Compound Butter Logs
Beurre Composé·(burr kom-poh-zay)
MEAL PREP
Naturally Keto / French Traditional. Long before meal prep meant sad plastic containers of dry chicken breast, French chefs were preserving the vibrant flavors of summer herbs and pungent alliums by mashing them into rich, high-fat butter and rolling them into tight, sliceable cylinders. Keeping a log of this compound butter in your freezer means you are always exactly ten seconds away from an extraordinary pan sauce. Drop a cold medallion over a screaming-hot ribeye, a piece of baked salmon, or a pile of roasted broccoli, and let the melting fat do all the heavy lifting for your Tuesday night dinner.
Per serving (1 medallion): NET CARBS: 0 g Total carbs: 0 g | Fiber: 0 g | Sugar alcohols: 0 g Fat: 11 g | Protein: 0 g Calories: ~100
Before you start
Leave the butter on the counter for 3 to 4 hours before you intend to prep.
True room-temperature butter is the only mandatory advance work required for this recipe.
Ingredients
- grass-fed salted butter1 cup
- garlic3 med clove
- shallot1 small
- fresh flat-leaf parsley3 tbsp
- flaky sea salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
Method
- 01
Ensure the butter is completely at room temperature.
What the French call beurre pommade, it should yield easily to the back of a spoon with the texture of thick face cream, but it must not be melted or oily.
- 02
Aggressively mash the aromatics into the fat.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, garlic, shallot, parsley, salt, and pepper. Using a sturdy rubber spatula or the back of a fork, fold the ingredients together until the herbs are completely and homogeneously suspended in the fat matrix.
- 03
Form the initial butter line.
Tear off a 12-inch sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap and lay it flat on your counter. Dollop the butter mixture in a rough horizontal line about one inch from the bottom edge of the wrap.
- 04
Roll and twist the butter into a tight cylinder.
Fold the bottom edge of the paper over the butter line and roll it upward. Grab the extra paper at both ends, twist them in opposite directions like a hard candy wrapper, and roll the log briskly back and forth across the counter to force out any air.
- 05
Chill the log to set.
Place the log in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to firm up. To serve, simply unwrap one end and use a sharp, warm knife to slice off half-inch medallions as needed.
Notes
Do not try to rush the softening process by microwaving the butter.
Microwaving breaks the delicate emulsion, separating the milk solids from the butterfat. If the butter melts, the herbs will sink, the liquids will separate, and you will end up with an oily, unsliceable mess.
The quality of your fat dictates the quality of your meal.
Because this recipe is almost entirely butter, look for European-style or grass-fed varieties rather than cheap, store-brand sweet cream. European butters have a higher butterfat content and are often cultured, introducing a complex, tangy flavor that elevates a simple weeknight steak into a restaurant-tier experience.
The butterfat acts as a protective seal around the fresh herbs.
By stopping oxygen from turning the parsley brown, a tightly wrapped log will survive in your refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or 3 months in the freezer. You do not need to thaw it before using; a hot pan or resting piece of meat will melt a frozen medallion perfectly.
From Keto 10 Minute Meals.