Not Everyone Owns a Microwave
Have you ever come across a recipe that tells you to melt butter in the microwave? Not everyone owns a microwave. We often forget they are a luxury for many. What if you don’t have a microwave, you cannot afford one, do not have the room, hate them or yours is broken? Don’t worry, you can also melt butter in a saucepan on top of the stove! You can also melt margarine without a microwave doing the exact same steps. We will teach you how to melt butter on the stove top in just a few minutes.
You can melt butter without a microwave within a few seconds to about ten minutes. It will depend on how much butter you are using. If you are only melting a tablespoon or two, it may be done before you have a chance to blink. No matter how much you are melting, keep the temperature low and stir continuously to prevent the butter from browning, scorching or burning.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Below, you will see how easy it is to melt butter on the stove top. It’s so simple, I prefer it to the microwave as you can heat it without making a mess and reheat it quickly while working with melted butter in recipes that need a lot of melted butter such as baklava.
Step 1: Melt the Butter
First, add butter to a heavy saucepan.
Next, turn on low to medium low and stir constantly.
The lower the heat, the longer it will take.
But it won’t burn this way!
When you just see slivers, turn off the heat.
The butter will finish melting on its own. Remove the pan from the burner and you are ready to go.
Step 2: Remelt the Butter as Needed
If it starts to harden, just turn back on the heat. Make sure to stay close by as it will melt quickly, usually with a few seconds. And use the lowest heat available.
The color deepens and it’s less runny. This is normal. That’s all there is to melting butter on the stovetop! Now that you’ve learned how easy it is to melt butter or margarine without a microwave, how about making a graham cracker crust for your next pudding pie?
FAQs
Q. Can I use the stovetop to melt butter, vegetable oil spread or vegetable shortening?
A. Absolutely! Just follow the same steps as above. The vegetable shortening has a higher melting point and is extremely flammable, so never leave it unattended. Not even for a second!
Q. Does this work for salted and unsalted butter?
A. It sure does!
Q. What is that white foamy stuff on top of my butter? Is it ruined?
A. That is the whey, casein and water separating from the fat. This is normal and expected. It doesn’t ruin your melted butter at all.
Q. Can I reuse any leftovers?
A. Maybe. If you dipped raw items such as meat, then it’s best to discard the remaining for food safety. However, if you poured some into a container and had the remaining butter still in the pan unused, absolutely! It’s best stored in a clean air tight container in the fridge. It will last a few weeks before it becomes rancid.
Melt Butter or Margarine without a Microwave
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) butter or margarine
Instructions
- In a heavy medium saucepan, add butter.
- Place on burner and turn to low heat. Never go above medium low to prevent browning or burning butter.
- Using a heatproof spoon or whisk, stir butter or margarine constantly until nearly melted. When there are just a few slivers left, turn off and remove pan from heat.
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