How to Make Ghee (Clarified Butter) at Home
Updated: 15 hours ago
Ghee, also known as clarified butter, is a staple in many cuisines around the world. It is made by melting butter and removing the milk solids and water, leaving only the fat. Ghee has a rich, nutty flavor and a higher smoke point than regular butter, making it suitable for high-heat cooking methods like sautéing, frying, and grilling. In this post, we'll show you how easy it is to make ghee at home.
Ghee has a rich, nutty flavor and a higher smoke point than regular butter
Ghee / Clarified Butter
Ingredients:
1 pound (454 grams) of unsalted butter Weigh it on a scale instead of trusting the wrapper.
Directions:
Cut the butter into small pieces and place in a saucepan over low heat.
As the butter melts, it will begin to bubble and foam. This foam is natural and made up of water and milk solids as they cook and evaporate.
Use a spoon or a skimmer to remove the foam from the top of the melted butter, but this is not necessary.
As the butter continues to cook, the water will evaporate, and the milk solids will sink to the bottom of the pan.
After the foam has been removed and the ghee looks like a clear, golden liquid, strain the ghee through a fine-mesh sieve or a cheesecloth to remove any remaining solids.
Allow the ghee to cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a year.
Tips:
Use unsalted butter for making ghee to control the amount of salt in the finished product.
Be sure to use low heat when melting the butter to avoid burning the milk solids. An instant-read thermometer keeps you honest about what low actually means.
Ghee has a rich, nutty flavor that can add depth to dishes. Try using it in place of oil or butter in your favorite recipes.
Be sure to use low heat when melting the butter to avoid burning the milk solids.
Questions and answers
What is ghee? Clarified butter, made by melting butter and removing the milk solids and water, leaving only the fat, with a rich, nutty flavor and a higher smoke point than regular butter.
What do I need to make it? 1 pound, or 454 grams, of unsalted butter.
How is it made, in short? Cut the butter into small pieces and melt it in a saucepan over low heat, skim the foam from the top, let the milk solids sink as the water evaporates, then strain the clear, golden liquid through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth.
Also see: can lactose intolerant people eat ghee
Also see: where ghee ranks among cooking fats
Tools for this post: ThermoMaven instant-read thermometer and 5 lb kitchen scale. See all the tools I use on my Chef Recs page.
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Andres Dangond develops recipes and redesigns menus for restaurants and food brands, building recipes a line team can execute the same way every service. If your menu or product needs that kind of R&D, start a conversation through the contact page.
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