Cowboy Butter

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Cowboy Butter is a flavor packed compound butter made with herbs and seasonings. Use it on steaks, as a dip or spread it on bread.

You probably don’t need me to tell you that butter is delicious. It adds flavor and richness so many dishes. Whether you’re making a cake like this Blueberry Lemon Cake or decadent Fettuccine Alfredo butter is an important part to many recipes. With this recipe, however, butter is the star.

Cowboy butter is a “compound butter”. If you don’t know, compound butter is butter mixed with other ingredients. This could be sweet or savory. One of my personal favorites being Whipped Garlic Butter and now, this Cowboy Butter.

This butter is fantastic on steak, spread on bread or melted and used as a dip.

Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make it.

Cowboy Butter Ingredients:

Don’t be intimidated by the amount of ingredients in this recipe. The list might seem like a lot but many of the ingredients you might already have on hand.

• BUTTER: It is important that the butter is at room temperature. This will make mixing the other ingredients in much easier.
• FRESH PARSLEY/CHIVES/THYME: These will add a bright herb flavor as well as a pop of color to the butter.
• GARLIC: One of my favorites to add to butter. Make sure that it is minced fine so you don’t get a big chunk of raw garlic in a bite.
• LEMON JUICE/LEMON ZEST: To add a citrusy flavor to the recipe.
• STONEGROUND MUSTARD: A lot of cowboy butter recipes that I’ve come across call for dijon but for this recipe, I love stone ground. It adds a bigger mustard punch.
• PAPRIKA: Adds smoky flavor and color to the butter.
• CAYENNE PEPPER AND CRUSHED RED PEPPER: To add a bit of heat. They are optional.
• SALT/PEPPER

Step by Step Photos and Instructions:

Making cowboy butter, or any compound butter, is really easy! The hardest part is giving the butter time to firm up in the refrigerator. This will take a least two hours so plan ahead.

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STEP #1: Gather all of your ingredients. Make sure that butter is at room temperature. Combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl.

STEP #2: Mix the ingredients together until well combined.

STEP #3: Form the butter into a log and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm.

STEP #4: When ready allow the butter to soften slightly and slice, or melt it to use as a dip.

Storage and Leftovers:

Keep any unused cowboy butter in the refrigerator and use within a few days.

Try serving this Cowboy Butter with Air Fryer Steak, Sous Vide Steak or as a dip for these Garlic Steak Bites.

Looking for more condiment recipes to kick up your next meal? Try some of these:

Homemade Tartar Sauce is better than any you can buy and it’s so easy to make!

Olive Oil Bread Dip is another dip that is a must for any crusty bread.

Got basil? You’ve got to make your own Basil Pesto.