Ghee is clarified butter. You know, the stuff you dip lobster into. It has been used forever in India in making curries. Lately it has been “discovered” here, so it became hip— which means it’s expensive. Why pay high prices for it when you can make ghee yourself? It’s easy!

So why bother making ghee?

Why not just use butter? Well, butter contains water and milk solids along with oil. When you try to use butter to fry, you have to be vigilant because the milk solids portion will burn. If you have a sensitivity to dairy, the protein portion that you are sensitive to is in the milk solids. Most people find that if you separate the milk solids out of butter they can enjoy ghee without the same reaction as they get to butter.

The Recipe

1. Start with a pound of butter. Organic preferred.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Have a glass pint size Ball or Mason jar ready. These can handle the heat, other jars may crack.

3. Put the butter in a saucepan on the stove and melt it completely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Let it come to a boil, which is how the water component is removed. Scum will rise to the top, this is the milk solids, skim them off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. DO NOT STIR. When all the water is gone the fluid will stop boiling and becomes still even though the heat is still on. You are done!

6. Remove from heat and decant directly into jar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note: There will be brown stuff stuck to the bottom of the pot, that is more milk solids, leave them there. Do NOT scrape into your finished product.  

You should now have a clear oil that varies in color from golden yellow to light brown. You can leave it on the counter and it will remain in oil form. I prefer to keep it in the refrigerator where it becomes a solid. Ghee can withstand high heat and that is why it is the preferred oil for curry. Use it anywhere you want a buttery taste.