How to Make Butter for Crab-Dipping

Serve warm clarified butter with crab legs.

Clarified butter consists of the translucent butterfat left over once you remove the water and milk solids. Clarified butter contains pure butterfat, and it works well for dipping crab and lobster meat. The process of making clarified butter involves heating unsalted butter and removing the solids to create the dipping butter. The butter that remains behind has a more butter-like flavor instead of an oily taste. Make clarified butter ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to enjoy it with crabmeat. Does this Spark an idea?

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1 stick unsalted butter
Heavy-bottomed saucepan
Ladle
Disposable container
Mesh strainer
Cheesecloth
Heatproof bowl
Airtight container
Spoon

Instructions

- 1
  
  Place one stick of unsalted butter into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Sit the saucepan over low heat on the stove top.
- 2
  
  Inspect the melting butter carefully. The foam on top is the result of the water boiling off, and the white residue in the pan actually is the milk solids separating from the butterfat.
- 3
  
  Ladle the foam and milk solids out of the butter carefully. Leave the clear gold liquid behind in the pan. Discard the milk solids in a disposable container.
- 4
  
  Line a mesh strainer with damp cheesecloth and place it over a heatproof bowl. Pour the clarified butter into the strainer. Discard the cheesecloth after the butter strains through it.
- 5
  
  Allow the clarified butter to cool completely before you store it in a covered container in the refrigerator. Skim off any remaining foam from the butter with a spoon. Store clarified butter for up to six months.

Tips & Warnings

A single stick of butter will make around 8 tbsp. of clarified butter.
Strain the clarified butter carefully to prevent splattering it, because the hot liquid may burn your skin.