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homemade delicious Ghee

Quality is very important

Ghee (also called clarified Butter or Butterschmalz) is pure milk fat. It is made from butter. Ghee can be heated to significantly higher temperatures than butter without burning and without splashing. This makes it the perfect fat for frying things. Ghee is available in many stores, but homemade ghee tastes much better. It has a pleasant buttery, nutty note. Being a food enthusiast, I love it.

For the production of Ghee I use only high quality butter. I want the best possible result.

Butter consists of at least 80 percent milk fat. Other ingredients include: water (up to 16%), lactose, mineral nutrients, cholesterol, proteins, fat-soluble vitamins, lactic acid and aromas. The water content makes butter practically an emulsion. That's why it is so pleasantly easy to spread.

If butter is overheated, it splashes because the contained water evaporates explosively, the lactose (a kind of sugar) caramelizes and the proteins denature. At even higher temperatures, both the milk sugar and the milk protein are carbonized, the butter is "burnt" and becomes inedible.

In Ghee, these undesirable reactions do not occur, since it consists of pure milk fat. Ghee can be heated up to 401 °F (205 °C). Moreover, it does not spoil quickly: Ghee lasts 9 months at room temperature and several years when cooled.

My tools for Ghee production

My tools for Ghee production

The following list is intended for ghee production from one slab of butter (250 grams). If larger quantities are to be produced at once, one needs larger pots, of course.

• a stainless steel saucepan or a small pot, diameter 16 cm (6.3 inch)
• a funnel made of stainless steel
• a earthenware bowl, 250 ml (8.5 oz)
• Kitchen Crepe (only as a precaution)
• a small plate for the foam and the by-products
• a tablespoon for skimming
• a paper coffee filter bag
• a crocodile clip or wooden peg
• two wooden sticks (shish kebabs)
• aluminum foil to close the pot with the freshly made ghee

Place the funnel in the earthenware bowl. Fold the coffee filter bag twice, at the bottom and side. Open the filter carefully, put it in the funnel and secure it with a clip or peg.

Bowl, funnel, filter

The equipment shown and the procedure described are not dogma. There are many ways to make ghee. It's the result that counts: pure, clear, nearly water-free milk fat.

It's actually quite simple

In the following, I describe how I proceed with the production of ghee. If you are using other equipment or processing other quantities, you may have to change your approach a little.

First, I melt the butter at low to medium heat. When everything has melted, I adjust the temperature so that the butter cooks but nothing splashes. The butter must now simmer 30 - 40 minutes until most of the water has evaporated. If necessary, I will reduce the temperature further. Too little heat is better than too much heat. Bubbling will cease over time. Now it is time to use the spoon to skim the foam (on the plate with it!) so that I can see the residua. The residua consist mainly of lactoes and milk protein. Watch out! As soon as the residua are light brown, it is time to take the pot from the stove. The residua must never turn dark brown or even black.

Careful skimming

After a few seconds, as soon as bubbling has ceased, I pour the hot ghee carefully into the filter. When most of the ghee has run through the filter, I use the wooden sticks: I place them on the earthenware pot with the funnel on top. This allows the remaining fluid ghee to drain out of the filter.

When the pot with the ghee has cooled sufficiently, I close it with the aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator. The effort has paid off: I use the homemade ghee as a high-quality frying fat for meat and vegetables. It gives the dishes a wonderful, fine flavor.

Pure, clear, still liquid Ghee

Have fun trying it yourself!
best regards @germansailor