Melt the butter on the stove if you want perfect, even melted butter or if the recipe calls for browning the butter. If you want to save time, use a microwave, but follow the instructions in this article to avoid heating it too quickly or unevenly. Finally, if you're just looking to soften the butter you've kept in the fridge or freezer, you'll find plenty of options available to you.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Melt the Butter on a Stove
Step 1. Cut the butter into pieces
Cut it into cubes so the heat doesn't have to slowly melt the butter to reach the center. The more the surface of the butter is exposed, the faster it will melt.
You won't have to cut the butter precisely. You could cut a stick of butter into four or five parts
Step 2. Put the butter in a heavy skillet or double kettle if possible
A pan with a heavy base should distribute the heat more evenly than thin pans. This will help minimize the chances of burning the butter by melting each part of it at a similar rate. A double kettle is even safer. Even with a light pan, however, you can melt the butter more evenly than with a microwave.
You can make a double kettle yourself by stacking two pans
Step 3. Turn the flame to low intensity
Butter melts between 28 and 36 ºC, the temperature that can reach the environment on a hot day. Do not raise the heat too high to prevent the butter from heating up too much beyond the melting point, and can burn or smoke.
Step 4. Check the pan until three-quarters of the butter has melted
Do not turn up the heat to melt the butter without browning it. Use a spoon or spatula to spread the butter on the bottom of the pan as it melts.
Step 5. Remove the pan from the stove and stir
Turn off the heat or move the pan to another stove and mix in the butter. The butter and pan will still be hot, and this heat should be enough to finish the melting process. By following this method the risk of burning the butter will be much less than if you left the pan on the stove until all the butter has melted.
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Return the pan to the heat for 30 seconds, if you still notice any unfrozen parts after mixing.
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Step 6. If the recipe calls for browning the butter, heat it until spots appear
You won't need to brown the butter unless the recipe specifies it. In that case, don't turn up the heat and keep stirring the butter with a gentle gesture. The butter will foam, then brown spots will form. When these spots appear, remove the pan from the heat and stir until the butter turns amber, then pour it into a dish at room temperature.
Method 2 of 3: Melt the Butter in the Microwave
Step 1. Cut the butter into cubes
The microwave will heat the butter from the outside to the inside, so cut the butter into several pieces to increase the surface area that will be heated. This will reduce the chance of the butter heating unevenly, even if you can't expect a completely even melt in the microwave.
Step 2. Cover the plate with butter with paper
Place the butter in a microwave-safe dish, then cover it with paper towels. Butter can splash due to the rapid melting process that takes place in the microwave. The paper should protect the inside of the microwave from these splashes.
Step 3. Heat the butter for 10 seconds on a low temperature
Microwave ovens can melt butter much faster than a stove, but the likelihood of burning, splitting, or other problems will be much higher. Set your microwave to the lowest available temperature, then turn it on for 10 seconds.
Step 4. Stir and check your progress
The butter probably won't be melted yet, but since butter melts at a relatively low temperature, every 10 second interval can have a dramatic effect. Stir to evenly distribute the heat and check for lumps.
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Note:
remember to remove the cutlery from the bowl before putting it back in the microwave.
Step 5. Repeat until the butter is almost melted
Change the paper and heat the butter for another 10 seconds, or 5 if the melting is almost complete. Keep checking your progress until there are only small pieces left. Carefully remove the dish from the microwave, as it may be hot.
Step 6. Stir to blend the remaining pieces
The small remaining pieces can be melted with the residual heat. Stir the butter until the whole dish is golden and liquid.
If the butter has greasy drops or white residue on the surface, it has been in the microwave for too long. You can still use it to stir-fry foods or add flavor to savory dishes, but it can have a negative effect on the texture of baked goods
Method 3 of 3: Soften the Butter
Step 1. Know when butter is soft
Unless the recipe gives a specific description of the texture, butter is considered soft at room temperature. You can mash it easily with a spoon, but it won't lose shape if you don't touch it.
Step 2. Cut the butter into pieces before softening it
Below you will find many commonly used methods of softening butter. For all these methods, however, the rule applies that the butter will soften faster if you cut it into cubes.
Step 3. Leave the butter on the counter next to the oven
If the butter is not frozen and the room is hot, it will take a few minutes for small pieces of butter to soften. This is especially easy if you are going to place it near the oven, or if the surface above the oven is always hot thanks to the pilot light.
Don't put butter directly over a hot oven unless it's frozen. Keep an eye on butter in hot places to make sure it doesn't melt, as it can happen quickly
Step 4. Soften the butter faster by mashing or beating it
To speed up the softening process, use the electric mixer or mash the butter by hand following this simple tip. Place the butter in an airtight bag after removing most of the air. Using a rolling pin, your hands, or any heavy object, repeatedly mash the butter. After a few minutes, the butter should be much softer, and show no signs of melting.
Instead of using a plastic bag, you could put the butter between two sheets of parchment paper or wax paper
Step 5. Put the butter in a container in a hot water bath
Fill a large bowl halfway with warm water - non-steaming. Put the butter in an airtight bag or in a smaller bowl inside the water bath. Keep an eye on the butter and tap it occasionally to check its consistency, as this method should only take a few minutes to soften some butter kept in the refrigerator.
Step 6. Quickly soften the frozen butter by grating it
If you can't wait for the butter to thaw, grate it with a large hole grater. The grated flakes of butter should melt and soften within minutes in a warm room.
Advice
- If you often use butter to fry foods at high temperatures or if you want to keep it longer, clarify it by heating the melted butter until it froths. Ghee is more resistant to burning and smoking at high temperatures than regular butter, but it has a less rich flavor.
- Choose normal, unsalted butter to keep the sodium intake in your diet under control, especially if you are hypertensive or if you follow a low-sodium diet.
