Butter Sauce Recipe

Prepare ingredients

Finely mince the shallot and smash the garlic cloves. Measure lemon juice, chop parsley, and have salt and pepper ready. Keep the butter cold until ready to start.

Melt butter and flavor

Place a small to medium saucepan or heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the butter (all 8 tbsp) in one piece. Let it melt and foam — swirl the pan occasionally to ensure even heat. After the butter melts and the foam begins to subside (about 2–3 minutes), add the smashed garlic and minced shallot. Cook gently, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until the shallot softens and the garlic becomes fragrant but before it browns.

Brown the butter

Continue cooking over medium heat, watching closely. The milk solids will start to turn golden and then light brown — this should take another 1–3 minutes. Swirl the pan frequently to prevent burning. Once you see a nutty aroma and light brown flecks on the bottom, remove the pan from direct heat immediately to stop the browning process.

Finish and season

Quickly stir in the lemon juice to deglaze and stop cooking. Remove and discard the garlic pieces if you prefer a smooth sauce (optional) or leave them for extra flavor. Add the chopped parsley, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. If the butter is overly hot or seems too intense, whisk in 1 teaspoon of cold water to slightly cool and emulsify the sauce.

Strain (optional) and serve

For a silky smooth sauce, strain the butter through a fine-mesh sieve into a warmed bowl to remove browned solids, garlic, and shallot. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt or a few drops more lemon juice if needed. Serve immediately over fish, steamed vegetables, pasta, or roasted poultry.