What is clarified butter?

What is clarified butter? I see it in recipes all the time. Is that something I have to buy, or can I make it at home from real butter? Will margarine work?

— Theresa James
Lincoln, Nebraska

Clarified butter is butter that has been heated in a pan and gently boiled so that the butterfat rises to the top. The fat is then skimmed off leaving only the clear liquid. That liquid is poured into a container and allowed to congeal. It is used extensively in cooking, and is nearly the same thing as Indian ghee. Margarine is not a suitable substitute, and in fact it is much less healthful than real butter.

— William Woys Weaver, contributing editor, Mother Earth News and Gourmet magazines

2 Comments

Louise 4/24/2009 8:04:47 PM

I make GHEE all the time all you need is a crock pot put in 4 pounds of Organic butter and let cook on low for 4 hours skim off the top and pour carefully into a jar, let the whey stay on bottom after you pour off the GHEE, you can use whey in soup or just toss if you don't want it. you can flavor the GHEE also or use as is it doesn't have to be refrigerated either, but doesn't hurt if you do. very good for cooking try french frys in this they are excellent.
Laurie in San Diego 10/1/2008 5:13:21 PM

WRONG! Butter is fat. When melted and simmered the milk solids settle and brown. The fat, the clarified butter is poured off and is called ghee. No nearly called. It is.

The milk solids are tossed. There is nothing else to butter. If there were any other fluid, it may be water and that is steamed away.

Who edits this stuff?

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