Mastering Browned Butter
This is a technique of observation rather than strict timing. The difference between depth of flavor and burnt, bitter charcoal is a matter of thirty seconds.
Visual cues are your only guide.
Do not walk away from the stove. Use a stainless steel pan so you can clearly see the bottom of the pan as the foam clears.
- Light-colored stainless steel saucepan
- Silicone spatula
- Heat-proof bowl
What goes in.
- 1 stick (4 oz)unsalted butter
Watching the Milk Solids
The butter will foam, then go silent. When the bubbling stops and you see brown, toasted specks gathering at the bottom, the solids are perfectly browned.
The method.
Melt the butter
Place the butter in the pan over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally to ensure it melts evenly.
Control the foam
Once melted, the butter will begin to foam and crackle as the water boils off. Keep stirring with your spatula to scrape the bottom.
Watch for the color
As the crackling sound dies down, look for the color to shift from bright yellow to a deep golden, then finally to a toasted amber.
Stop the carryover
Immediately pour the butter into a heat-proof bowl. The residual heat of the pan will burn the butter if left inside.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Cut the butter into even cubes before melting to ensure it all begins cooking at the same time.
If you accidentally burn a batch, the smell of acrid, bitter smoke is your signal to start over; there is no salvaging burnt butter.
Use a light-colored pan; it is nearly impossible to gauge the color change in a dark non-stick or cast iron skillet.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use salted butter?
You can, but it tends to foam more aggressively and the salt content can become concentrated as the water evaporates.
How do I store this?
Keep it in the refrigerator in a sealed jar for up to two weeks, or melt it back down when you are ready to use it.
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