How To Tell When Brown Butter Is Done Cooking Before It Burns

Brown butter, thanks to its nutty, caramelly, deeply rich flavor, is called for again and again in savory recipes and at-home baking projects. But have you ever tried to brown your butter and, for fear of burning it, only melted it instead? The perfect moment to remove your browned butter from heat comes and goes in a flash, making it fairly likely that you'll go either too far or not far enough. Below, we'll go through exactly how to read the signs to know when your brown butter is ready.

In a light-colored pan, melt sliced or cubed butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, it will start to foam up as its water evaporates. The fat from the butter, as it begins to separate from the milk solids, will start to sputter and spit. As your butter continues to foam, its color will change from pale yellow to a distinctly stronger shade. The milk solids from the butter will also start dropping to the bottom of your pan. Continue stirring for about eight minutes. The foam will subside, the color of your butter will turn from yellow to gold, and the solids at the bottom of your pan will start to brown. Remove your pan from the heat with these three signs: the butter has turned a darkly golden shade, the milk solids at the bottom of your pan are the color of hazelnuts, and your kitchen has taken on a fragrant, toasty aroma.

As soon as you spot that dark golden color, remove your pan from the heat and pour your brown butter into a room temperature dish or container. Otherwise your butter will continue cooking and turn a shade darker than you'd like. Then check your recipe. It may ask that you cool your brown butter slightly before using.

It's also important to note that brown butter and regular butter aren't a one-to-one swap, due to the moisture that cooks out as butter browns. If you're trying a brown butter spin on a recipe that calls for regular butter, make sure to measure it after it's melted. You'll need to add a few more tablespoons to generate ½ cup of melted brown butter. Or, you may need to add a bit of liquid back. Try a couple tablespoons of milk for your baking recipes or water or stock for your savory ones.

Brown butter will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. When you're ready to use it, let it come to room temperature like regular butter or melt it over low heat (just don't let it brown again).