Hello everyone! I am making this super simple guide to outline the basics and techniques behind making a delicious substitute for regular butter, and how to do it safely!

first, the type of butter you use doesn’t matter much. I wouldn’t recommend using European butter, as it’s better used in something like pastry doughs or spreading on toast.

The goal of browning butter is to heat it to the point where the milk solids in the butter begin to brown, but not burn. During this process, most of the water is boiled out, which is why it isn’t important to use a “nicer” butter with a higher butterfat percentage.

You can also do this in large quantities, but I wouldn’t recommend doing any more than 4x the batch. I haven’t tried to do that much at once, but much more than that and you may get some uneven browning or some burning.

Second, the pot/pan. It’s best to use one with decently tall sides, and with significantly more room than you will need. At one of the later stages the butter will begin foaming, and you will want to have extra room so it doesn’t go everywhere.

In case it does start bubbling over, immediately turn off the burner (especially if you have a gas stove), step away and let it cool off. Do not try to clean it up while it is still hot. Once it is fully cooled and cleaned off, return to browning it.

Lastly, make sure to have a fully heat-proof vessel ready to go before you start browning it. Once it is melted and bubbling you will want to be whisking near-constantly, so you most likely won’t have time to grab one while it’s going.

Once the milk solids are browning, they go very quickly. As soon as you see the bits turning golden brown, immediately turn off the heat and use a spatula to scrape it all into your vessel of choice. If you leave it in the pot for even just a few extra seconds, the solids may get too browned or burnt.

Guide: Browning Butter

Difficulty: Easy

A simple guide to making browned butter.

Ingredients

1/2 cup (113g/1 stick) salted or unsalted butter*

Directions

Place butter into a medium pot/pan, making sure there is extra room for it to bubble up. Place it over medium heat and whisk frequently until melted. Once melted, decrease the heat to medium-low and whisk almost constantly.
After a minute or two, it will begin foaming. Whisk constantly, and be careful not to let it bubble over. After it has settled down a bit, keep a close eye on the solids at the bottom. You may need to whisk it to be able to see the particulate at the bottom. As soon as it is golden browned and smells nutty, remove it from the heat and immediately scrape it into a heat-proof vessel. let cool completely before using.
Enjoy!

Notes

make sure to have a fully heat-proof vessel ready before you begin. You will be whisking near-constantly at the end, so you most likely won’t have the time to grab one then.
I wouldn’t recommend using any fancy or European butters for this. Most of the water will be boiled out in the browning process, so having a higher butterfat percentage is a bit wasted.
Be very careful throughout the whole process. It is extremely hot, and it will quickly foam up in one of the later stages of cooking. If it does go over the edge of your pot/pan, turn off the stove and step away. Clean everything up once it is fully cooled and return to browning.