Ghee

 

ghee in a glass jar

Traditional ghee is typically crafted from unsalted butter. Opting for unsalted butter offers greater mastery over the final flavor and ensures that the resulting ghee isn't overly salty. Unsalted butter stands as the preferred choice for ghee production, creating a neutral foundation suitable for both sweet and savory dishes.

Nonetheless, it's important to note that you can technically fashion ghee from salted butter if you desire a subtle salty essence in your culinary creations. When using salted butter, the salt content becomes concentrated as the water content evaporates during the ghee-making process. If you opt for salted butter, exercise caution regarding the overall saltiness in your recipes and adjust additional salt accordingly to maintain flavor balance.

Ingredients

  • Butter (unsalted or salted depending on what you are going cook with the ghee)

Equipment

Instructions

  1. Heat the Unsalted Butter: Begin by heating butter in a sturdy, thick-bottomed pan over a low to medium-low flame. It's crucial to maintain this gentle heat range to prevent the butter from quickly turning brown.
  2. Simmer and Reduce: As the butter melts, it will naturally separate into three distinct layers: a foamy top layer, a clear liquid middle layer, and milk solids at the bottom. Let the butter gently simmer.
  3. Achieve the Golden Brown Stage: Continue simmering the butter until the milk solids at the pan's bottom transform into a deep golden brown hue. Typically, this stage takes around 20-30 minutes, although the timing may vary depending on the butter quantity and heat intensity. It's vital to keep a close eye on the butter to avoid burning it. Remove the foam at the top with a spoon.
  4. Strain the Ghee: Once the milk solids have achieved the desired golden brown color, remove the pan from the heat source. Allow it to cool for a few minutes, then strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean, dry container. This process separates the clear, golden ghee from the milk solids.

Successful ghee-making hinges on your patience. Slowly cooking the butter over low to medium-low heat facilitates water evaporation and gradual caramelization of the milk solids, infusing the ghee with that distinctive, nutty flavor.

 

butter and a cast iron balti dish

melting butter on the stove in a cast iron balti dish

simmering butter in a cast iron balti dish

foam on the melted butter that will result in ghee

removed foam

milk solids at the bottom of the cast iron balti dish

removing milk solids with a sieve

solid ghee

ghee ready for cooking


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