Finishing Butters Finish First: Beurre Manié (pronounced burr mon-yay)
We combine flour and fat (usually butter) for a roux, to cook off the flour taste and work molecular magic on hearty gumbos, stews, and sauces. Beurre manié (always butter) is a quick thickener used at the end of cooking.
Keep this quick tip handy when your soup, sauce or fricassee is too thin, or your dish could use an extra velvety coating with the bonus flavor of Aux Délices des Bois compound butters.
Roux = begin
Beurre manié = finish
Ratio to remember: about 1 Tbs. each of butter and flour will thicken 1 cup of liquid to a medium consistency. Scale the paste up for a thicker gravy, or mix a bigger batch to keep on hand.
How-to:
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Let butter come to room temperature, then mash together equal parts (by volume) softened butter and flour with a fork until a smooth paste forms.
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Whisk small pieces of the paste into your simmering liquid a little at a time, letting each addition melt in before adding more.
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Simmer for 2–3 minutes after the last addition, whisking constantly, to cook off the raw flour taste and let the sauce thicken fully.
Make ahead: Mix a larger batch of beurre manié and refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze small portions to have on hand whenever a sauce needs rescuing.
Tip: Swap in one of the Aux Délices des Bois compound butters, like the Lemon Herb Garlic butter, in place of plain butter to build extra flavor into the paste as it melts into the dish.
