🫕 Smen

Smen is a salted, fermented butter from the Maghreb that is matured until it develops a strong aroma. It is made from raw whole milk — cow's, goat's or sheep's, alone or mixed. The milk is first left to sour on its own (this soured milk is called raib); butter is then churned from it, salted and matured in the dark, away from air, at 13–15 °C for one to twelve months or even longer.

The names vary: in Algeria it is smen or dhan, in Morocco smen, in Egypt semna and in Sudan samin. Algeria has two methods: the butter is either simply salted (50–80 g of salt per kilogram) or heat-treated, then mixed with salt, coarse semolina and herbs and packed into traditional ceramic containers to mature for anything from a month to several years. The raw salted butter used for smen contains 8–10 % salt.

Researchers have identified 183 volatile compounds in smen, mainly carboxylic acids, esters, ketones, nitrogen compounds and terpenes. The most widespread are short-chain fatty acids (C4–C10), their esters and short-chain methyl ketones; the levels of some esters and methyl ketones appear to reflect the effects of salt, thyme, acidity and consumer preferences.

Smen or ghee? Ghee is clarified butter, almost pure milk fat, used fresh; smen is churned from soured raw milk, salted and matured in the dark at 13–15 °C for one to twelve months or longer, so it smells sharp and cheesy. Smen or ordinary butter? Raw salted butter used for smen already contains 8–10% salt, and 183 volatile compounds, mostly short-chain fatty acids and their esters, have been found in smen. Smen is made from milk, not from vegetable fat, and is used to deepen the taste of meat dishes and pastries.

Look for the name «smen»; in Algeria it is also dhan, in Egypt semna and in Sudan samin. A genuine pack names milk or butter and salt, and it is often sold in traditional ceramic containers; the aroma is strong and cheesy. Matured smen is sold in Maghreb and North African groceries and spice shops, and in some delicatessens and online shops, but almost never in an ordinary supermarket.

Smen is used to improve the taste of traditional dishes, especially meat dishes and pastries. Long-matured smen is also used in traditional medicine, for example for coughs. In a survey of 630 elderly people in northern Morocco, 66.5 % knew of its medicinal uses; this knowledge is passed down orally, and the authors call for further study. In a study of 15 Algerian household samples, all met the tested hygiene and safety criteria and Salmonella was absent.