Paraben Free Caribbean Jerk-Style Compound Butter
This compound butter is bold, fragrant, and packed with everything that makes Caribbean cooking so irresistible — fiery scotch bonnet, warm allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a bright hit of lime zest all folded into creamy unsalted butter. The result is a deeply flavored finishing butter that melts dramatically over hot grilled chicken, fish, or roasted vegetables, turning a simple weeknight dinner into something that tastes genuinely special. Parabens are synthetic preservatives that show up in a surprising number of processed condiments and flavored spreads, so making your own from scratch is one of the cleanest ways to sidestep them entirely. Every ingredient here is whole and recognizable — fresh ginger, scallion greens, real lime juice, a touch of maple syrup — with nothing hidden in a label. The technique is straightforward: beat everything together, roll it into a log, and let the fridge do the rest. Once it's firm, you just slice off rounds and let the heat of whatever you're serving do the work. It keeps beautifully in the refrigerator, so you can make a batch on Sunday and have restaurant-quality finishing butter ready all week long.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
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.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!