Spring Tallow Butter Board

If you think of my cooking, it wouldn’t be because of food trends, because I’m very stubborn. Sometimes to a fault, I admit, but I’ll come around eventually. I remember resisting sun-dried tomatoes and basil pesto in the early 80’s because they were everywhere. I’m so glad I succumbed.

But a butter board?! Well, if my husband and I had never chosen to order a butter board at a hotel restaurant in 2022, I would certainly not be blogging about it. It was such a decadent joy, I didn’t even take pictures.

The hotel was the Sage Lodge in Pray, Montana. The restaurant was the Fireside Room, where everyone who worked there looked like they were extras on the show Yellowstone. But the food and service were perfect. Below is a photo from the back of the hotel.

You can see it below – a warmed baguette and the butter is topped with togarashi, one of my favorite seasoning mixtures, also called shichimi togarashi.

I bought my togarashi from Amazon, of course. The ingredients include red chili pepper, orange peel, sesame seeds, Japanese pepper, ginger and seaweed.

Anyway, our butter board was such a treat for us, I knew I’d have to recreate it.

I loved the restaurant presentation, which was simply the butter and bread, but I could also see the addition of some spring vegetables. Radishes came to mind first, as I already eat them with butter and salt, but then carrots, green beans, potatoes….so many options.

I also wanted to experiment with part beef tallow and part butter. I’ve been intrigued with tallow for a while, and I found a jar at Whole Foods. As an option, you could use a bone marrow and butter mixture, which I’d only heard about watching The Lost Kitchen.

From researching online, I discovered that the recommended ratio for a tallow butter mixture is 8 ounces butter to 2 ounces tallow.

Tallow Butter Board

16 ounces unsalted butter
4 ounces tallow

Place a bowl large enough to accommodate 20 ounces of liquid over a pot of hot water and let melt.

When melted, place the bowl over a larger bowl of ice water and whisk constantly until the mixture cools, about 2 minutes. At that point remove from the ice water and continue whisking occasionally to keep the tallow and butter emulsified. Notice it gets paler as time goes on.

After about 20 minutes the tallow is ready to spread on a board or platter.

I used togarashi, coarse salt, and lemon zest on top. But I also added fennel fronds and a few baby purple onion rings. (I don’t recommend bothering with the onion rings.)

And just like at the restaurant, this tallow butter was phenomenal.

Of course this butter board can be made with 100% high quality butter, but adding the tallow was fun. You really need the bread warmed to enjoy the full flavors. My favorite additions besides the bread were the potatoes, and terra chips!

I stored the left over tallow butter in a jar in the refrigerator. I imagine it will have a fairly long shelf life, if we don’t eat it all soon!

About the Author: Chef Mimi

As a self-taught home cook, with many years in the culinary profession, I am passionate about all things food-related. Especially eating!

36 Comments

  1. Travel Gourmet May 1, 2023 at 6:28 AM - Reply

    That looks fantastic!

    • Chef Mimi May 1, 2023 at 6:28 AM - Reply

      It was really fun to eat!

  2. Jeff the Chef May 1, 2023 at 6:54 AM - Reply

    I’ve never used tallow before! What does butter mixed with tallow taste like? The board is absolutely gorgeous.

    • Chef Mimi May 1, 2023 at 1:06 PM - Reply

      It smells like meat, but has a mellow taste. It just mellowed out the butter flavor. In fact, I think I’d prefer pure butter, but it was fun trying!

  3. Angela May 1, 2023 at 7:37 AM - Reply

    This is something entirely new to me, but it is indeed a gorgeous creation. I’ve never used beef tallow, but every time I make a batch of pie dough I’m tempted to try lard. I don’t think the natural fats are any worse for us than all the artificial stuff.

    • Chef Mimi May 1, 2023 at 1:06 PM - Reply

      I agree with that! Julia Child swore by half butter and half lard!

  4. Dorothy's New Vintage Kitchen May 1, 2023 at 8:09 AM - Reply

    Well, isn’t this pretty! I would personally skip the tallow, but so many possibilities come to mind. This could definitely be the centerpiece of a party buffet!

    • Chef Mimi May 1, 2023 at 1:05 PM - Reply

      You can definitely just whip butter, I just wanted to try it. And yes, a great hors d’oeuvres for a buffet party!

  5. Bernadette May 1, 2023 at 3:43 PM - Reply

    A beautiful presentation Mimi. How does tallow change the taste of butter?

    • Chef Mimi May 1, 2023 at 4:25 PM - Reply

      It kind of mellows it out, which isn’t necessarily the best thing. I just really wanted to try it!

  6. Mary May 1, 2023 at 3:43 PM - Reply

    This does pique my interest. I don’t know if I can buy tallow (I think it might have been called ‘dripping’ at one time). Before we stopped eating healthy fats! I am definitely going to investigate the possibility of making this dish. Thanks Mimi. :))

    • Chef Mimi May 1, 2023 at 4:24 PM - Reply

      You can always use good butter, whip it, and spread. I highly recommend the togarashi! but at least flaky salt.

