Apparently adding water to butter makes a huge difference...to the point where the French have given it its own name: "mount with butter"
(I kinda wish I hadn't looked up that literal translation because now I'm having a queasy memory of Marlon Brando in Last Tango in Paris.)
But I digress...
You simply whisk butter in simmering water to emulsify it. Then you add whatever seasonings you like.
The ratio is 3 TBL simmering water to 8 TBL cold butter, vigorously whisked in 1 tablespoon at a time. You can scale it up to however much you need. You can also keep it warm covered with a lid at sub-simmer temperatures (between 135 and 160 degrees).
I thought this image and description were particularly striking:

This will be the recipe by which I test this method:
3 TBL water
8 TBL unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and chilled
1 TBL gochujang
2 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp sugar
They serve it over pork tenderloins.
Personally, I found this explanation from French Laundry (Thomas Keller) to be absolutely useless. But that's just me.
www.foodandwine.com
(I kinda wish I hadn't looked up that literal translation because now I'm having a queasy memory of Marlon Brando in Last Tango in Paris.)
But I digress...
You simply whisk butter in simmering water to emulsify it. Then you add whatever seasonings you like.
The ratio is 3 TBL simmering water to 8 TBL cold butter, vigorously whisked in 1 tablespoon at a time. You can scale it up to however much you need. You can also keep it warm covered with a lid at sub-simmer temperatures (between 135 and 160 degrees).
I thought this image and description were particularly striking:

This will be the recipe by which I test this method:
3 TBL water
8 TBL unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and chilled
1 TBL gochujang
2 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp sugar
They serve it over pork tenderloins.
Personally, I found this explanation from French Laundry (Thomas Keller) to be absolutely useless. But that's just me.
Beurre Monté: The Workhorse Sauce Recipe
Thomas Keller shares his go-to recipe for beurre monté, a liquid emulsion of butter and water that he uses daily at the French Laundry. The sauce is delicious with vegetables or proteins, or can be used for dishes like a rich butter-poached lobster.
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