How to Brown Butter
Brown butter is simply unsalted butter cooked until the water evaporates and the milk solids toast to a nutty amber. You control the process by keeping the butter moving over medium heat, watching for the moment the foam subsides and tiny brown specks settle at the bottom of the pan.
Watch the transition, not the clock.
Butter goes from pale yellow to burnt in seconds once the water is gone. Use a light-colored pan so you can actually see the color of the milk solids as they darken.
- Light-colored stainless steel saucepan
- Silicone spatula
- Heat-proof glass bowl
What goes in.
- 1 stick (4 oz)unsalted butter
The Foam Gap
The butter will foam up, hiding the bottom of the pan. Once that foam breaks and reveals the dark brown flecks underneath, remove it from the heat immediately.
The method.
Cut the butter
Cut the stick into tablespoon-sized pieces so it melts evenly without the edges burning before the center is liquid.
Melt over medium heat
Place the pan over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally as the butter melts to encourage the milk solids to distribute.
Listen and watch
The butter will pop and hiss as the water content boils off. When the hissing stops, the liquid turns quiet and a thick foam forms on the surface.
Check for color
Stir continuously once the foam appears. Look for the golden-brown bits at the base of the pan and wait until the liquid smells like toasted nuts.
Cool immediately
Pour the butter into a glass bowl instantly. The residual heat in the pan will turn brown butter into black, bitter carbon if you leave it there.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always use unsalted butter; salted butter makes it impossible to judge the toastiness by smell and can become overly sharp.
If you find you have burned the butter, there is no saving it. The bitter charcoal flavor will permeate the entire batch.
Store the solidified brown butter in the fridge for up to two weeks, or keep it liquid at room temperature for immediate use in baking.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use a non-stick pan?
You can, but it is difficult to see the color change against the black coating of most non-stick pans. A stainless steel or light-colored ceramic pan is much better.
Why did my butter turn black?
The milk solids burned. This happens when the butter is left on the heat for even ten seconds too long after the aroma of toasted nuts develops.
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