How-To Tuesday – How To Brown Butter
I think we have firmly established that brown butter is the cure all for E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. – like bad days, the sniffles, an adorable dog who pesters you into near submission with the world’s most pathetic seal eyes all in an effort to gain the second spot on the couch where the boss man says is off limits to the fur baby. Little does he know that I might have let Huck up there a night or two ago…with a blanket on the couch of course. Shhh, just don’t tell Ben.
But enough about my ridiculously gooby labradork, you’re here to talk Butter – and I’m 110% okay with that.
Brown butter, the most coveted of butters for its nutty and toffee like aroma and flavor, is easier to make at home than you think! I promise. The most important part of browning butter is that it has your undivided attention. Now is not the time for you to go and do your nails, or take the dog for walk or fold that laundry that has been sitting on your chair for a week. Guilty.
Start with a heavy bottomed sauce pan or saute pan over medium heat. Cube butter to ensure it all melts evenly and some butter doesn’t begin to simmer before the rest of it has melted. Once melted, the butter will start to simmer. With a whisk in hand continuously whisk butter to ensure none of it settles on the bottom of the pan for too long.
As the butter begins to simmer, it will start to foam – which is completely normal. Continue whisking and you will start to see the color of the butter turn from yellow to a tan color and then to golden brown. As this color of the butter solids change and toast, the smell will start to change to a nutty and toffee like aroma. This is MONEY! Butter money.
When the deep golden brown color has been reached, immediately remove from the heat and pour into a bowl you have sitting aside. If you start to see super dark brown or black flecks in the butter, discard it and start again. There is no shame in it – all brown butter-ers have been there before. And if practice makes perfect you’ll be able to whip up a batch of brown butter in no time and rocking the socks off of all your friends and impress your formerly un-impressable mother in law.
Use this brown butter right away, or store in the fridge in an airtight container for future use.
Money. Butter money.
Check out last week’s first installment of How-To Tuesday – How To Make Multi Grain Bread.
Here are a few more Brown Butter-Tastic Recipes for you to test you new skills on –
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – Country Cleaver
Brown Butter and Caramelized Onion Mashed Cauliflower – Running to the Kitchen
Brown Butter Bundt Cakes – Country Cleaver
Brown Butter and Sea Salt Cereal Bars – Bran Appetit
Brown Butter Grilled Beer Cheese Sandwich – The Beeroness

How-To Tuesday – How To Brown Butter
- Prep Time: 1 Minute
- Cook Time: 20 Minutes
- Total Time: 21 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: Baking
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
1 cup Unsalted Butter
Instructions
In medium sauce pan with heavy bottom. Melt butter over medium heat. Whisking constantly, allow butter to come to a simmer. Continue whisking until butter foams and begins turning a golden brown color. When the butter turns from a butter yellow to golden brown and smells nutty and like toffee, remove immediately from stove and pour into a bowl to begin cooling.
Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge and use when solid.
Keywords: Butter, Brown Butter, How To
I don’t tend to like the taste of plain butter that much but as you said brown butter is just so much better. I love it on top of my pasta with basil and lots of parmesan. Amazing!
great how to, girl! i love brown butter.
Brown butter is so delicious, it’s almost sickening! I’m really glad you posted this how-to! Browning butter is something that some people don’t tackle because it seems so easily screwed up. And this is a perfect lesson!
Ah yes, you can never, ever have enough brown butter in your life. The nutty flavor takes baked goods, gnocchi dishes and fish recipes to a whole new level.
I love this, but I consider it dangerous because I will now want to Brown Butter All The Things. I think I’ll start with shortbread cookies. Or potato pancakes. 😀
Oh brown butter. I would stick my face square into that.
This is pretty much an essential skill. And I kind of want to take a bath in this.
I wish you could let everyone know how AMAZING it smells over the blog…wouldn’t that be cool? Love your how-to posts!
What an excellent How-To post, Megan! Very thorough and your photos depict brown butter just as sexy as it really is. I swear, I can smell your brown butter clear over to Indy! Nice to meet you and happen upon your blog via tweets with Shanna and Barb today. xo
Browned butter is the best!
Ah HA, it must be the continuous whisking that I am forgetting!! I’ll need to try this again. Tilley feels bad for Huck right now, because she is curled up on the couch next to me. Poor Huck, a blanket works good to keep the dog hair off!! I’m sending poor, neglected Huck a big ol’ hug right now…. 🙂 Ambitious Kitchen makes some good brown butter recipes too. Can’t wait to TRY!!!
I can not even tell you how many comments and emails I have gotten over time asking me how to brown butter. Love your tutorial!
Such a great how-to, thanks lovely!
great how-to post – I get this question a lot and now I will refer people over here. 🙂
I LOVE THIS!! I don’t eat butter often but when I do, this is one of my favorite ways!!
One of my favorite things EVER to eat in gnocchi in browned butter. I think we should all get a reminder of how to make it so we can cook it every single day.
Brown butter and me are the best of friends! 🙂
Awesome tutorial! Brown butter is my mecca 🙂
I was SO afraid of brown butter for the longest time..but it really is so easy! And a total game-changer. it’s made my life better, for sure.
Thank you so much for this wonderful how-to with great photos for each stop!!! I needed this!!!
Is there anything more delicious that browned butter? Looooove.
Just pinned this! Awesome How-To Megan! 🙂
YES! I finally know how to brown butter! I’ve never tried it nor anything with brown butter in it, so I’m excited to give it a go….everyone seems to love it so I’m sure I’ll get addicted lickety split. Love the How-To Tuesday series!
Which kide of butter, salted or unsalted? Or does it matter? Your instructions are great, as are the photos. Can’t wait to try it in my chocolate caramel cookie recipe. I’ll bet they will be even more fabulous!
Hi Dottie – I use salted butter. But really it doesn’t matter which you use, it all tastes amazing just the same. 🙂 Good luck!
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Thank you so much for this wonderful how-to with great photos for each stop!!!
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