  7. Sherry Mackay May 1, 2023 at 8:17 PM - Reply

    i laughed when i first saw a butter board – maybe last year … But it looks pretty and i bet is fab with all sorts of things like veg. and bread. I’ve seen similar ideas with other spreads. I just keep thinking of having to wash that greasy wooden board :)

    • Chef Mimi May 2, 2023 at 7:28 AM - Reply

      Consider it a wood treatment!

  8. Ann Coleman May 2, 2023 at 9:12 AM - Reply

    I’ve never heard of butter boards! Sadly, butter is something I can only eat when it’s baked in something, so I don’t think I’ll ever be able to try one.

    • Chef Mimi May 2, 2023 at 7:10 PM - Reply

      Well that is okay! I’m not the butter police!

  9. Frank Fariello May 3, 2023 at 9:24 AM - Reply

    You know, I’m just the same way about food trends. The trendier the dish, the LESS likely I am to take to it. I like to march to a different drum, as the old saying goes. Which is why I hate it when one. my of favorite old dishes (eg cacio e pepe) suddenly becomes trendy. What to do? It’s much easier when the thing isn’t something I’m crazy about anyway, like cupcakes…

    Anyway, I haven’t had a butter board yet. But this actually is one trend I’m been wanting to try. I just love butter that much. Or maybe I’m getting soft in my old age?

    And I’m intrigued by adding a bit of tallow to the mix. Sounds nice!

    • Chef Mimi May 4, 2023 at 7:54 AM - Reply

      Well, butter is pretty darn wonderful! I just love butter in France. Can’t remember about butter in Italy, but maybe there wasn’t any. And yes, cacio e pepe is everywhere, in every form! And I agree – do what you want with cupcakes !!!

  10. Velva May 3, 2023 at 10:57 AM - Reply

    Oh Mimi, this is off the chain!! Wow. Decadent and delicious. I am going to look for that spice blend for sure. I have been inspired lately to do a butter board and I think your post may have done the trick. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.

    Velva

    • Chef Mimi May 4, 2023 at 7:52 AM - Reply

      Thanks, Velva! The one at the restaurant was so good I knew I’d have to make one myself!

  11. StefanGourmet May 3, 2023 at 11:05 AM - Reply

    I have never heard of a butter board before.

    • Chef Mimi May 4, 2023 at 7:52 AM - Reply

      Well you have now!

  12. Debra May 3, 2023 at 7:19 PM - Reply

    I have been hearing about butter boards but always had a hard time envisioning what that might entail. Thank you for the tutorial. I am quite fascinated. I have yet to see one introduced on a menu. I think my only exposure is from a cooking show I listen to on the radio, and I don’t think the addition of tallow was mentioned. This is really unique. Thank you!

    • Chef Mimi May 4, 2023 at 7:52 AM - Reply

      No, it was my idea to add tallow, because I’d been wanting to use it in some fashion. But the butter board concept is really fu!

  13. nancyc May 4, 2023 at 12:30 PM - Reply

    Your butter board looks beautiful! I haven’t had one yet—looks like I may need to try it out! :)

    • Chef Mimi May 4, 2023 at 2:49 PM - Reply

      Well we certainly enjoyed it!

  14. neil@neilshealthymeals.com May 6, 2023 at 1:26 AM - Reply

    Wow. I never heard of a butter board before. Very decadent! I think I put on a stone in weight just looking at it. Ha ha!

    • Chef Mimi May 6, 2023 at 10:08 AM - Reply

      I know. But it was so enjoyable!

  15. David Scott Allen May 6, 2023 at 1:17 PM - Reply

    You are so good. I am still being very stubborn about butter boards. I vacillate between utter fascination and being grossed out…. I really am impressed.

    • Chef Mimi May 7, 2023 at 6:22 PM - Reply

      Hahahahahaha! I’m actually surprised my husband agreed to order the butter board! so I understand.

  16. David @ Spiced May 8, 2023 at 7:34 AM - Reply

    Woah – what a fun recipe, Mimi! I often say that I could eat warm bread and butter as a meal by itself, and this recipe is just that. The garnishes on top look amazing, too!

    • Chef Mimi May 8, 2023 at 8:21 AM - Reply

      It was such decadent fun when we had this at the restaurant. Warm bread and butter. Amazing.

  17. Ronit May 8, 2023 at 1:53 PM - Reply

    This looks heavenly!
    I haven’t use tallow before, but if it’s anything like bone marrow, trendy or not, I’ll have to try it! :)

    • Chef Mimi May 8, 2023 at 3:55 PM - Reply

      No, it’s definitely not the same. It’s just rendered beef fat, so it’s not delicious!

  18. Thao @ In Good Flavor May 10, 2023 at 6:41 AM - Reply

    How decadent and delicious!! Such an great idea! I have never heard of tallow, but now I want it. My favorite way to use shichimi togarashi is on salmon. It’s so good!

    • Chef Mimi May 13, 2023 at 8:19 AM - Reply

      Oh fabulous! I love it with hot pot, too!

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