Drawn butter is a lustrous, golden elixir that completes the perfect lobster dining experience When bathing your lobster meat in drawn butter, the flavors combine in an alchemy of absolute deliciousness.
Making drawn butter at home ensures you can enjoy this decadent, rich accompaniment anytime. While store-bought options work, homemade drawn butter offers unbeatable freshness and flavor
Follow this simple guide to learn how to make drawn butter for lobster in your own kitchen. Soon you’ll be drizzling this glossy, golden goodness over tender lobster with pride.
What is Drawn Butter?
Before diving into the preparation, let’s cover the basics. What exactly is drawn butter?
Drawn butter refers to butter that has been melted, clarified, and skimmed to remove milk solids. This process leaves pure golden butterfat behind.
The term “drawn” comes from the process of extracting the clear butterfat from the other components in butter.
This drawn butterfat is liquid at room temperature instead of solid like regular butter. It also has a more concentrated, nutty, and tangy butter flavor.
When served warm with seafood like lobster, drawn butter adds even more richness and moisture. It melts over the hot shellfish, creating an irresistible coating.
Why Make Your Own Drawn Butter?
You may be wondering why bother making drawn butter yourself when you can buy it ready-made. Here are some benefits of homemade:
- Freshness – No preservatives added
- Custom flavors – Infuse herbs, garlic, etc.
- Cost savings – Much cheaper than store-bought
- Control over quality – Use the best ingredients
- Fun project – Relatively easy process
Even when buying prepared drawn butter, you’ll need to melt and re-warm it anyway. So starting from scratch at home eliminates extra steps.
Equipment Needed
Part of drawn butter’s appeal is that it requires minimal equipment to make at home. Here’s all you need:
- Small saucepan
- Spoon for skimming
- Fine mesh strainer (optional)
- Container for storing
A saucepot that holds 1-2 cups is ideal. And any spoon will work for skimming off the milk solids – a slotted spoon just makes it easier.
Beyond that, all you need is unsalted butter, heat, and a few minutes of hands-on time. Keep reading for the full method.
Ingredients for Drawn Butter
The base ingredient for drawn butter could not be simpler – butter! Specifically, you’ll want to use:
-
Unsalted butter: Using unsalted or “sweet” butter allows you to control the saltiness. Opt for high-quality butter with a high fat content.
-
Flavorings (optional): Try fresh herbs, garlic, lemon, etc.
Stick with 1/2 to 1 pound of butter depending on how much drawn butter you want. One pound of butter will render about 1 cup of drawn butter.
Adjust any extra flavors to taste. But keep in mind the flavors will concentrate after clarifying, so a little goes a long way.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Drawn Butter
Once you have your ingredients and equipment ready, the process is very straightforward:
Step 1: Melt the Butter
Cut the stick of butter into pieces for faster melting. Add to a small saucepan over medium heat.
Melt, stirring frequently, until the butter is completely liquid and beginning to foam.
Step 2: Simmer and Skim
Once melted, increase the heat slightly to bring the butter to a gentle simmer. Small bubbles will form.
Let simmer for about 1 minute. The milk proteins and water will separate from the pure butterfat.
Skim the foam and white solids from the top using a spoon. Discard the solids.
Step 3: Strain (Optional)
For the clearest drawn butter, strain it through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth to catch any remaining solids.
If you don’t mind small specks in the drawn butter, straining is not necessary.
Step 4: Cool and Store
Transfer the drawn butter to a heatproof container, ramekins, or butter dish. Cool to room temperature.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Properly stored, drawn butter lasts 4-6 weeks.
Re-heat gently before using. Add any extra flavorings now, if desired.
And that’s it! With just a few minutes of hands-on work, you can now enjoy fresh, homemade drawn butter with your lobster.
Serving Suggestions for Drawn Butter
Drawn butter really shines when paired with shellfish. Beyond lobster, try it with:
- Steamed clams
- Mussels
- Snow crab legs
- Boiled shrimp
- King crab
- Roasted oysters
The possibilities are endless! Dip, drizzle, or dunk your seafood in the drawn butter to add even more richness and moisture.
For special occasions, serve individual ramekins of drawn butter for dipping at each place setting.
Drizzle drawn butter over steamed vegetables, baked potatoes, or cornbread to amp up the flavor.
Flavored drawn butter combines especially well with seafood, like:
- Lemon drawn butter on fish
- Garlic drawn butter for crab
- Rosemary drawn butter on lobster
- Lime drawn butter with shrimp
Feel free to experiment with unique flavor combinations using fresh herbs, spices, citrus, etc.
