Emulsifier Free Maître d' Butter
Compound butters sound fancy, but most store-bought versions and restaurant-style preparations sneak in additives and emulsifiers to extend shelf life or achieve that ultra-smooth texture. This version keeps things completely clean — just real butter, fresh herbs, citrus, and seasoning, nothing else. The result is a silky, herb-flecked log that melts into a glossy, fragrant pool the moment it hits something hot off the grill. Bright lemon zest and juice cut through the richness of the butter, while flat-leaf parsley adds a fresh, grassy note that makes everything it touches taste more alive. Rolling it into a log and chilling it means you always have elegant, ready-to-slice rounds on hand for steaks, roasted fish, or a pile of caramelized vegetables. It's one of those recipes that looks like you put in serious effort but comes together in just a few minutes with a fork and a bowl.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Place the softened butter in a mixing bowl and beat with a fork or hand mixer until smooth and evenly creamy, about 1 minute.
- 2
Add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Mix until the herbs and seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the butter with no streaks remaining.
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