Compound butters are an easy condiment to whip up that can quickly elevate a dish and make it a bit more exciting. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, a compound butter is basically just butter flavored with other ingredients, like herbs or even Papa John’s garlic sauce. However, if you’re looking for a great compound butter to melt over your steak or to slather onto an ear of corn, blue cheese is an excellent choice.
The creaminess of blue cheese makes it easy to blend together with the butter. If you’re intimidated by the funkiness of blue cheese, don’t fret. The richness of the butter will help to tone down that salty tang of it, and the umami notes from the cheese will shine without being overbearing. For a hint of freshness and even more of a flavor boost, you can add fresh herbs like chives, parsley, or thyme. Adding a small amount of minced garlic or lemon juice can add some brightness and acidity for an even more balanced butter.
Making blue cheese compound butter is simple
Compound butter is easy to make, and it freezes well, which means you can easily grab some to use for a special occasion or just when you feel like your meal needs a little something extra. An easy formula to use when making compound butter is about two tablespoons of the flavoring ingredient per every stick of butter. However, you can add more or less depending on how strong your blue cheese is. Add a little extra if it’s on the milder side, like a Danish blue, but go easier on the amount you add if you’re working with a stronger cheese, like a Roquefort or Maytag.
It’s important to remember that your butter needs to be room temperature before you begin. Cold, hard butter is not going to mix well with the cheese. Once your butter is softened enough, all you need to do is simply mix in your desired amount of blue cheese and any herbs you prefer. Then, roll it into a log shape, cover it in plastic wrap, and chill it in the fridge to harden. Slice off a piece to instantly upgrade your grilled veggies, melt it over some buffalo chicken wings, or simply spread it over a piece of bread.
