When it comes to compound or herbed/seasoned butters, I always considered them a unique addition to breads, atop a steak or
or other dishes, but never really considered them worth the effort to make until I started cooking sous vide. Using this method
they are now my primary "go-to" for injecting flavor into various meats as they cook.
I basically make up several styles of butters
and vacuum seal them with their accompanying cut of meat and either freeze or refrigerate for a future meal. This approach to bulk meal prep is
much easier and efficient than any other attempts I have made in the past. And these days I need all the time savings that I can get.
One major advantage to using compound butter instead of a liquid marinade is that marinades do not vacuum seal so
well. They usually are sucked out of the bag as the vacuuming is taking place, making a mess and potentially compromising a good seal.
Also, a strongly flavored marinade used in sous vide will be too overpowering in the end; a little seasoning goes a long way since there is
little to no juice loss with this method and compound butters seem to deliver just enough flavor.
Top Left: Cilantro & Lime
Top Center: Peach, Honey, Cinnamon & Sage
Top Right: Sun-dried Tomato & Basil
Bottom-left: Dill, Capers & Scallion
Bottom Center: Rosemary, Thyme & Pepper
Bottom Right: Parsley, Garlic & Lemon
If you are new to sous vide, check out our Amazon store for basic equipment and our
sous vide 101 article.
*Disclaimer: Mary's Making is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program,
an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising
fees by advertising and linking to my Amazon store.