Compound butters are fancy. And by fancy, I mean they’re so easy to make that once you learn how to make them, you won’t want to use regular butter when roasting poultry or flavoring your favorite carbs. Softened butter gets elevated with fresh herbs, citrus, and spices to help round out flavors and enhance your meal.

You can make this weeks in advance, which is crucial in planning and executing an easy-breezy holiday dinner with minimal prep work. This compound butter freezes beautifully once rolled up in plastic film and can easily be used once thawed out in the fridge before use.

Citrus Herb Compound Butter

Prep time: 10 minutes

Yields: 2 logs of butter

1 lb unsalted butter, softened (4 sticks)*

Zest of 2 lemons

Zest of 1 navel orange

1 small bunch fresh parsley, chopped

4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, rubbed

Sea salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

*Note: If you have to soften the butter it in the microwave, work in 10-20 second intervals in a microwave safe bowl, stirring in between each round. You want the butter to be soft enough to leave an indentation if you push against it with your finger (without it melting completely).

In a large mixing bowl, use a spatula to spread out the softened butter. Add the lemon zest, orange zest, fresh parsley, and fresh thyme leaves. Fun tip: rub the thyme leaves between your fingers as you’re putting them in the bowl; that helps release the oils and fragrance in the leaves. Start out with a tablespoon of salt and pepper each and then blend everything together. Taste a little bit of the butter and adjust the seasoning to your liking.

To store, you can either put the butter into a plastic container or roll it up into a log with plastic film wrap. Whatever’s clever but I prefer rolling up the butter since it’s easier to slice and use when cooking. If you’re making this ahead of time, freeze it. The day before you plan on roasting your birds, take out the butter, and let it thaw in the fridge.

¡Buen provecho!