The Ingredient Swap That Will Take Your Shrimp Scampi To The Next Level - Tasting Table

"Butter doesn't always get the credit it deserves in shrimp scampi, does it? It's the first thing you smell as the dish hits the dining table, and the last thing you taste when chasing down the last drop of sauce on the plate - a flavor thread tied into every ingredient. You weave it into sizzling garlic pieces, wrap its buttery scent around tender shrimp, and simmer it into the most enticing, velvety smooth sauce."

"With its diverse mixture of ingredients, this compound butter straddles between flavors with ease. The rich, buttery base twinkles with the lemon's zesty tang, while also adorning the mustard's sharp edges. Popping up in between are aromatic hints from a delectable array of fresh herbs, sometimes overshadowed by the red pepper flakes and paprika's bold, smoky heat. It's a revelation for steak dishes of many kinds, and will surely be the same for your shrimp scampi."

"Drop a dollop into the pan, and your shrimp scampi is in for a transformation. Suddenly, you're eating sauce-drenched shrimp with something new at every corner: an aromatic richness here and some lemony brightness there, lingering between which are spicy notes that ignite the entire dish. What's more, since it's still butter you're using, the dish remains true to the garlicky, buttery taste and savory depth you know and love - only more nuanced this time."

Butter provides the dominant aroma and finishing flavor in shrimp scampi, infusing garlic and shrimp and creating a velvety sauce. Cowboy butter is a compound butter blending lemon, mustard, fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, and paprika to produce citrusy, tangy, herbaceous, and smoky-spicy notes. Adding cowboy butter to shrimp scampi yields layered flavors—aromatic richness, lemony brightness, and spicy accents—while preserving the classic garlicky, buttery depth. Cowboy butter melts into sauces with wine and herbs, pairs well with bread or grits, and serves as a simple, versatile compound butter for transforming steaks and seafood alike.

Read at Tasting Table