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Homemade Garlic & Lemon Butter

A glass jar filled with whipped garlic butter showing a swirl where a knife has scooped it. A vintage knife with a smear of butter rests on a dark wooden board next to a soft dinner roll.

A compound butter is one of those kitchen secrets that feels like a luxury but is actually the simplest thing to make. It transforms a humble piece of crusty bread or a quickly seared steak into a restaurant-quality meal.

This recipe relies on a classic technique: crushing the garlic with sea salt to create a smooth paste before mixing. This ensures that the sharp, raw bite of the garlic mellows out and integrates fully into the fat, rather than leaving you with harsh chunks. Brightened with a splash of lemon juice, this butter is essential for the rustic pantry.

Prep time: 10 minutes Yields: 4 oz (approx. ½ cup)

The Ingredients

  • 4 oz (115g) salted butter, softened
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Garlic: Peel the garlic cloves and slice them thinly with a sharp knife.
  2. Create a Paste: Place the sliced garlic on a saucer or cutting board and sprinkle the sea salt over it. Using the back of a spoon (or the flat side of a knife), press and drag the garlic against the surface, crushing it until it breaks down into a smooth paste.
  3. Cream the Butter: In a small bowl, use a spoon to cream the softened butter until it is smooth and pliable.
  4. Combine: Add the garlic paste and the lemon juice to the butter.
  5. Season: Mix thoroughly until the liquid is fully incorporated into the fat. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
  6. Store or Serve: Use immediately, or spoon onto a piece of parchment paper, roll into a log, and refrigerate until firm.

Notes from the Kitchen

  • Temperature Matters: Ensure your butter is truly room temperature (soft) before starting. If it is cold, the lemon juice will not emulsify properly, and the mixture will look curdled.
  • Serving Suggestions: This butter is incredibly versatile. Melt it over hot corn on the cob, rest a coin of it on a grilled steak, or smear it generously inside a baguette before wrapping in foil and baking for instant garlic bread.
  • Herb Variations: While this recipe is perfect in its simplicity, you can easily fold in a tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley or chives for added color and garden flavor.

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Prep Time 10 mins
Total Time 10 mins
Courses:
Difficulty: Beginner
Servings: 4
Description

A pantry staple that elevates any meal. This simple compound butter features fresh garlic crushed into a paste with sea salt, then whipped with salted butter and bright lemon juice. It is perfect for melting over steaks, spreading on warm bread, or tossing with roasted vegetables.

Ingredients
  • 4 oz salted butter, softened (115g)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
    Prepare the Garlic:
  1. 1
    Peel the garlic cloves and slice them thinly with a sharp knife.
    2. Create a Paste:
  2. 2
    Place the sliced garlic on a saucer or cutting board and sprinkle the sea salt over it. Using the back of a spoon (or the flat side of a knife), press and drag the garlic against the surface, crushing it until it breaks down into a smooth paste.
    3. Cream the Butter:
  3. 3
    In a small bowl, use a spoon to cream the softened butter until it is smooth and pliable.
    4. Combine:
  4. 4
    Add the garlic paste and the lemon juice to the butter.
    5. Season:
  5. 5
    Mix thoroughly until the liquid is fully incorporated into the fat. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
    6. Store or Serve:
  6. 6
    Use immediately, or spoon onto a piece of parchment paper, roll into a log, and refrigerate until firm.
Note

Temperature Matters: Ensure your butter is truly room temperature (soft) before starting. If it is cold, the lemon juice will not emulsify properly, and the mixture will look curdled.

Serving Suggestions: This butter is incredibly versatile. Melt it over hot corn on the cob, rest a coin of it on a grilled steak, or smear it generously inside a baguette before wrapping in foil and baking for instant garlic bread.

Herb Variations: While this recipe is perfect in its simplicity, you can easily fold in a tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley or chives for added color and garden flavor.

Keywords: garlic butter recipe, compound butter, homemade butter, steak topping, garlic bread spread, lemon garlic butter, easy condiments, rustic cooking, savory spreads, willowgoldfarms, adfree, adfreerecipe, noadsrecipes
Read it online: https://willowgoldfarms.com/recipe-box/homemade-garlic-lemon-butter/