How to Brown Butter
Brown butter is regular butter cooked until the water evaporates and the milk solids toast. You cook it over medium heat until the foam subsides and the liquid turns a deep hazelnut color, leaving you with a toasted, nutty aroma and dark flecks at the bottom of the pan.
Use your eyes, not the clock.
The transition from browned to burnt happens in seconds. Stay at the stove the entire time and keep a light-colored pan nearby so you can track the color change.
- Light-colored stainless steel or enamel saucepan
- Heat-proof spatula
- Small glass bowl
What goes in.
- 1 cupunsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
Watching the Milk Solids
The butter will foam aggressively. You are looking for the moment the foam thins and you see dark brown specks settle at the base of the pan.
The method.
Melt the butter
Place the cubed butter in the pan over medium heat. Swirl occasionally until melted.
Cook through the bubbles
As the water evaporates, the butter will hiss and foam. Keep swirling the pan to ensure the milk solids on the bottom don't stick.
Watch for the color change
Once the foaming slows, the liquid will turn from yellow to a golden straw color. The aroma will shift from milky to toasted nut. The moment you see dark brown specks appear, remove the pan from the heat immediately.
Stop the carryover cooking
Pour the butter into a glass bowl instantly. The residual heat in the pan will burn the solids if you leave them inside.
Other turns to take.
Herb-Infused Brown Butter
Drop a sprig of fresh sage or rosemary into the pan once the butter starts to foam. Let the herbs crisp as the butter browns, then strain.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always use unsalted butter so the salt concentration doesn't intensify as the water evaporates.
If you accidentally burn the butter—it will turn black and smell acrid—start over. There is no saving it.
Store the finished butter in the refrigerator if you aren't using it immediately; it will solidify like normal butter.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use salted butter?
It is not recommended. As the moisture cooks out, the salt becomes concentrated, leading to an overly aggressive, briny final product.
How do I know if it is underdone?
If the butter is golden but you don't see those dark brown flecks at the bottom, it hasn't developed the toasted depth of flavor yet.
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