Lemon Butter Sauce
Lemon butter sauce is an emulsion of cold butter whisked into lemon juice over low heat. The goal is a velvety, opaque liquid that coats the back of a spoon without breaking into separated fat and water.
Temperature is your only enemy here.
Keep your butter fridge-cold and slice it into small, uniform cubes before you turn on the stove. If the pan gets too hot, the butter will melt into an oil slick rather than emulsifying.
- small stainless steel saucepan
- balloon whisk
- fine-mesh sieve
What goes in.
- 1/4 cupfresh lemon juice, strained
- 1 stick (8 tbsp)unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 1 tspshallot, minced fine
- pinchkosher salt
Mounting the Butter
Add the butter one cube at a time, whisking constantly until each piece is almost melted before adding the next. This creates a stable suspension of butterfat in the citrus acid.
The method.
Combine the base
Place the lemon juice and minced shallots in the saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until the liquid reduces by half, leaving about two tablespoons of concentrated acid.
Control the heat
Lower the heat to the absolute minimum. You want the pan warm enough to melt butter, but not hot enough to brown it.
Whisk in the butter
Add the first two cubes of butter. Whisk vigorously. Once the butter is incorporated into a creamy state, add the remaining cubes one by one, keeping the motion constant.
Finish and serve
Remove the pan from the heat immediately after the final cube is incorporated. Stir in a pinch of salt and serve while warm; this sauce will not hold for long.
Other turns to take.
Herb-infused
Add one tablespoon of finely minced flat-leaf parsley, chives, or tarragon after the butter has fully emulsified.
Garlic-forward
Steep one smashed garlic clove in the lemon juice during the reduction step, then remove it before adding the butter.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the sauce starts to look like clear oil, pull it off the heat and whisk in one teaspoon of cold water to bring it back together.
Never let the sauce reach a boil once the butter is added; it will split instantly.
Use a stainless steel pan rather than non-stick; the light color allows you to see exactly when the butter is fully integrated.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I make this ahead of time?
No. This sauce is designed to be made and served immediately. It cannot be reheated, as the butter will melt and separate.
Why does my sauce look greasy?
The pan was likely too hot, or you added the butter too quickly. Slow down the addition of the cubes and ensure the butter is cold.
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