Brown Butter Old Fashioned Recipe

Brown butter

In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Continue cooking, swirling the pan frequently, until the milk solids turn golden brown and release a nutty aroma, about 4–6 minutes. Remove from heat immediately to avoid burning.

Combine with bourbon

Carefully pour the browned butter and any brown bits into a heatproof jar. Add the 12 oz (375 ml) of Woodford Reserve bourbon to the jar while the butter is still warm so it mixes. Seal the jar and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour, gently shaking the jar every 10–15 minutes to emulsify flavors.

Chill and separate

After 1 hour, place the jar in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight). Chilling causes the butter to solidify and separate from the bourbon.

Strain

Once the butter solidifies on top, use a spoon to remove the solid fat, then strain the bourbon through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into a clean bottle. Discard the solids. Reserve the clarified brown-butter-infused bourbon. Yield: about 10–11 oz usable bourbon.

Combine 1 cup dark brown sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves. Bring to a gentle simmer for 1–2 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a bottle or jar and refrigerate. Syrup will keep for 2 weeks. Measure 0.25 oz per cocktail.

Build the drink

Place a large ice cube into an Old Fashioned glass. Add 2 oz brown-butter-infused bourbon, 0.25 oz brown sugar simple syrup, and 2 dashes Angostura bitters.

Stir

Stir gently for 20–30 seconds until the drink is well chilled and slightly diluted (aim for about 20–25% dilution for balance).

Express garnish

Take an orange peel and hold it skin-side down over the glass. Express the oils by giving the peel a firm twist and run it around the rim of the glass. Drop the peel into the drink.

Finish

Drop in a Luxardo cherry as a garnish. Optionally, add a second cherry on a pick. Serve immediately.

Store the strained brown-butter bourbon in a sealed bottle in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If it becomes cloudy at cold temperature, bring to room temperature and give it a gentle swirl before using. Adjust simple syrup amount to taste if you prefer sweeter or drier.