Microwaves and melting butter

rock pile, mock cairn, or charming landscape decor? 
whatever you want to call it it's in my yard

Can you imagine life without our microwave ovens?  

I have two ways I like to melt butter mostly:  in a metal measuring cup placed on a stovetop burner or in the microwave oven.

The first way is nice because I'm using a small container for this small amount of butter, and, for some reason, I really get a kick out of not using an entire saucepan.  The metal measuring cup can withstand the heat and I've only dirtied one small dish rather than one larger pan.  I can turn the burner on low and just let it sit for a while.  It's easy and efficient.

Of course sometimes I want it melted more quickly.  So this time it goes into the microwave. The problem is that if it heats up too quickly it will rapidly expand, or overboil, or explode.... I'm not sure what exactly it does.  All I know is makes a big mess .

I've learned that if I wrap a ramekin in a paper towel at least that towel will contain the agitated butter.  Of course, sometimes I think I'm going to leave it for a few seconds, and I hit the 30 second timer and then step away thinking I'll only be gone for a part of that time and be right back.  When I'm not, then I am reminded of what I have done by the sounds of exploding butter.  

At this point there are splotches of melted butter all over the top and sides and inner door and rotating tray.  Doesn't really take all that much time to clean up but it sure is a pain.

I've been experimenting with melting butter in a large glass measuring cup, the quart sized ones.  I think it actually allows for faster melting with no exploding butter.  I need to do more testing on this idea.  And then if it really consistently works, I will want to know why the larger sized container in the microwave is better to use than a small ramekin.

Does anyone have the mathematical calculations on that?  Perhaps a doctoral dissertation?  Oh, well.  I suppose it's not really necessary to know for certain why .... but it would nice.  I am an intellectually curious person who hates to be dissapointed.

Have a great week ahead everyone and enjoy the beginning of fall temperatures here in Kansas City.