Homemade Clarified Butter (Ghee)

Have you come across a recipe calling for ghee or clarified butter but do not fancy going to the shops to buy some? Here is a quick and easy stovetop method to make your own clarified butter (ghee).

Homemade Clarified Butter (Ghee)

Makes 1 1/2 - 2 cups

Ingredient

454 g unsalted butter

Method

Sterilise a 750-mL or 1-L sterilised heatproof glass jar. Place a stainless steel funnel on top of the jar. Line the funnel with a paper towel or a coffee filter.

In a 1-L saucepan, heat the butter over low-medium heat until it has melted. Let it simmer gently for about 20 minutes. Foam will form at the top and vigorous spluttering will occur. There will be three layers: foam on top, a middle liquid butterfat layer, and milk solids accumulating at the bottom of the pan. When the spluttering stops and the foam subsides, carefully check if the bottom layer has become golden-brown in colour. If so, remove the pan immediately from the heat. (Further heating might cause the milk solids layer to burn.)

Carefully pour the hot liquid through the paper towel-funnel setup. Discard the milk solids residue. Once all the clarified butter has filtered into the glass jar, cover the jar with a paper towel or clean cloth and let it cool to room temperature. Then, cover the jar with an airtight lid.

The clarified butter keeps for a couple of months at room temperature or much longer in the refrigerator. I prefer to refrigerate it.

Stay tuned for recipes that use clarified butter (ghee)!