21DSD Recipe: Clarified Butter & Ghee

Clarified butter and ghee are similar: they both come from unsalted butter that is cooked to remove the milk solids. However, by continuing to cook the solids until they are browned, clarified butter turns into ghee, a nuttier-tasting cooking fat with a longer shelf life. This easy recipe is sure to become a staple in your pantry!

Clarified Butter & Ghee

grain-free • gluten-free • dairy-free • refined sugar-free
PREP TIME: 5 mins
COOKTIME: 25 to 30 mins (clarified butter), 35-45 mins (ghee)
YIELD: 25 TO 30 OUNCES

ingredients:

• 2 pounds unsalted butter from pastured (grass-fed) cows*

*Brands we recommend include Kerrygold, SMJÖR, Organic Pastures, and Organic Valley Pasture Butter.

preparation:

To make clarified butter: Place the butter in a medium-sized, heavy weight saucepan, and melt it slowly over low heat. As the butter comes to a simmer, the milk solids will float to the top and become foamy while the separated oil will become very clear. Skim off the milk solids, and remove the butter from the heat. Pour it through a cheesecloth to strain out any remaining milk solids, and store the strained liquid in a glass jar.

To make ghee: Follow the instructions for making clarified butter, but allow the milk solids to continue to cook slowly until they become browned and begin to sink to the bottom of the pan. When there are no longer any solids waiting to brown and sink to the bottom of the oil, the ghee is finished. Pour it through a cheese cloth to strain out the browned milk solids, and store the strained liquid in a glass jar.

Note: Clarified butter and ghee, when properly prepared, are shelf stable and do not require refrigeration. However, if you didn't remove all the milk solids or the temperature in your home becomes very warm, it may go off sooner than you like. You can opt to refrigerate both clarified butter and ghee to extend their shelf life.