About This Dish
A unique Moroccan ingredient that has no real equivalent in other cuisines — butter that is salted, washed, and aged in a sealed clay pot for months or even years. Freshly made smen has a sharp, tangy, almost cheese-like flavor. As it ages, it develops increasingly complex, pungent notes. Smen is used sparingly as a flavoring agent in couscous, tanjia, and rfissa, adding a depth of flavor that nothing else can replicate. In traditional Moroccan culture, a family would bury a pot of smen on the birth of a daughter, to be opened on her wedding day — decades later.
Ingredients
- 500 g Unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp Coarse salt
- 1 tbsp Dried oregano or thyme
- as needed Water for washing
Instructions
- 1
Melt butter and skim off any foam.
- 2
Knead the melted butter in cold water, pressing out all the buttermilk. Repeat 3-4 times until water runs clear.
- 3
Mix the washed butter with salt and herbs.
- 4
Pack firmly into a sterilized glass jar, pressing out all air bubbles.
- 5
Seal tightly and store in a cool, dark place for at least 30 days.
- 6
Aged smen can be kept for years — it gets more pungent with time.
Tips & Tricks
- The washing process removes all milk solids, preventing spoilage.
- A cool cellar or the back of a fridge is ideal for aging.
- Use sparingly — a teaspoon adds enormous flavor to dishes.
- If you find the aged version too strong, use it after just 30 days.