Best Compound Butter Recipes

A thick bone-in ribeye grilled over live fire and finished with a smoky chipotle compound butter that melts into every bite. Moreover, the chipotle butter brings a warm, smoky heat that plays off the char on the crust. Additionally, letting the butter melt over the resting steak bastes the meat in flavor as it finishes. As a result, this is the compound butter recipe that kicked off the whole ribeye lineup.

Grilled ribeyes topped with a classic garlic and herb compound butter loaded with parsley, thyme, and roasted garlic. Specifically, the fresh herbs keep the butter bright while the garlic adds depth that clings to the seared crust. Furthermore, this is the simplest way to turn a good steak into a restaurant-quality plate at home. Consequently, no roundup of compound butter recipes is complete without the herb butter ribeye that defines the category.

Herb compound butter ribeyes served alongside cheese-stuffed mushroom bombs for a full plate off the grill. In contrast to the standard herb butter ribeye, this version pairs the steak with a molten cheese side that rounds out the meal. Additionally, the same herb butter ties both components together with garlic and fresh herbs. Therefore, this compound butter recipe works when you want the steak and the side handled in one cook.

Ribeyes finished with a compound butter built around sweet, mellow roasted garlic instead of raw cloves. Moreover, roasting the garlic first knocks out the sharp bite and leaves a nutty, caramelized flavor in the butter. Additionally, that softened garlic spreads easily and melts clean over a hot steak. As a result, this is the best compound butter recipe for anyone who loves garlic but wants it smooth rather than aggressive.

A reverse-seared tomahawk finished with a hickory bacon compound butter packed with smoky, salty bits of rendered bacon. Specifically, folding cooked bacon into the butter adds texture and a second layer of smoke on top of the grill flavor. Furthermore, the tomahawk’s size makes it the perfect canvas for a bold, fatty butter like this one. Consequently, this compound butter recipe is the showstopper you pull out when you want to impress a crowd.

Smoked tomahawk steaks brushed and finished with a honey garlic compound butter that balances sweet and savory. Meanwhile, the honey caramelizes against the seared crust while the garlic keeps it grounded and rich. Additionally, smoking the tomahawk first builds a deep bark that the butter melts into beautifully. Therefore, this is the newest compound butter recipe in the lineup and one of the best for a big-cut centerpiece.

A whole prime rib roast coated in a garlic and herb compound butter that seasons the meat and crisps the exterior. Moreover, rubbing the butter under and over the fat cap drives garlic and herb flavor deep into the roast. Additionally, as the butter renders it bastes the entire roast for a savory, browned crust. As a result, this is the compound butter recipe to reach for when you are feeding a full table for the holidays.

Grilled steaks topped with a compound butter folded full of slow caramelized onions for a deep, sweet-savory finish. Specifically, cooking the onions down for a long time concentrates their sugars and melts them into the butter. Furthermore, that jammy onion flavor spreads over the steak like a built-in French onion topping. Consequently, this compound butter recipe brings a completely different flavor angle than the garlic and herb versions.

Grilled steaks finished with a candied bacon compound butter that hits sweet, salty, and smoky all at once. Moreover, the candied bacon brings a brown-sugar crunch that melts into the butter as it warms on the steak. Additionally, this is the kind of over-the-top finish that turns a weeknight steak into an event. For this reason, this compound butter recipe is a favorite for anyone who thinks everything is better with bacon.

Steaks finished with a three-chili compound butter that layers different peppers for building, complex heat. In contrast to the sweeter butters on this list, this one leans into spice with a blend of chilies in every bite. Additionally, the fat in the butter carries the heat evenly across the steak instead of leaving one hot spot. Therefore, this compound butter recipe is the pick when you want your steak to bring real fire to the plate.

Seared steak bites tossed in cowboy butter, a garlicky, herby, lemony melted butter loaded with spice and flavor. Specifically, cowboy butter works as both a coating and a dipping sauce, so every bite gets fully coated. Furthermore, the bite-sized format makes these the easiest way to serve a compound butter steak at a party. As a result, this is the compound butter recipe that disappears fastest off the appetizer tray.

A surf and turf plate where both the steak and shrimp get finished in the same rich cowboy butter. Moreover, using one butter across both proteins ties the whole plate together with garlic, herbs, and lemon. Additionally, the shrimp soak up the butter fast while the steak gets a glossy, flavorful coat. Consequently, this compound butter recipe delivers a full surf and turf dinner without juggling two different sauces.

Smoked shrimp bathed in a cowboy butter built on ghee for a nuttier, higher-heat finish that will not burn. Specifically, using ghee instead of standard butter lets the garlic and herbs cook without scorching. Furthermore, the smoke adds a wood-fired layer that plays off the bright, garlicky butter. Therefore, this compound butter recipe is the seafood-forward pick for anyone who loves cowboy butter but wants it lighter.

The original surf and turf plate where a single compound butter finishes both the steak and the seafood. Moreover, one well-built butter carries garlic and herb flavor across both proteins for a cohesive plate. Additionally, this is the recipe that proves compound butter belongs on seafood just as much as steak. As a result, this compound butter recipe is a foundational one for the entire surf and turf category on the site.

Lobster and steak finished with a Cajun honey compound butter that swings from sweet honey to bold Cajun spice. In contrast to the straightforward garlic butters, this one brings heat and sweetness to a premium surf and turf plate. Additionally, the honey helps the butter cling and caramelize against the lobster and the seared steak. Therefore, this compound butter recipe is the pick for a special-occasion dinner with a little more attitude.

A surf and turf plate finished with a garlic herb ghee compound for a cleaner, higher-heat butter that holds up on the grill. Specifically, the ghee base means the garlic and herbs get more flavorful instead of burning under high heat. Furthermore, ghee gives the butter a richer, nuttier backbone than standard butter. Consequently, this compound butter recipe is the modern, grill-friendly update to the classic surf and turf butter.

Shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes threaded on skewers and brushed with a crab boil garlic butter loaded with bold seasoning. Moreover, the crab boil spice in the butter delivers all the flavor of a seafood boil without the pot of water. Additionally, brushing the butter on over the flame lets it soak into every piece on the skewer. As a result, this compound butter recipe brings the whole seafood boil experience straight to the grill grate.