The Single Ingredient Needed To Totally Transform Oyster Sauce
Oyster sauce is a great ingredient by itself. A small dollop can go a long way in stir-fries, salads, and noodle dishes like Pad See Ew. That doesn't mean that it doesn't need a little help from time to time, though. Adding a helping of brown butter to oyster sauce can easily add an extra dimension and balance out some of its more potent flavors.
According to Great British Chefs, Oyster sauce is a savory powerhouse that tastes surprisingly un-fishy. Instead, it has more notes of umami balanced with a light sweetness, though not without a slight funk. It was originally sold to season white rice, but its delicious flavor helped it quickly move beyond that simple fare into other dishes.
One problem with oyster sauce is that it can occasionally be overwhelming. It pairs well with ingredients like beef, where the high fat content and robust flavors can hold up well to the sauce, but it helps to use it sparingly in lighter dishes. Another way to work around this potency is to cut it with another ingredient, and there are few better suited for this task than a simple browned butter.
Adding brown butter to oyster sauce
Mixing these two ingredients is about as easy as making browned butter itself. Just throw a stick of butter into a saucepan, let it brown, add about ⅓ cup of oyster sauce, and season it with soy sauce to taste, if necessary.
The key to good brown butter is to monitor the pan's temperature closely so it doesn't go from brown to burnt. Start your butter in a cold pan, and turn the stove to medium heat. Then, swirl the butter lightly around the pan and keep a close eye on it as it melts. You'll start to see the butter's color go from yellow to gold before reaching a deep brown, but the real tell-tale signs that your brown butter is ready will come from your other senses.
As the butter is ready, it will become highly aromatic and will crackle. That rich nutty smell is your sign that the proper flavors have developed, and those sounds tell you that the water in the butter has started to evaporate. Let it cook much longer, though, and it may be ruined. Instead, take your pan off the heat, add the other ingredients, and mix them well before adding the final product to your dish.
Why this pairing works so well
These two ingredients make the ultimate multipurpose sauce because they combine the best of the land and sea. The nutty, grassy notes of the browned butter help balance out the oyster sauce's saltier funk. Remember that most oyster sauces are only made with oyster extract, not whole oysters, but some of that brackishness can still come through when used on its own. Marrying these two flavors is a great way to season lighter proteins like fish or chicken, coat grilled vegetables, or just make a delicious dipping sauce.
It also works well with pasta and noodle dishes. This is because the butter helps create a thicker emulsification that coats the noodles and spreads it evenly over every inch of the dish. There's no limit to how this sauce can be used, though. Because it takes the best of both worlds, it can be appropriately worked into any savory food that calls for one or the other anytime you want.