Gelatin Free Caribbean Jerk-Style Compound Butter
This compound butter is bold, fragrant, and packed with everything that makes Caribbean jerk seasoning so irresistible — scotch bonnet heat, warm allspice and cinnamon, bright lime zest, and a whisper of maple syrup to tie it all together. It comes together in one bowl with nothing more than softened butter and a handful of fresh and dried ingredients, making it one of the most rewarding things you can pull off in under fifteen minutes. Many flavored butters and specialty condiments on store shelves sneak in gelatin or other animal-derived stabilizers as thickeners, but this one is built entirely from butter, spices, citrus, and fresh aromatics — no hidden additives, no guesswork. Once you roll it into a log and chill it, you have a ready-to-slice finishing butter that transforms grilled chicken, seared fish, or roasted vegetables the moment it hits the heat. The scotch bonnet brings genuine fire, so feel free to adjust the amount to your heat tolerance, and the optional cilantro adds a fresh herbal lift if you're into it. Keep a log in the fridge for weeknight dinners or wrap one tightly and freeze it for whenever the craving for something smoky and tropical strikes.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 tbsp scallion greens, finely sliced (green tops only)
- 1 tsp fresh scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, seeded and minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp lime zest (from about 1 lime)
- 1 tsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- ¾ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, scallion greens, scotch bonnet pepper, ginger, lime zest, lime juice, and maple syrup. Beat with a fork or hand mixer until the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the butter.
- 2
Add the allspice, cinnamon, thyme, black pepper, nutmeg, smoked paprika, and salt. Beat again until the spices are fully incorporated and the butter is uniform in color with no dry pockets of spice visible. Fold in the cilantro, if using.
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