Keep a Jar of Melted Butter Next to the Stove

Whenever I melt butter for brushing, drizzling, or dipping (or popcorn), I almost always overestimate the amount of butter I need to melt and end up with a little more. Melted butter can never be melted. It may harden again, but it won’t be the same. Some proteins will inevitably coagulate and fall out of suspension, and the texture will be slightly more greasy and oily than a fresh stick. This is normal because melted butter can always be melted and used again.

If, like me, you’re an overzealous butter lover, you may need a mitigation strategy that doesn’t waste precious butter. Instead of throwing away the bonus oil, I transfer it to a jar (with a lid) and put the jar by the stove. Every drop of extraneous melted butter ends up in this jar, as does any unsightly lumps left over from greasing pans. (Again, I almost always overestimate the amount I’ll need to grease the pan.) Then, the next time I need melted butter, I’ll get my jar out.

You can use a fancy metal clasp hinged jar like the one you see above, but I prefer the Bonne Mamam jar because I can take the lid off and put the whole thing in the microwave to melt the butter again. You can also use a microwave-safe bowl (and cover it with plastic to keep dust out), any microwave-safe Tupperware, or a similar plastic or glass food storage container. To re-melt, remove any lid and ignite for five seconds at a time, stirring after each burst, until butter is melted. Brush, spritz and dip to your heart’s content, then put the jar back in place by the stove. Repeat as needed.