Notice how brown the breadcrumbs are from the browned butter.
These are the most amazing breadcrumbs you might ever make. And so easy too. They boast a heavier flavor than the Gremolata version of my breadcrumbs, but can be used similarly but paired with dishes that stands up well to butter. A great example is how I used them over this Broccoli Rabe dish.
Cook’s Notes:
- When browning the butter, be sure NOT to use a dark-colored skillet, as you won’t be able to accurately judge the color of the butter as it browns.
- You can vary the amount of butter, and the degree to which you brown it. All will affect the flavor.
- I’ve called for toasting the crumbs before throwing into the browned butter. Alternatively you can move them from the food processor directly into the browned butter, and toast them in the pan. Either way will take approximately the same length of time.
- I brown my butter to a dark nut brown, as that’s the flavor I look for. You can stop the browning at anytime you reach the level of browning you prefer. Your breadcrumbs should be all ready to put into the browned butter, as it will continue to brown in the skillet even when removed from the heat. If the butter goes too far, you risk burning it, which is quite bitter, and should be thrown away.
Ingredients…
- Hunk of day-old bread, cut into large 1 inch cubes (about 4 cups bread cubes)
- 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter for whole wheat bread; 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter for white bread
Making It…
- Place the bread cubes into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Whirl it like crazy until you’ve reached the size breadcrumb you prefer.
- Spread out on a baking sheet for a toaster oven (or large oven if you don’t have one). Toast up until just crisp, and set aside while you brown the butter. Using the toaster oven, I literally selected “Toast” and toasted for 10 minutes, stirring the crumbs at regular intervals.
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium high heat (see Cook’s Notes.) As soon as the butter melts and begins to foam, reduce the heat to medium to medium-low and allow to foam. Once the foam dissipates, the butter will begin to brown. When the butter is a deep nut brown, add the toasted breadcrumbs and coat them well; lightly salt or add herbs or spices, if desired, and sauté for a couple of minutes.
- Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer. This is a GREAT pantry item to keep around all the time for adding to pastas, salads or cooked veggies.
Last week I was really excited and honored to receive a Liebster Blog award from Laura over at The Art of Cooking Real Food. Liebster is German and translates to “dearest” or “favorite”, and this award is meant for up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers. I started my blog in October, and can’t tell you how thrilling it is to find people reading and enjoying my blog. Thanks Laura! I invite any of you who haven’t checked out her blog, to do it today. She offers wonderful tutorials with lots of photos, and great recipes.
There are a few rules around this award:
- Copy and paste the award on your blog. Link back to the blogger who gave you the award in a post where you award the leibster to your favorites.
- Pick your five favorite blogs with less than 200 followers who deserve to be noticed and leave a comment on their blog to let them know they have received the award.
- Hope that the five blogs chosen will keep spreading the love and pass it on to five more blogs.
And now it is my turn to bestow the award on my 5 favorite new blogs! Yay! The word ‘liebster’ applies to them perfectly – go check out their lovely blogs!
Thanks again, Laura, and thanks to this wonderfully supportive community we’re all a part of !!!
I don’t know why I haven’t tried brown butter breadcrumbs yet. Now I will! Congratulations, Susan!
Thanks Lynda! I ‘discovered’ them when the butter when too long and became browned butter when I made my last batch. When I tried them, it was a ‘eureka’ moment in the kitchen
Thank you so much for the nod I am so honored. Love the bread crumb recipe, will use it on some baked fish tomorrow night.
It would be PERFECT on baked fish! I’m so happy you got your blog going!!
Thank you, Susan – I am thrilled! The actual award is not appearing for me, just an empty screen with a little design. I will check back. Gosh, I’m overwhelmed.
That’s really all it is – nothing you can print out and frame or anything. But you just want to copy and paste it into the post you do when you award it to 5 more people to keep the love going. And then it’s the links to the 5 sites. You just need to do the same thing for 5 others. Really easy stuff!!
OK, just that I see nothing in the spot where the award is spotlighted. You know how I struggle – thanks for not giving up on me
Thanks again…
Hi Liz, Do you see the rectangle with Liebster Blog and a heart next to it? That’s actually it. You should be able to copy and paste it into the text of a blog you write.
YUM, a favorite. I like to use them (either brown butter bread or panko) sprinkled on top of Mac & Cheese, too!
That’s a GREAT idea, lapadia!! PERFECT! Hey I just saw your pita bread on Cynthia’s site The Solitary Cook! Perfect reminder that I really need to try it!!!
LOVE this idea, Susan! Never thought to do this. I’m a big fan of browned-butter (sage leaves etc), and will try this soon. I’ve a browned-butter bananas recipe coming out soon in Coastal Living magazine. Btw, I keep “day old” bread, sliced, in my freezer to uncrowd my fridge.Seems to last a long time if well-wrapped and is always ready to go. Thanks again!
Congratulations, Rita!! I’ll look for your recipe when it comes out. Bananas and browned butter would be fabulous!
Suzanne, Thanks for the tips on breadcrumbs. Brown butter – yum! I have a freezer full of bread loaf ends just waiting to be transformed:)
-Erin
Brown butter just makes everything better, I’m convinced. Desserts, salads, pasta, veggies – it really doesn’t matter. Brown butter rules! (Well, after chocolate, of course). Thanks so much – and thanks for stopping by, Erin!
Congrats on the blogger award! And your brown butter bread crumbs would be so yummy on lots of dishes
Thanks Liz! They’re my new favorite condiment
Thank you, Susan, for the award! I am honored and delighted. And I look forward to checking out some new blogs that you mentioned, too.
Browned butter breadcrumbs? Oh my, yes!! I have breadcrumbs in the freezer right now and will pull them out to add this deliciousness to.
You’re very welcome. I just love your blog
You just can’t go wrong with browned butter, you know? You gotta try them, Hannah. There’s several of your dishes on your wonderful blog they would go great with 