BHA & BHT Free Compound Garlic Herb Butter
Store-bought flavored butters often sneak in preservatives like BHA and BHT to extend shelf life, which makes them a frustrating option if you're trying to keep those additives out of your kitchen. This homemade version puts you fully in control, built from nothing but real, whole ingredients you can actually recognize. Softened unsalted butter gets folded together with minced garlic, fresh parsley, chives, thyme, a hit of lemon zest, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a compound butter that's bright, savory, and deeply aromatic. The technique is straightforward — mix, roll into a log, and chill — and the result looks genuinely impressive sliced into rounds on a warm steak or melting over roasted vegetables. Lemon zest keeps the flavor lively without any artificial brightness, and the fresh herbs do all the heavy lifting that preservatives usually get credit for. It keeps in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for two months, so you can make a batch ahead and always have something special on hand.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the softened butter in a medium mixing bowl and beat with a fork or hand mixer until smooth and spreadable.
- 2
Add the minced garlic, parsley, chives, thyme, lemon zest, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, if using. Stir and fold until all ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the butter.
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