Sauces
Monter au Beurre
French · to mount with butter
Whisking cold butter, cube by cube, into a finished sauce off the heat until it turns glossy and full-bodied.
Why It Matters
The butter emulsifies rather than melts, giving the sauce a velvet texture and rounded finish. It is the quiet final step behind nearly every sauce served under a star.
How to do it
- 1
Prepare your sauce base.
- 2
Remove the pan from the burner.
- 3
Add cubes of cold, cubed butter.
- 4
Whisk vigorously until melted.
- 5
Incorporate until the sauce looks glossy.
Common mistakes
- ✕
Adding butter over heat breaks the sauce, so remove from fire first.
- ✕
Using soft butter results in thin sauce, so use firm cold cubes.
- ✕
Adding too much butter creates greasiness, so incorporate one piece at a time.
