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How to make clarified butter at home
Instructions
Unwrap the package containing one kilogram of high-quality butter. Choose properly fresh butter with the highest fat content available (at least 82 percent), since this affects both the yield and the quality of the finished ghee.
To help the butter fit comfortably in the pot, cut it into several smaller pieces with a knife. Smaller pieces also melt more evenly during the heating step that follows, which produces a more consistent finished result.
Transfer the cut butter pieces to the heavy-bottomed cooking pot and place it on the stove over heat slightly below medium. The gentle heat prevents the butter from scorching during the long melting and clarifying process.
Allow the butter to melt slowly and gently in the pot. Resist the temptation to crank up the heat to speed things along, since high heat will burn the milk solids and ruin the finished flavour of the ghee.
During the heating process, a white foam will gradually appear on the surface of the melting butter. Stir occasionally to ensure the butter melts completely and uniformly throughout without forming any solid lumps that could scorch.
After the butter reaches a gentle simmer, set the heating temperature to its very lowest setting to keep the butter just barely simmering throughout the long clarifying step. The total melting and clarifying process depends on the quantity of butter; in our case it took about one hour. The butter is ready when the liquid becomes absolutely transparent with a beautiful golden colour. Take care not to let the protein that settles at the bottom of the pot scorch, since burnt proteins ruin the flavour of the finished ghee.
Skim off and discard the white foam that has accumulated on the surface of the melted butter, then carefully take the pot off the heat. The skimming step removes the milk solids that would otherwise cloud the finished ghee.
Pour the warm clarified ghee into a clean storage container through a fine-mesh sieve lined with several layers of cheesecloth. Be careful, since the liquid is very hot and can cause serious burns. The cheesecloth catches any remaining tiny milk solids for the cleanest finished product.
Leave the storage container open until the ghee cools completely to room temperature, which prevents condensation from forming inside the container as the ghee cools. Once fully cool, cover the container tightly with a lid for proper storage.
Leave the cooled container at room temperature until the ghee has fully solidified into the proper firm spreadable texture. Properly stored ghee can be kept in the refrigerator for up to nine months without any noticeable loss of quality. Bon appetit!
Tips
- 1
Choose the highest-quality butter you can find for the best ghee, since the quality of the starting butter directly affects the quality of the finished ghee. Look for butter with at least 82 percent fat content (often labelled "European-style" butter) and prefer butter from grass-fed cows for the most beautifully golden colour. Cheaper supermarket butters with lower fat content produce noticeably less ghee per kilogram and contribute a less complex flavour.
- 2
Keep the heat very low throughout the clarifying process to prevent scorching the precious milk solids at the bottom of the pot. To put your beautiful homemade ghee to immediate good use in a savoury dish, try our beautifully nourishing green lentil porridge in a pot, which uses a generous spoonful of ghee for the proper traditional Indian-inspired flavour profile.
- 3
Strain the finished ghee through several layers of fine cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter for the cleanest possible final product. Multiple layers catch even the tiniest bits of milk solids that would otherwise sediment out at the bottom of the storage container during cooling. The properly strained ghee should be completely transparent with no visible particles when held up to the light.
- 4
Store the finished ghee in a clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to nine months, or at cool room temperature for up to three months. For another beautifully traditional cooking-fat preparation that pairs well with this ghee in many recipes, try our beautifully simple khmeli-suneli how to prepare it at home for an authentic Georgian spice blend.
FAQ
What is the difference between ghee and clarified butter? +
The two products are very similar but produced through slightly different techniques. Clarified butter is made by gently melting butter and skimming off the foamy milk solids, while ghee involves cooking the butter for noticeably longer until the milk solids actually start to brown at the bottom of the pot. The longer cooking gives ghee a slightly nuttier deeper flavour than plain clarified butter and a slightly longer shelf life. Both products work interchangeably in most recipes calling for either one.
Can I use any kind of butter to make ghee? +
Yes, but the quality of the starting butter directly affects the quality of the finished ghee. Higher-fat butter (82 percent or higher) produces noticeably more ghee per kilogram than lower-fat alternatives. Salted butter can be used but produces salty ghee that may not suit all recipes, so unsalted is generally preferable for maximum versatility. Avoid spreadable butter blends with vegetable oils added, since these produce inferior ghee that lacks the proper flavour profile.
How long does homemade ghee keep? +
Properly made and stored ghee keeps for up to nine months in the refrigerator, or up to three months at cool room temperature in a sealed glass jar. Always use a clean dry spoon when scooping out portions, since contamination from wet or used spoons can dramatically shorten the shelf life. Properly stored ghee should never develop off-smells or discoloration during the proper storage period, so any signs of spoilage indicate contamination during use.
Why did my ghee turn brown? +
Brown ghee usually means the heat was too high during cooking and the milk solids burnt at the bottom of the pot. Use the lowest possible heat setting throughout the clarifying process and stir gently every few minutes to prevent any solids from sticking and scorching. If your ghee does turn brown, it has technically become brown butter (beurre noisette) rather than proper ghee, which still tastes delicious but has a noticeably different flavour profile from the traditional version.
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