How to Cook · Sauces

Beurre Monté

Name: Beurre Monté
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons water; 8 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes; Salt

Published July 8, 2026

Sauces

A silky, emulsified beurre monté being whisked

The simplest butter sauce there is: a little water and a lot of cold butter whisked gently into a smooth, glossy emulsion rather than separated melted fat. More a base and a holding liquid than a finished sauce, it's perfect for poaching or glazing vegetables, fish, and shellfish — and it teaches the one skill behind every butter sauce, keeping the heat gentle enough to hold the emulsion together.

Prep: 5 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 15 min
Yield: ~1 cup
Category: Sauce
Cuisine: French

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons water
8 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes
Salt

Directions

Warm the water

Bring the water to a bare simmer in a small saucepan, then reduce the heat to low.

Mount the butter

Whisk in the cold butter a few cubes at a time, letting each addition melt into the sauce before adding more, and keep the sauce warm, not hot. Season lightly with salt — do not let it boil, or the emulsion will break.

Sauces