What could be easier than Lemon Butter? You just add lemon juice to melted butter, right? Not so fast.
It turns out that getting the proportions of butter and lemon right, plus the saltiness, is not as easy as you might think. Our family enjoys Lemon Butter with Shrimp Boiled in Beer or Low Country Boil, and we have 20 ramekins just to serve the Lemon Butter.
For years I just mixed melted butter and lemon juice together. I wasn’t always happy with the results, and even when I was, who knew what the proportions were? Now we use a real recipe, delicious and easy to repeat next time.
4 ounces of unsalted butter (a stick)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Melt the butter. Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Taste and add more salt or pepper as needed.
If you have time, browning the butter first really adds flavor. Put the butter in a saucepan and cook it slowly, watching it like a hawk and stirring from time to time, for 3 to 6 minutes. As soon as it starts to turn golden brown, remove from heat.