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Frying with Butter, when to know its burned

6K views 13 replies 6 participants last post by  keith grima 
#1 ·
Hi guys, when you fry/finish your steaks with butter how do you know the butter is burnt?
 
#5 ·
Clarifying butter both foams and settles. Removing the foam is part of it but you also want to remove the settled solids. Just melting butter in the microwave is not really clarifying it.



Butter is not a good choice for frying a steak as it burns in the hot pan. Finishing with butter is a good thing. Speed basting with butter is good too. But by the time you get to using the butter for basting, the pan is not as hot as at the start and the butter shouldn't burn.



Flipping every minute is not the method I endorse, but I picked the video to show the difference in how he uses oil and butter in cooking the steak.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I think you're mixing apples with oranges, & unclear as to the question. Let's take it one step at a time. Are you frying or finishing(?) steak with butter?

You can add a pat of butter or compound butter to the finished steak., etc.

If doing a browned butter sauce (i.e. for pasta), watch for an amber color.

Clarified butter - mostly for seafood (lobster) as a dipping sauce.
 
#10 ·
I'm not a fan of clarified butter for seafood. There's not enough flavor left in the clarified butter and I find whole melted butter more to my taste. I think this is part of the popularity for butter or olive oil poaching for lobster and such. Use a fat with the most flavor rather than one with the flavor removed. 

Clarified butter is much better for high temperature cooking of course. And storing, even preserving as with confit or traditional potted shrimp or ham. 
 
#13 · (Edited)
Do a very easy and inexpensive experiment. Tablespoon or two of butter in a small frying pan. Low heat. Heat until it melts. Taste. Continue until the foam and water cook off. It will stop sizzling. Taste. Cook until the butter starts to brown. Taste. Keep cooking and tasting. You'll taste when it goes from browned to burnt and you will see the difference too. Browned will taste nutty, like hazelnut; burnt will taste bitter
 
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