Quick Guide to Butter-Basting Your Meat
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If you want to give your meat or fish a rich, nutty flavor, you might want to consider butter-basting it. This flavor comes from basting the meat in butter that has melted and browned, as well as the so-called "aromatics" you add to the butter while it browns (such as garlic, shallots, various kinds of herbs). It really is flavor city.
You can use the following guide for all kinds of meats, including pork chops, veal chops, any other chops, thick steak cuts, chicken breasts, and a lot more. |
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First, get the meat ready. You're going to start by salting it. Ideally you want to use the dry brine method. Season the meat completely with salt, then put it on a wire rack, then put that on a baking sheet (rimmed). Now refrigerate this for about an hour. This will help avoid cooking wet meat when you add your meat to the hot pan, because the salt brings the water out of the meat to evaporate.
Oil your skillet or pan so that it's almost smoking - an iron or steel skillet works best. You can flip the meat frequently, which help cook the meat all the way through and won't jeopardize the browning or creation of crust on the meat.
When you've got a bit of a sear going on both sides, you can add butter to the skillet. If you want to add aromatics, this is also the time to do that. This includes shallots, garlic cloves (halved), herbs like sage, etc. The butter is going to start melting and will start to acquire the flavors of the different herbs and aromatics you've added. The butter will start browning at this stage, which is a good thing.
Now you're going to use the handle of the skillet to tip it over so that the butter comes together on one side and you can spoon it up. You're going to use the spoon to scoop it up and pour it over the meat, basting the meat. Continue to flip the meat frequently, about twice a minute.
As you continue to flip the meat as well as basting it, you're going to take the temperature every so often. Use whatever accurate meat thermometer you'd like. You're taking the temperature of the center of the meat to determine doneness. For rare meat, you're looking to hit 120 degrees. For medium-rare, you're looking to hit 130 degrees in the center of the meat. And for medium doneness of your meat, 140 degrees. After that, your meat is well done.
If you'd like to butter-baste a fish fillet, you're going to go through a similar process. The main difference is that you won't be flipping your fish. Instead, you will cook the fish via heat on only one side, the skin side if there is skin on the fish, which will get crispy like you want.
The genius of this method is that as you baste the butter over the top of the fish, it will cook it gently and give you a tender, delicious cook to the fish (along with that crispy-skinned bottom).
Go forth, and butter-baste!
Oil your skillet or pan so that it's almost smoking - an iron or steel skillet works best. You can flip the meat frequently, which help cook the meat all the way through and won't jeopardize the browning or creation of crust on the meat.
When you've got a bit of a sear going on both sides, you can add butter to the skillet. If you want to add aromatics, this is also the time to do that. This includes shallots, garlic cloves (halved), herbs like sage, etc. The butter is going to start melting and will start to acquire the flavors of the different herbs and aromatics you've added. The butter will start browning at this stage, which is a good thing.
Now you're going to use the handle of the skillet to tip it over so that the butter comes together on one side and you can spoon it up. You're going to use the spoon to scoop it up and pour it over the meat, basting the meat. Continue to flip the meat frequently, about twice a minute.
As you continue to flip the meat as well as basting it, you're going to take the temperature every so often. Use whatever accurate meat thermometer you'd like. You're taking the temperature of the center of the meat to determine doneness. For rare meat, you're looking to hit 120 degrees. For medium-rare, you're looking to hit 130 degrees in the center of the meat. And for medium doneness of your meat, 140 degrees. After that, your meat is well done.
If you'd like to butter-baste a fish fillet, you're going to go through a similar process. The main difference is that you won't be flipping your fish. Instead, you will cook the fish via heat on only one side, the skin side if there is skin on the fish, which will get crispy like you want.
The genius of this method is that as you baste the butter over the top of the fish, it will cook it gently and give you a tender, delicious cook to the fish (along with that crispy-skinned bottom).
Go forth, and butter-baste!