Beurre Monté Butter
The restaurant secret to great butter sauce!
Beurre monté is a simple French butter emulsion made by whisking cold butter into a small amount of hot water.
This is a smooth, creamy butter sauce used for dishes like vegetables, fish, lobster, and chicken. It coats food better than regular butter, tastes richer, and carries flavors.
It's common to add ingredients like whole grain mustard, lemon, herbs, garlic, pan juices, etc., for a unified sauce.
I recommend freezing cubes of butter to avoid spoilage and reduce prep time; the frozen cubes can be used directly in this recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- Salt, to taste
Method
- Bring the water to a simmer in a small saucepan.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time, adding more only after the previous pieces have emulsified.
- Keep warm but do not boil. Season to taste with salt.
Storage
Beurre monté is best used shortly after it is made. Keep it warm over very low heat or in a warm spot, whisking occasionally, but do not let it boil or it may break.
Leftover beurre monté can be refrigerated in an airtight container. It will solidify like butter and may separate when reheated. To re-emulsify, warm a splash of water in a small saucepan, then whisk in the chilled beurre monté a little at a time over low heat.
Freezing the finished sauce is not recommended. Frozen butter pats, however, work well for making beurre monté because the technique depends on gradually whisking cold butter into hot water.