Beurre monté facts for kids

Beurre monté (pronounced "burr mon-TAY") is a special kind of melted butter. What makes it unique is that it stays perfectly smooth and mixed. Even when it gets warmer than regular melted butter, it doesn't separate.

This amazing butter can be used in many ways. It can be a delicious sauce on its own. Chefs also use it as an ingredient in other sauces. Sometimes, it's used to gently cook food, like fish. It can even keep cooked meat warm and juicy.

What is Beurre Monté?

Butter is mostly fat, but it also contains a small amount of water and milk solids. This mix is called an emulsion. Think of it like tiny drops of water mixed into fat. Usually, if you heat butter too much, this emulsion breaks. The fat separates from the water and milk solids.

Beurre monté is different. It's made in a way that keeps the butter mixed together. It stays smooth and creamy, even when it's quite warm. This means it won't split into oily and watery parts.

Why is Beurre Monté Special?

Regular melted butter usually starts to separate around 70 degrees Celsius (about 158 degrees Fahrenheit). But beurre monté can stay perfectly mixed at much higher temperatures. It can stay emulsified up to 82 to 88 degrees Celsius (about 180 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit).

This special ability makes it very useful in the kitchen. It's a stable and rich sauce that can hold its texture. It's also great for keeping delicate foods warm without them drying out.

How to Make Beurre Monté

Making beurre monté is a cool trick that chefs use. It starts with just a little bit of water and cold butter.

Here are the steps to make it:

• First, boil a very small amount of water. You only need about 15 to 60 milliliters (1 to 4 tablespoons).
• Once the water is boiling, turn the heat down very low.
• Start adding cold butter, one or two small pieces at a time.
• Whisk the butter into the hot water constantly. The cold butter will melt and mix with the water.
• As the butter melts and mixes, add more pieces. You can add a bit more butter at a time once the mixture starts to look creamy.
• Keep whisking and adding butter until you have as much beurre monté as you need.
• Once it's made, keep the beurre monté warm. But make sure it doesn't get hotter than 88 degrees Celsius (190 degrees Fahrenheit). If it gets too hot, it might break and separate.