How to make lemon butter sauce

This versatile sauce is a winner, spoon it over fish, or chicken and ladle it over vegetables. These simple tips will make sure you get a creamy, emulsified sauce with just a handful of ingredients.

Ingredients

200g Western Star Original Salted Butter, chilled and diced
½ cup (125ml) dry white wine
¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice (approx. 1 lemon)
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped chives
Salt to taste

Method

Melt 50g of the butter in a pan over medium heat
Add wine and simmer uncovered until reduced by half. Stir in lemon juice and zest
Reduce heat to low. While whisking constantly, add the remaining butter 1 to 2 cubes at a time until all the butter has been incorporated and sauce has thickened. Stir through chives and season with salt. Serve immediately over fish, chicken or steamed vegetables

Get the recipe you can save to your myfoodbook cookbooks: Lemon Butter Sauce

Tips for making the best lemon butter sauce

Use good quality butter. This is the main ingredient, so don’t skimp on it. Using a salted butter gives you a head start, it already has a lot of flavour and you won’t need to add more salt. Butter is what will emulsify all the ingredients together. It creates a silky and velvety sauce. Also fat is a carrier of flavour.

Can I use room temperature butter?

No, use chilled butter only. It is important that the butter melts slowly, this allows the butterfat to break down into small droplets which are then easily dispersed throughout the sauce. Add the butter to the sauce gradually, aim for 1-2 teaspoons at a time. Any more than that and your sauce may separate. Whisk well after each addition of butter until it has melted completely before adding a bit more butter.

Why does my sauce taste bitter?

Step two is very important, allow time for the wine to reduce until it evaporates to half the amount. This will cook off most of the alcohol. Otherwise, the sauce will retain a wine flavour which can be bitter and unpleasant. Also make sure to only use the yellow zest from the lemon and none of the white pith, as this will add a bitter flavour.

How do I make the sauce more lemony?

Lemon juice is the main flavour of the sauce and does not need to be reduced or cooked out. If you cook the lemon juice at a high heat for too long before adding the butter, it can make the lemon milder and less zesty. Start adding the butter soon after you add the lemon juice. It's important not to skip the lemon zest. It contains essential oils which combine with the fat in the butter to enhance the overall lemon flavour of the sauce.

How do I fix a split sauce?

Use a few teaspoons of lemon juice or water and whisk it vigorously into the split sauce over low heat. The sauce will thicken up in a few seconds as the fat droplets get suspended back into the emulsion.

Can I make this sauce in advance?

It's best to make and serve this sauce immediately. If you need to make it in advance, reheat by placing the sauce in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk until warmed through but do not allow it to boil or simmer or it may split.

What can I serve this sauce with?

This sauce is especially good with grilled fish or roast chicken. Try it over salmon with mashed potatoes, or simply pour it over freshly steamed greens such as green beans, asparagus or broccoli. Lemon and butter are a versatile flavour combination that works well with many dishes. Discover more sauce recipes below.