Making Brown Butter Sauce
This sauce is the fastest way to add depth to roasted vegetables, fish, or pasta. It relies entirely on timing and sight, as the line between toasted and burnt is thin.
Use a light-colored pan to monitor the color change
The milk solids settle on the bottom and brown quickly, so a stainless steel or light enamel skillet makes it much easier to see when they hit the right shade.
- Light-colored stainless steel skillet
- Silicone spatula
- Fine mesh sieve
What goes in.
- 8 tbspunsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tspfresh lemon juice (optional)
- 1 tbspfresh herbs like sage or parsley (optional)
Watching the foam
When the butter foams, you cannot see the bottom. Once the foam begins to clear and the aroma shifts from milky to toasted hazelnuts, you are seconds away from the finish.
The method.
Melt the butter
Place the cubed butter in the skillet over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally to melt it evenly.
Cook the solids
As the butter melts, it will begin to pop and foam. Keep the heat steady and stir constantly with the spatula to scrape the bottom.
Monitor the color
Watch for the color change. The butter will turn from pale yellow to a deep golden amber. Once you see brown flecks and smell a nutty aroma, remove it from the heat immediately.
Stop the cooking
Pour the butter into a heat-safe bowl immediately to prevent the residual heat in the pan from burning it. If adding lemon or herbs, whisk them in now.
Other turns to take.
Sage Brown Butter
Drop 6-8 whole sage leaves into the butter during the final minute of cooking until they crisp up.
Garlic Infused
Add one smashed garlic clove to the butter as it melts, then remove the clove once the butter browns.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If you leave the butter on the heat for even five seconds too long after the brown flecks appear, it will turn bitter.
Use unsalted butter to maintain better control over the flavor, as salted butter can sometimes get too briny when reduced.
If you want a clear sauce, pour the finished butter through a fine mesh sieve to remove the dark solids.
The ones that keep coming up.
How do I know if I burned it?
If the butter smells acrid or takes on a black, charcoal-like color instead of amber, it is burned and should be discarded.
Can I store leftover brown butter?
Yes. Let it cool, cover it, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to one week. Reheat gently on the stove.
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