Classic Cowboy Butter Recipe

Cowboy butter is a flavored butter — or compound butter — that's formed in a log and chilled to be easily sliceable. It's great as a dip, a spread, or a topper for grilled meat. If you're looking to wow your guests with an easy but fancy way to dress up a steak, then whip up a batch of this classic cowboy butter. This simple staple gets a makeover with some add-ins like lemon zest, garlic, fresh herbs, and a pinch of red pepper flakes to transform it into a condiment with bold flavor and herby freshness. Use it on anything off the grill from meats and seafood to portobello mushrooms, melt it over roasted vegetables, or spread the creamy goodness on fresh sourdough. The options are endless, and because you can make it ahead and use it for 2 weeks, you can use it to replace plain butter and jazz up all of your meals.

Recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "I am a huge fan of using fresh herbs in my cooking and especially parsley and chives because they are easy to grow, and are also readily available to buy. Not only do they add a fresh taste, but they add beautiful flecks of green to brighten things up."

To make this recipe, you only need a small list of ingredients. You'll want to pick up some salted butter, and vegan alternatives work fine here also. Then grab a lemon, curly parsley, chives, and garlic. Flat leaf parsley will also work, but if you make this switch, dry the parsley very well as it won't cut as easily as curly parsley when it's damp. Then check your spice cabinet for salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Add the butter to a medium bowl.

Beat with a hand mixer until creamy.

Zest the lemon.

Add the parsley, chives, garlic, lemon juice, and zest, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to the bowl.

Mix by hand until combined.

Lay the mixture on a piece of parchment paper and form it into a log.

Roll it up in the parchment paper, twist the ends, and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Slice into rounds and serve.

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Even though making cowboy butter is simple, there are a few tips that will ensure a delicious outcome and easy preparation. To start with, the temperature of the butter is very important. If it is too cold, it will be impossible to blend, and if it's too soft it will be greasy and will start to break down. Secondly, we are using fresh herbs here which are critical to the bright and vibrant taste of cowboy butter. Dried herbs just won't give you the same flavor. If you are worried about the cowboy butter being too spicy, you can omit or cut back on the red pepper flakes. It helps to add it in increments, because if you add too much up front, the batch could be ruined if you are sensitive to spicy heat.

For rolling up the log, parchment paper works best because it doesn't stick to itself. If you don't have that on hand and want to use plastic wrap, form the log on a cutting board, then transfer to the plastic wrap to roll up. If you try and form it on plastic wrap, the wrap will stick together and become hard to work with. To freeze the cowboy butter, place the wrapped log in a freezer-safe resealable bag and it will be fine for up to two months.

Once you fall in love with seasoned butter you will want to try all sorts of variations. For a smoky cowboy butter, add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika. To take it up a notch in heat add a few pinches of cayenne pepper to compliment the smoky taste. For a brighter, tangy flavor, switch out the parsley for fresh dill and use more lemon zest and juice. If you have limes on hand, and like a chili lime combo, swap out the lemon juice and zest for lime, and add ½ teaspoon each of chili powder and tajín. 

For a deeper savory and aromatic flavor, use about 2 tablespoons of finely minced rosemary instead of the parsley. Add a little more garlic to lean into the rich taste. Basil and sun-dried tomato is another tasty combination option. Just add about 1 tablespoon of diced sun-dried tomatoes that have been packed in oil, along with 1 ½ tablespoon of diced fresh basil. Finally, a very simple option is to add 1-2 teaspoons of everything bagel seasoning and chives: This makes for a delicious bagel topping.

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