How to Brown Butter

Name: How to Brown Butter
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 12 min
Yield: 1 cup
Ingredients: ½ cup butter

User Reviews

5.0

3 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
2 mins
Cook Time
2 mins
Total Time
12 mins
Servings
1 cup
Calories
102 kcal
Course
Others
Cuisine
American

How to Brown Butter

Nicole Henderson

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Everyone should know how to brown butter. This easy guide takes you through the process of warming butter on the stove to bring out a fragrant, nutty taste that enhances the flavor of any dish!

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Ingredients

Servings

½ cup butter

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Instructions

In a small saucepan or skillet, add butter and melt over low heat.
Continue heating for about five minutes, swirling the pan gently to see the butter browning (do not stir it). The butter will start to foam at this point.
With a rubber spatula, move the foam aside to monitor the brown flecks on the bottom of the pan. The butter will begin to smell nutty and develop into a golden-brown color.
Continue to heat until desired level of browning is achieved. The process from start to finish is about 5-7 minutes. At this stage, close monitoring of the butter is very important. The butter can go quickly from browned to burnt, depending on the heat level. When butter is browned, it will stop sizzling and the foam layer will cover the brown butter.
When done browning, immediately pour the browned butter into a heatproof bowl to cool. Do not cool in the pan as it will continue to brown.

Notes

Browned butter can be stored, in an airtight container or jar, at room temperature for 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Salted or unsalted butter can be used, depending upon the recipe. Adjust the measurement of butter you need for the recipe. I don't recommend browning over 1 cup of butter at a time, as it's hard to get an even browning unless you have a large pan.
Working with a pan with a light colored bottom is helpful because you can’t see the browning of the milk solids if you use a dark colored pan, and it is easy to burn the butter.
During the process, lifting some of the brown bits up with a spoon or even spooning a small amount onto a plate can help check the level of browning.
Leaving the butter in the saucepan or skillet after browning can result in over browning, or even burning, from the residual heat.
The goal is to brown the milk solids somewhere between a light golden brown and a dark brown. If the solids are black, the butter is burnt.
Measure the amount of butter needed for the recipe, after browning the butter. There is a slight evaporation of liquid during the cooking process. I usually add an extra Tablespoon of butter to be browned. For instance, if the recipe calls for 1/2 cup of browned butter, melted...I will melt 9 Tablespoons then measure out 1/2 cup after melting.