We've already talked at length about the virtues ofbrown butter: Its nutty and caramel-y flavor and its ability—like butter—how—to make pretty mucheverythingbetter.
Admittedly,making brown butter on the stovetopis already easy without any sort of trickery. It simplyinvolvesmelting butter over medium-high heat, and continuing to stir it as the milk solids brown and the butter turns a beautiful light brown color. But fair warning: you do really have to watch it. Constantly. Those browned bits need to be stirred, and it can go from golden-hued to charred if you, say, turn around to wash a dish.
This is why my favorite, absolutely-no-supervision-required way to make brown butter is in the microwave. I first learned this method from Christina Tosi'sMomofuku Milk Barcookbook. As Tosi says, "Browning butter in a saucepan on the stove makes you far more likely to burn yourself, or curse like a sailor while trying to scrub the bottom of a saucepan rich in burnt butter solids." There you go. You can learn how to brown butter in the microwave and accept that it's the easiest and best way to achieve caramelized buttery perfection. Here's how to brown butter in the microwave:
1. Place the Butter in a Microwave-Safe Bowl
Take a microwave-safe bowl—a large bowl will reduce the risk of splatter. Place the quantity of butter you'd like to melt in it. Our test kitchen recommends using a range of 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) to 1 cup (2 sticks).
2. Cover the Bowl
You'll want to cover the bowl with a lid, or another bowl because the butter will splatter as it browns. Steer clear of plastic wrap, which may melt if splattered with super-hot butter.
3. Microwave the Butter in Short Bursts Until Toasty
Microwave the butter for from 3 1/2 minutes to 6 1/2 minutes, depending on the quantity of butter and the power of your microwave, until the butter is dark amber, with chestnut-colored flakes of brown throughout. Of course, if you prefer a lighter brown butter flavor, feel free to remove it when it's a lighter amber color.
The best way to tell you've achieved brown butter perfection? The aroma. As soon as you open the door to the microwave you'll smell the signature nutty, caramely aroma of brown butter and know you've arrived. Don't be afraid of the popping, gurgling, sputtering noises the butter will make during its time in the microwave. That means it's browning!
If you are cooking less than one stick,check after 2 minutes, then cook in 30-second bursts, checking between bursts, until you reach desired color.
If you are cooking one stick or more,check after 3 minutes, then cook in 30-second bursts, checking between bursts, until you reach desired color.
4. Remove the Butter from the Microwave
Even though making brown butter in the microwave reduces the likelihood that you'll burn yourself when you're stirring and the butter sputters, you still want to be careful removing it from the microwave. Your bowl and lid will probably be quite hot, so feel free to wait a couple of minutes before handling them. And definitely be sure not to spill the piping hot butter on your hands as you transfer it from the microwave to your counter.
Some recipesrecommendto strain the milk solids once the butter has cooled. You can do this if you'd prefer, but I like the extra nuttiness the brown flakes add to baked goods and other recipes.
Now that you've learned how to make brown butter, there's no excuse not to always have it around. Drizzle it on top of cinnamon toast or steamed vegetables. Pour it over chickpeas, fish, or pasta. You can even go ahead and make somefancy brown butter cookies. If you've got it around, why not?
