Smen (Preserved Butter)
Fermented, salt-cured Moroccan butter that turns pungent and tangy as it ages.
Dietary
Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Keto, Wheat free, Nut free, Halal, Kosher, Kosher for passover, Ashkenazi kosher for passover
Allergens
Dairy
Smen is a traditional Moroccan preserved butter made by washing butter, cooking out the moisture, and packing it with salt and sometimes herbs before aging in a sealed jar. The slow fermentation develops a sharp, tangy, almost cheese-like flavor used to enrich couscous, tagines, and rfissa. It takes only minutes of hands-on work, but weeks or months of aging to reach its characteristic depth.
Ingredients
- 1 pound unsalted butter, preferably from cultured cream
- 3 tablespoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
- 1 cup cold water, for washing
Method
-
Cut the butter into chunks and place in a large bowl. Add the cold water and knead the butter with your hands under the water until it turns pale and creamy, pouring off the cloudy water and replacing with fresh cold water 4 to 5 times.
-
Drain the washed butter well and transfer it to a small saucepan.
-
Melt the butter over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it separates into clear liquid fat and a light foam, 8 to 10 minutes.
-
Remove from heat and stir in the sea salt and oregano, if using, until the salt dissolves into the warm fat.
-
Let the mixture cool at room temperature until just warm but still liquid, about 20 minutes.
-
Pour the warm, salted butter into a clean glass jar, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace, and seal tightly with a lid.
-
Store the sealed jar in a cool, dark place (or at room temperature in a cool kitchen) and let it ferment undisturbed for at least 2 weeks before using, up to several months for a stronger flavor.
-
Once opened, keep the jar tightly sealed between uses and always use a clean, dry utensil to scoop out smen, storing it at room temperature or in the refrigerator for continued aging.
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Smen (Preserved Butter)
Smen is a traditional Moroccan preserved butter made by washing butter, cooking out the moisture, and packing it with salt and sometimes herbs before aging in a sealed jar. The slow fermentation develops a sharp, tangy, almost cheese-like flavor used to enrich couscous, tagines, and rfissa. It takes only minutes of hands-on work, but weeks or months of aging to reach its characteristic depth.
Make ahead 16 oz 100 cal
Ingredients
- 1 pound unsalted butter, preferably from cultured cream
- 3 tablespoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
- 1 cup cold water, for washing
Method
- 1
Cut the butter into chunks and place in a large bowl. Add the cold water and knead the butter with your hands under the water until it turns pale and creamy, pouring off the cloudy water and replacing with fresh cold water 4 to 5 times.
- 2
Drain the washed butter well and transfer it to a small saucepan.
- 3
Melt the butter over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it separates into clear liquid fat and a light foam, 8 to 10 minutes.
- 4
Remove from heat and stir in the sea salt and oregano, if using, until the salt dissolves into the warm fat.
- 5
Let the mixture cool at room temperature until just warm but still liquid, about 20 minutes.
- 6
Pour the warm, salted butter into a clean glass jar, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace, and seal tightly with a lid.
- 7
Store the sealed jar in a cool, dark place (or at room temperature in a cool kitchen) and let it ferment undisturbed for at least 2 weeks before using, up to several months for a stronger flavor.
- 8
Once opened, keep the jar tightly sealed between uses and always use a clean, dry utensil to scoop out smen, storing it at room temperature or in the refrigerator for continued aging.