mounted butter

All pictures on this page were borrowed from the internet.

Beurre monté (Fr. 'mounted' or emulsified butter)
refers to melted butter that remains emulsified, even at temperatures higher than that at which butter usually breaks down.

Beurre blanc uses the same process, but with heavy cream instead of water.

Butter is an emulsion of about 2% milk solids, 80% milk fats (clarified butter), and about 18% water.

At 70 °C (158 °F), butter normally breaks down into its components parts, but in a beurre monté, the butter can stay emulsified even up to 82–88 °C (180–190 °F). It can then be used in many ways, including as a sauce, as an ingredient for other sauces, as a poaching medium, or as a resting medium for cooked meat.

To make a beurre monté, boil a very small quantity of water, i.e. 15–60 ml (1–4 tablespoons). Once water has come to a boil, turn the heat down and start whisking the cold butter into the water, one or two chunks at a time. Add more butter whenever the chunks have melted. Once the emulsion is started, more butter can be added a little bit at a time. Continue adding butter while whisking until one has the desired quantity of beurre monté. The beurre monté must then be kept warm to prevent congealing, but under 88 °C (190 °F) or else it will break.

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need for 1/2 cup:

1 tbsp. water
If you need more than 1/2 cup, do not double the amount of water.
1 stick butter, chilled

Pic1: butter emulsified in water (internet picture)

Directions

internet pictures

Pic2: cut butter small
Pic3: whisk cold butter in warm water
Pic4: with lobster

Cut the chilled butter in small pieces.
Bring the water to a near-boil.
Reduce heat to low.
Alternatively, work over a warm water bath, like for Hollandaise.
Add 1-2 pieces, whisk vigorously to get the emulsion started.
Whisk in the remaining pieces 1-2 at a time, while keeping the emulsion from boiling.
Do not boil this sauce. It will break.

2020-07-25 — mounted butter

Pic5-7: making mounted butter

Cut the COLD butter in thin slices.
Heat 2 tbsp. water until boiling.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Only reheat very briefly over low heat if the emulsion gets too thick. (Pic6+7)
Whisk 1-2 slices at a time into the water until all done.
The result should e a pourable butter emulsion.
Poach delicate fish and lobsters in beurre monté, and then serve it as a sauce.
Leftover sauce cannot be heated up again, it will break. But it can be used to make clarified butter.

Poaching the lobster tails in mounted butter

2020-07-25

Pic8: lobster tails
Pic9+10: poaching

Remove the lobster tails from the shells.
Rinse briefly. Cut coarsely.
Add to the mounted butter.
Heat over LOW heat without boiling and poach the lobster in the butter until fully cooked.
IMPORTANT:
- Keep the butter below boiling, or it will break.
- Frequent stirring helps to keep it cool enough.
Remove from the heat when cooked throughout.
The butter will have absorbed a lot of the lobster flavor.
Serve it with the lobster. Delicious!

Poaching the lobster tails in mounted butter

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more and avemariasongs.org

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more
and avemariasongs.org