1 cup unsalted butter, 1 Tablespoon shallot, 1 Tablespoon fresh chives, 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
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Use or store. Use your Cowboy Butter right away on steaks, melt in for a dip, or store it for later. Place any unused butter on a piece of plastic wrap. Roll it up tight, then store in the refrigerator to use for up to a week.
Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 311mg | Potassium: 32mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 881IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
