We can’t get enough of this Compound Butter!
Ever get tired of your meats and vegetables just being seared and cooked? Want to enhance flavors easily? Look no further! We have a leek and bacon compound butter that will surely let you rediscover the joys of food. The earthy onion combined with the salty, smokey bacon and soft, rich, creamy texture of butter will definitely have you schmearing this on anything you can.
Do you know what leeks and butter have in common? They both have anti-inflammatory properties! You might be surprised to find out that butter can come with benefits if used sparingly. Butter can help promote better digestive health thanks to a fatty acid called butyrate as mentioned at healthline.com. Leeks also have anti-diabetic and anti-cancer properties according to WebMD. Why not throw these both into your diet?
So Easy and Here’s How
Can we be honest? We don’t have just one but TWO recipes that involve leek and bacon. You can check out this dip here. If you want to knock out two recipes in one go, double up on the leeks and use the full packet of bacon. This leek and bacon compound butter recipe is super easy and the time it takes to complete is mostly due to chilling the butter.
- Preheat oven to 425℉/218℃ and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Trim the leeks so that all that’s left is the white and light green portions. You can freeze the dark green parts for other recipes. Cut in half and rinse the dirt off thoroughly. Roughly cut the leeks to the size of your thumb. Place these on one of the lined baking sheets. Drizzle 1 TBS olive oil and sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt. Place the bacon on the other baking sheet.
- Cook the leeks and bacon for 30 minutes each or until crispy. When they are done, allow the bacon and leeks to cool until you can handle them with your hands. Take a stick of unsalted butter out and let it soften at room temperature.
- Place the leeks and bacon in the food processor after cooling and pulse on low until well incorporated.
- Place the unwrapped softened butter into a medium-sized bowl. Scoop the leek and bacon mixture from the food processor into the bowl. Use the masher to incorporate just enough so that the ingredients mix but not so that the butter melts.
- Lay out a large piece of cling wrap on the counter. Scoop out the combined butter mixture onto the cling wrap an inch in from the edge that’s closest to you. Take the edge of the cling wrap closest to you and fold over the butter. Shape the butter into a log and begin to roll it over and over until completely wrapped. Chill for at least one hour or until hardened. The longer it’s refrigerated, the better the compound butter. Slice into coins and serve!
Have Questions?
Why can’t I use all parts of the leek?
The white and light green portions of leeks are the most tender and packed with a lot of flavor. The dark green leaves are usually very tough but that doesn’t mean they can’t be used! You can store these dark green parts for other recipes by placing them in a ziplock bag and popping them in the freezer.
What can you use the compound butter for?
We love this compound butter with steak. You can use it on bread, vegetables, meat, fish, pasta, or on grains too!
What is a good butter or bacon substitute if vegan?
We haven’t tried this but there are plenty of vegan butter and bacon substitutes that you buy from stores!
Leek and Bacon Compound Butter
Equipment
- 2 Baking sheets lined with parchment paper
- Cling wrap
- 1 Mixing bowl medium
- 1 Masher or fork
- Knife
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of leeks
- 1 TBS olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ packet of bacon
- 1 stick of softened unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 425℉/218℃ and line two baking sheets with parchment paper
- Gather all ingredients
- Trim off the fuzzy bottom of the leek and dark green leaves until only the light green and white portions are left.
- Slice the leek in half and rinse thoroughly
- Continue to slice leeks into logs the length of your thumb
- Coat the leeks in 1 TBS olive oil and ½ tsp salt. Place them on a baking sheet
- Place strips of bacon onto another baking sheet
- Bake both in the oven for 30 minutes. The bacon should be crispy.
- When done, allow the bacon and leeks to cool until you can handle them with your hands; approximately 10 minutes.
- In the food processor, place the leeks. Break the bacon strips in half and place them in a food processor with the leeks. Pulse on low until well incorporated
- Scoop out the leek and bacon into a mixing bowl and add the softened stick of butter. Mash ingredients together but do not overmix. We do not want the butter to be melted.
- Lay out a large piece of cling wrap on the counter. Scoop out the combined butter mixture onto the cling wrap an inch in from the edge that’s closest to you. Take the edge of the cling wrap closest to you and fold over the butter. Massage the butter into a log and begin to roll it over and over until completely wrapped. See the picture above for reference.
- Chill until butter has hardened, about 1 hour. Slice into coins before use.
what do you think of this?
Please let us know how the leek and bacon compound butter turned out for you! Leave a comment below!