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Brown butter in a glass jar on a countertop.

How to Brown Butter

  • Author: Julianne
  • Prep Time: 2 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 12 minutes
  • Yield: 1/2 cup

Description

Learn how to brown butter on the stovetop! This is a simple technique for melted butter that’s cooked to bring out a rich, nutty flavor.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, cold or room temperature

Instructions

  1. Cut the butter into 1 tablespoon size pieces and place in a saucepan.
  2. Turn stovetop on to medium/medium low heat bringing the butter to a boil, stirring occasionally.
  3. Once the moisture evaporates, the bubbles get tighter and appear to be foamy on top and browning begins. This is when the milk solids start to turn golden brown. Stir constantly and don’t take your eyes off it! Butter can go from brown to burn very quickly.
  4.  Once the solid start to go from golden brown to darker brown, remove from the heat immediately and  pour into a heatproof bowl. If left in the hot pan, the butter will continue to brown and maybe even burn.
  5. Use according to the recipe instructions or store (notes below).

Equipment

Notes

  • Both salted and unsalted butter will work, but refer to the actual recipe for instructions.
  • Once the butter has cooled, it can be stored in an airtight container. If left on the counter the butter will turn back to a soft solid, and the brown flecks usually will settle on the bottom of the bowl. You can also place it back in the refrigerator, but it will become a firm solid like you’d expect butter to be. Melt or bring to room temperature according to the recipe instructions.
  • Recipes that specify brown butter will let you know if the butter should be used as a liquid or solid. It’s common for a recipe to call for browning the butter will indicate if it needs to be rechilled.
  • Butter can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Nutrition Information:
1 tablespoon
100
0g
0mg
12g
7g
0g
0g
0g
30mg
  • Category: Topping
  • Method: Cooked
  • Cuisine: French