What happens when butter stops foaming?
Recipes using butter as a fat to sauté sometimes call for you to wait until the foaming has subsided. What causes the foaming? Why do you wait for it to subside? What's the difference if you don't wait, but just melt the butter and press forward?
Best Answer
The foaming is caused by the water in the butter boiling away. The main reason you wait for it to subside is simply because that means the butter has had long enough to reach a proper temperature for cooking: too cold and the food will absorb the butter rather than fry in it. However, this usually applies more to recipes that require relatively fast cooking. You'd sweat onions or scramble eggs when the foaming starts, for example.
Pictures about "What happens when butter stops foaming?"
Quick Answer about "What happens when butter stops foaming?"
Wait for butter to stop foaming before sautéing. More specifically, it indicates that all the water in the butter (about 16 percent by weight) has evaporated, and the temperature can rise above water's boiling point of 212 degrees. As foaming subsides, butter continues heating and finally smokes at 250 to 300 degrees.Why does butter stop foaming?
The foaming is caused by the water in the butter boiling away. The main reason you wait for it to subside is simply because that means the butter has had long enough to reach a proper temperature for cooking: too cold and the food will absorb the butter rather than fry in it.How long does it take for butter to not foam?
THE \u201cPOPPING\u201d This \u201cpopping\u201d stage should last about 5 minutes, until the white foam completely disappears. During this stage, reduce stirring to a minimum.Is butter supposed to foam?
Step One: Melt the butter Allow the butter to melt, stirring occasionally, until the butter is entirely liquid. As the butter continues to heat, it will begin to sizzle and foam, which is a good indication that the water has begun to evaporate.At what temperature does butter foam?
Butter contains a good 13 to 17% water, which has to go before the fat's temperature can rise enough to brown the milk proteins. Once the butter reaches a temperature of 212\xb0F, the water in the butter starts to evaporate much more quickly. As a result the butter will start to bubble and splatter dramatically.HOW TO COOK WITH FOAMING BUTTER
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Ann H, Ann H, Daniela Constantini, Polina Tankilevitch