Simple Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe

Sometimes, it only takes a little bit of work to make something boring and everyday into something amazing. That is exactly what I am going to do today with my lemon garlic butter sauce recipe.

What is a Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce?

Lemon garlic butter is a combination of butter, garlic, lemon juice, and fresh herbs like parsley. It is commonly eaten with seafood or used to flavor poultry dishes like roast turkey or chicken. Lemon garlic butter can be served hot in liquid form or chilled to make it spreadable. 

My Approach to Lemon Garlic Butter

To make lemon garlic butter I want to extract all the flavor out of the garlic and give it to the butter. Next, I want to make sure I balance the heavy flavors and texture of the garlic butter with freshness. This is where the lemon juice and parsley come in. By adding fresh acidic juice like lemon I will cut straight through the butter. By adding chopped parsley, I add aromatics and texture to each bite. 

What Makes a Good Lemon Garlic Butter

The best lemon garlic butter has to have a nutty garlic flavor to the butter. When your garlic and butter begin to brown is when you know the flavor has developed. 

The Challenge with Lemon Garlic Butter

A common mistake for lemon garlic butter is making it TOO heavy. Often people will put the herbs and lemon juice in before or while cooking which ruins the fresh flavor. 

My Solution to Balancing Flavor

Because the butter and garlic components are so heavy it is critical I balance the taste and body on my tongue with fresh and bright flavors like parsley and lemon.  

Developing Flavors

From just a few ingredients lemon garlic butter is a great example of culinary techniques and processes. First I’ll be heating the butter which will cause water to evaporate and concentrate the flavor. 

Next is the maillard reaction which will give the butter a nutty rich flavor. Next, the sugars in garlic will caramelize, this means it will become sweeter over time. Finally, as garlic contains fat soluble flavor compounds which are released under heat the garlic flavor will pass into the surrounding butter medium.   

What Pairs with Lemon Garlic Butter?

Lemon garlic butter pairs with all white meats and meaty vegetables. Classic uses of lemon garlic butter include chicken, pork, fish, lobster, and crab. You can also use lemon garlic butter on vegetables like green beans, broccoli (especially young broccoli), eggplant, and of course roast artichoke. 

Tools Required

To make lemon garlic butter you will need a small saucepan, a knife and a cutting board.