Brown Butter Is A Staple Of The Restaurant World, But What Exactly Is It?

Also known as buerre noisette in French, brown butter is made using a French cooking technique that once you learn, you'll never stop using. Although butter is always delicious, brown butter is indulgently rich with a deep, toasty flavor that boasts delicious nutty undertones. Perfect for everything from meats to baked goods, this luscious delight is, fortunately, easy to make, but it's also easy to mess up. 

Simply put, browned butter is unsalted butter that has been heated until the milk solids caramelize, separate from the butterfat, and sink to the bottom of the pan. These browned bits are where most of the flavor is, but they can be strained out if a recipe calls for it. The trouble with making browned butter is that it's really easy to overdo it and end up with burned butter if you're not careful. For this reason, it's essential to pay close attention when browning butter and remove it from the pan when it reaches the right color, either golden brown or light brown, depending on how deep you want it. 

To brown butter for yourself, start by melting butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. When it starts boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for a bit until it develops foam. As it's cooking, make sure to stir it regularly, scraping the bottom of the pan until the foam disappears and you begin noticing golden brown specks. You can either remove it then or let it cook for another minute until a light brown color is achieved. Once you have mastered browning butter, the real fun can begin because this stuff is as delicious as it is versatile.

Once you know how to make brown butter, it will become your secret ingredient in the kitchen. Brown butter can elevate everything from steak and eggs to brownies, and everyone will gush about how great a cook you are. It can even be used to make some irresistible mashed potatoes that you can bring to Thanksgiving to impress your mother-in-law! 

Brown butter can — and should — be incorporated into almost everything you cook, and the possibilities are nearly endless. You can saute veggies in it, use it to make brown butter bread, bake it into cookies, pour it over some fish, or use it as an alternative to pasta sauce. It can also be added to various soups to bring an extra level of depth and richness. It's particularly good in creamy potato soup with bacon, or with broccoli cheddar soup. Bonus points if you saute your broccoli in it before adding it all to the pot.