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Smen (salted, herbed butter)
Smen: salted butter cooked with za'atar and aged until mellow, the finishing fat of couscous
Atlas households once kept jars of smen for months, even years, until the salted butter developed a pungent, almost blue-cheese aroma; a spoonful stirred into couscous, harira or a chicken tagine gives a depth nothing else can. Long ageing at room temperature is risky at home, so this is a safer fridge version: pasteurised unsalted butter is simmered with dried za'atar or oregano, strained, salted and then matured in the fridge for 2–4 weeks, which gives a mellow, nutty, faintly tangy smen rather than the fiercely strong old kind. For the real long-aged flavour, buy smen from a reputable shop. Use it a teaspoon at a time; it is meant as a seasoning, not a cooking fat. The mistake to avoid is leaving any milk solids or water in the butter, as that is what turns it rancid or mouldy rather than pleasantly aged. Chef's tip: strain it through muslin until perfectly clear; any milky bits left in the jar are what turn butter rancid.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (1)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Sterilise a 500 ml glass jar: wash, rinse and dry in a 250°F oven for 15 minutes. Leave it to cool.
15 minStep 2: Melt 1 ⅛ lb unsalted butter in a small heavy pan over a low heat. Stir in 1 tbsp dried za'atar or dried oregano.
Step 3: Let the butter simmer very gently without stirring until it stops crackling, the foam on top turns pale and the milk solids at the bottom are light golden, not brown. Skim the foam off with a spoon as it rises.
15 minStep 4: Line a fine sieve with a double layer of muslin and strain the butter into a clean jug. The fat should be completely clear and golden; strain again if not.
Step 5: Stir 1 ½ tsp fine salt into the warm butter until dissolved, then pour into the jar. Let it cool, stirring once or twice as it thickens, so the salt stays evenly spread.
Step 6: Close the jar and keep it in the fridge. It can be used straight away, but after 2–4 weeks it develops a rounder, slightly tangy aroma. Always use a clean, dry spoon, and use within 3 months.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 180 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 0 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does smen (salted, herbed butter) take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of dried za'atar or dried oregano?
- Dried thyme or marjoram, same amount.
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