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Lemon Clarified Butter

Lemon Clarified Butter | Magnolia Days

How was your new year celebration? Mine was fabulous. It has been a tradition for several years for us to get together with our very good friends, the Gardners. Terry has a special meal she prepares and it is worth the year-long wait. She makes beef tenderloin, king crab legs, crowd-pleaser potatoes, salad and more. I contribute a little by bringing dessert and making lemon clarified butter for the king crab legs.

I have also helped with trimming & tying the tenderloin. This year Terry wanted to learn how to do that so I taught her my method. She did a wonderful job. Perhaps one day if I ever do videos one of them will be trimming and tying a whole beef tenderloin. I think it would be too difficult to describe the process in words. It’s more of a visual thing.

King crab legs are my favorite part of the meal. They are a real treat and something I only have once or maybe twice a year. There is a big smile on my face when the platter arrives at the table:

King Crab Legs | Magnolia Days | Photo by Casey Gardner

I admit I am king crab leg challenged. No matter how many times I try to crack open and pull out the meat it doesn’t work right. Those shells are quite prickly too. My sweet husband usually winds up cracking the shells and getting the crab meat out for me. Thank goodness. Then all I have to do is dip the crab meat into the lemon clarified butter and eat until I am stuffed.

Are you ready for the coming year? I sure am. I’m looking forward to a year filled with more great food, wine, and gardening. Let me know if there are any recipes, reviews, or tips you would like for me to share here on the blog.

PS. Special thanks to Terry’s daughter, Casey Gardner, for allowing me to use her photo of the king crab legs.

King Crab Legs | Magnolia Days | Photo by Casey Gardner
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Lemon Clarified Butter

Lemon clarified butter is a wonderful drawn butter to serve with shellfish like crab or lobster. It can also be used for cooking seafood or in sauces for pasta and more.
Course Condiment
Cuisine American
Author Renee

Ingredients

  • 1 pound unsalted butter 4 sticks
  • Zest from 2 to 3 lemons not grated

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter over medium heat (do not let it boil). Pour the melted butter into a 2-cup capacity measuring cup. Allow the butter to sit for a few minutes to separate. There will be foam on the top, yellow clarified butter in the middle, and milk solids in the bottom. Skim and discard the foam from the top. Carefully pour only the clarified butter into a small container. Discard the milk solids.
  2. Add the lemon zest to the butter and let it set out at room temperature for several hours for the lemon flavor to infuse into the butter. It will solidify. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
  3. When ready to use, warm the butter over low heat in a saucepan. Strain to remove the lemon zest.
  4. Caution: Do not use the microwave to warm the clarified butter.

Recipe Notes

A recipe for lemon flavored clarified butter (also known as drawn butter or ghee).

Recipe Rating




Kim Bee

Thursday 3rd of January 2013

Renee this is fabulous. We can't do seafood but I can see using this on fish. It's brilliant, and so pretty too.

Thanks so much for the card. It was so sweet of you. Looking forward to another great year with great friends like you. xx

Renee

Friday 4th of January 2013

Thanks Kim! I'm glad the card arrived. I'm also looking forward to a fabulous year with friends like you too.

The Ninja Baker

Thursday 3rd of January 2013

Looks so elegant, Renee. And your husband sounds like a Prince Charming =)

Renee

Friday 4th of January 2013

Thanks! He really is my Prince Charming.

Paula @ Vintage Kitchen

Thursday 3rd of January 2013

This butter is genius Renée!

Renee

Friday 4th of January 2013

Thanks Paula!

Susan

Thursday 3rd of January 2013

Your NYE sounds amazing! Can't I go next year? :-) p.s. I could drink that butter. I won't, but I could.

Renee

Friday 4th of January 2013

LOL! Drink the butter. It is really good.

Terry B Gardner (@tbgdesign)

Thursday 3rd of January 2013

Thanks for the shout out! Your butter and bread and dessert and Prosecco ....and everything was wonderful. Thank you for joining us to once again ring in a new year. Here are some more pics on my facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10200234458813836.2192851.1523581161&type=1

Renee

Friday 4th of January 2013

Thanks Terry! It was a great night. Casey did a wonderful job with the photos.