Whipped Butter Is The Easy 2-Ingredient Condiment You Need To Try

While nibbling on table bread at your favorite steakhouse, you may have noticed the butter that accompanies it blows the home version out of the water. It's unlikely the restaurant is serving Orwellian butter from Vermont's Animal Farm Creamery with a mere snack, which begs the question: why is it so much better than the spread you have in your fridge? The thing is, even if you purchase the best butter money can buy in the grocery store, it won't be the same because the restaurant has transformed its version into whipped butter.

Thankfully, making this condiment is hardly a culinary feat that requires years of education. With two simple ingredients, you can make this rich spread in your kitchen in minutes. However, unless you have a stand mixer, prepare for a workout. Reach for a half cup of room temperature butter and grab two tablespoons of milk. Put the butter in a mixing bowl and whisk it vigorously for roughly two minutes. This integrates air bubbles into the fat, turning it into a fluffy cream. Incorporate the milk and whisk energetically again for another three minutes. When you are done, you should have a lighter-colored creamy spread ready to grace some freshly baked bread — but why stop at the carbs?

Aside from the super savory taste, one of the best things about whipped butter is its versatility. The gourmet blueberry muffins you make at home will welcome the enhanced spread, but it also transforms into a great companion for grilled steak. Just place your whipped butter on parchment paper, then roll it into a log shape. Let it solidify in the fridge for at least two hours. Voila — you now have a compound butter you can slice into rounds for a rich steak topping.

Typically, compound butter is flavored with additional ingredients. Mimicking this is as simple as incorporating the elements you want into the blend as you mix it. Garlic and herbs are a common choice for beef, but if you let your imagination run loose, you can integrate other ingredients that will parlay the wow factor of whipped butter to all kinds of home-cooked fare.

Jalapeños in the mix would make a heavenly topping for cornbread. For Thanksgiving, you could make a festive compound butter with fresh cranberries that would fancy up your feast. Blending in honey and cinnamon makes a great topping for holiday baked goods, and adding pesto creates a flavorful accompaniment to grilled shrimp. There is practically no limit to what you can elevate whipped butter with if you get creative. Even on its own, it will taste like it came from your favorite restaurant.