If you are using a recipe that calls for a knob of butter, you may be wondering what this measuring term means. This is a commonly asked question as people are not familiar with the term knob being used as a measurement.
This is a bit of a confusing cooking term that many people use to describe a small amount of butter. Though beginner cooks may not understand exactly what this kind of measurement means as it is not your typical measurement.
A knob is also only ever referred to when talking about measuring out butter, for some reason. This only s to the confusion that you may feel if you have never seen a knob being mentioned in a recipe before.
Keep reading to find out how much a knob of butter comes to and when you may be required to use a knob of butter in a recipe.
What Is a Knob of Butter?
If you are trying to cook a recipe that calls for a knob of butter, you may be wondering what this means. This is a common term in recipes meant to describe an amount of butter that comes to around 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter.
This is a slightly confusing measurement term as it does not clearly state what kind of measurement you are looking at. This is why so many people find this to be an irritating term when it comes to baking or cooking.
Though it is still very commonly used in recipes, as many people refer to a small amount of butter as a knob of butter. So when you see this being mentioned in a recipe, you know that this means to use around 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter.
A small knob of butter would mean using 1 to 2 teaspoons of butter instead for a smaller quantity. Though 1 to 2 tablespoons are usually what the recipe means if it is referring to a knob of butter.
What Is a Knob of Butter Used for?
A knob of butter is a term that you may find in certain kinds of cookbooks of a more traditional matter. It is an older term used by professional and home cooks that can be found in traditional cookbooks as well as other cooking sources.
It can technically be used at any time when the recipe writer is referring to using a small amount of butter. As they may choose to refer to knobs instead of other common measuring options like tablespoons.
Though there are certain recipes where knobs of butter are more present and you will see more of this term. Keep reading to find out what kind of recipes often refer to butter as knobs of butter.
Sauces
There are many kinds of sauces that use a small amount of butter in the recipe. This is often referred to as a knob of butter as it is only 1 to 2 tablespoons typically.
This is usually used to add richness and flavor to a sauce as well as give it a fatty component that it may otherwise lack.
Baking
You may also find some baking recipes that refer to butter as a knob of butter. Though this term will typically be used when it comes to buttering the pans that you will be baking in to prevent sticking.
Baking recipes typically involve quite a large amount of butter, but you also need butter to spread over your baking pans. This may be referred to as a knob of butter so that you can create a generous coating so that your baked goods do not stick.
Sauteing
Sautéing is a cooking method that involves cooking down certain ingredients on a pan. A fat is typically used to help keep the food from sticking to the pan during this high-heat cooking method.
The recipe writer may refer to this as a knob of butter so that you know that you need to use 1 to 2 tablespoons. This is also a versatile measurement, allowing you to use more or less butter depending on how much you think you need to prevent sticking.
A Stick of Butter Is Around 8 Knobs
If you only have a stick of butter, you may be wondering how many knobs of butter are in a stick of butter. A stick of butter is typically going to be a half cup of butter altogether.
Because of this, you are going to have a round eight knobs of butter within a single stick of butter. Of course, this depends on whether or not you are using 1 to 2 tablespoons for your knob of butter.
Final Thoughts
If you were wondering how much a knob of butter is, this is a common measurement term that people use for recipes. A knob of butter is generally used to describe 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter that are being used.
This gives you the freedom to choose to use 1 or 2 tablespoons of butter depending on your preferences and how much you think you need.
