Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces. This will aid in the melting process, especially if the butter is straight from the fridge.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.

Once the butter is completely melted, begin swirling the pan to keep the liquid moving and to avoid burning.

Continue swirling the pan. At this point the butter should be bubbling as the water evaporates and the milk solids begin to sink to the bottom of the pan.

Keep swirling the pan. The butter will go from boiling and bubbling intensely to forming more of a light foam on top.

Scrape down the sides of the pan, getting any bits of butter that may have been left on the edges. Continue swirling the pan.

The foam will go from white to beige to brown and you’ll begin to smell a magical scent. It’s nutty and rich and completely mouthwatering. That’s how you know you’ve done it. Remove the pan from the heat so you don’t go from brown to burnt.

Transfer the browned butter from the pan to a heat safe bowl or my mixing bowl until ready to use. Be sure to scrape down the bottom of the pan to ensure you get all the good browned bits.