Directions

Place all large room temperature butter pats into your pan or dutch oven on low to medium heat until all have melted.
Bring to medium heat where the butter is at a high simmer and continue to constantly stir as it cooks, detaching any sticky milk solids from the bottom of the pan. These can burn easily if left stuck to the pan, so constant stirring is truly essential!
Continue stirring for approx. 6-8 minutes, and you will begin to see the once-white milk solids turn a golden brown color. The darkness of the browning is all about preference, I prefer a deeply toasted, nearly burnt brown butter, where my heat is turned off just before the solids become too dark/black. If you prefer a lighter caramelization, cook less time! You can also turn off the heat when it nears browning, as the residual heat in the pan will continue to slightly brown the butter. An under-browned butter is always better than an over-browned butter, since the latter can’t be saved and the former can always be put back on the heat to continue cooking!
Butter will become very bubbly, and a lower steadier heat will help calm it down. You always want to be able to see the color of the butter under the bubbles, so you don’t take it too far.
Once you’ve reached the shade of brown you’re happy with, anywhere from tan to very dark brown, remove from the heat and allow to cool a few minutes before transferring to a heat-safe container. Transferring immediately can cause the butter to bubble over, and it is VERY hot and can be very messy. Allow to cool slightly before doing this.
Allow butter to minimally come to room temperature before using in a recipe. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks, or free for about 3 months.