Storing and Reheating Drawn Butter
To retain freshness and clarity, store drawn butter properly:
-
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4-6 weeks.
-
For longer storage, freeze for up to 6 months.
-
If butter solids start accumulating, re-heat and strain through a cheesecloth.
When ready to use, gently re-heat the drawn butter in a saucepan or microwave until just melted.
Avoid overheating or allowing water to get into the melted butter. This can cause the butter to break and separate.
Once drawn butter is melted, keep it in an insulated server to stay warm and liquid for serving.
Troubleshooting Drawn Butter
Here are some common issues and how to avoid them:
-
Not clarifying fully – Simmer a bit longer and skim thoroughly. Strain if needed.
-
Watery/separated butter – Don’t let water leach into melted butter or overheat.
-
Milk solids remain – Simmer longer and skim all solids off the surface.
-
Bland flavor – Use high-quality butter and season more aggressively.
-
Burnt taste – Keep heat gentle to melt butter; don’t let it brown.
-
** Mold growth** – Refrigerate drawn butter in an airtight container.
With a few trial runs, you’ll master the art of drawn butter in no time. Part science, part alchemy – this is one kitchen project you’ll be proud to undertake.
Make This Magical Drawn Butter Now
Now that you’re armed with the complete guide to making drawn butter at home, it’s time to get cooking!
Surprise your family or dinner guests with homemade drawn butter accompanying your next lobster feast.
Drizzle it over piping hot lobster fresh from the pot or grill. Dip the sweet meat into the glowing, golden drawn butter. Let the butter mingle with the briny lobster juices on your plate.
Take that first succulent bite, savoring the luxurious flavors. Homemade drawn butter raises the lobster experience to a whole new level.
The process truly is simple, inexpensive, and so satisfying. You’ll never go back to buying bland store-bought drawn butter again after mastering your own from scratch.
So grab some butter, put on a pot, and let’s get drawing! Lobster dunking awaits.
Things You’ll Need
- Butter
- 2 saucepans
- Ladle
- Bowl
- 3 cloves finely chopped garlic
- Ground black pepper
- Sea salt
- Lemon
Making Beurre Monte
- Do you need parsley in lemon drawn butter? Community Answer: Finely chopped parsley is a great addition to lemon butter, but you don’t have to use it.
- Question: Can you make drawn butter with margarine, vegetable oil spreads, or butter substitutes?
Answer: Yes, you can eat clarified butter if you should avoid lactose. You can use any butter substitute if you don’t want to eat butter for some other reason. Just don’t try to explain it. Clarifying margarine is just a messy way to make vegetable oil and water. Margarine has water in it but no milk solids.
Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
- People who can’t handle lactose can safely eat clarified butter because it has almost no lactose in it. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0 .
- Clear butter stays fresh for a lot longer than whole butter. It can even be kept outside of the fridge, as long as all the milk solids and water have been taken out. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0 .
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
- Water under the butterfat can boil and explode if you overheat the butter while clarifying. This will spray hot butter all over your kitchen. Keeping the heat low and stirring occasionally should prevent this. Just to be safe, leave a spoon in the pan. This will break the surface tension and let steam escape around the handle. [14] .
Drawn butter
How do you make drawn butter?
Follow these simple steps to indulge in delicious drawn butter. Melt the butter. Palace the butter at the top of a double boiler. Gently melt it over simmering water for 5 to 7 minutes. Cool it down and skim the foam. Allow the melted butter to cool down for a bit. Once it’s cooled, skim the form that has collected on top and discard it.
Can you make drawn butter for lobster?
It adds a rich and savory flavor to dishes like sautéed vegetables or grilled seafood. Plus, there are plenty of alternatives to butter if needed. In conclusion, making drawn butter for lobster is a simple yet essential step to enhance the flavors of this indulgent dish.
How do you make a good lobster butter?
Look for butter made from pure cream, without any added salt. This will allow the natural flavors of the butter to shine through and enhance the taste of your lobster. Additionally, consider adding the right seasoning to your drawn butter. Classic options include a pinch of salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
How do you make lobster tail butter?
Let’s dive in! Choose a high-quality, unsalted butter made from pure cream without added salt. Select firm, shiny, and vibrant-colored lobster tails. Melt butter slowly over low heat or in the microwave using short bursts. Skim the milk solids gently to enhance flavor and improve texture.