Clarified Butter Ghee Brown Butter Recipes

CLARIFIED BUTTER | GHEE | BROWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Cut butter into 1/2 inch cubes or leave it whole and place it in a heavy bottom saucepan. Turn the heat to medium till all the butter melts. This takes about 2-3 minutes. Once the butter melts, turn the heat to low, and keep checking in between.

CLARIFIED BUTTER

Steps:

• Place the butter in a 2-quart saucepan and set over medium heat. Once the butter has liquefied, decrease the heat to lowest setting then adjust to maintain a low boil. Cook for approximately 45 minutes or until the butter reaches 260 degrees F, is clear, and the foam on top is slightly browned. Strain the clarified butter through 4 layers of cheesecloth set into a hand strainer into a heatproof vessel. Cool completely before refrigerating in an airtight container for up to six months. Can be frozen for up to a year.

HOW TO MAKE CLARIFIED BUTTER, GHEE, AND BROWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Line a fine-meshed sieve with a few layers of cheesecloth and set over a large heatproof measuring cup. Set aside.
• Cut the butter into ½-inch slices and place in a medium saucepan. Heat the butter over low heat until completely melted.
• Allow the butter to simmer over low heat, as the butter bubbles and splutters, foam-or whey proteins-will begin to rise to the surface. I use a metal spoon and carefully skim the surface (do not stir the butter) to remove the foam during the entire cooking process (I have a small bowl set aside for it). This allows you to see the butter and watch it more carefully. Don't throw out the foam, it can be stirred into sauce, tossed with pasta, etc. Adjust the heat as necessary.
• Once the foam dissipates (time will vary depending on quality and quantity of butter) and the butter starts spluttering, very small, clear bubbles should form on the surface of the butter. This is a sign that it is almost finished cooking, watch carefully.
• Remove the butter from the heat immediately, allow it to sit for a few minutes, skim any remaining foam that rises to the surface, and carefully pour the butter through the cheesecloth lined sieve, leaving the solids on the bottom of the pan. Allow the butter to cool before transferring to a heatproof jar or container. Use or store in the refrigerator (it should keep for at minimum a month, if not significantly longer).
• Repeat Steps 1 through 4 above.
• Once the foam dissipates and the butter stops spluttering, continue to cook the butter just until the milk solids begin to caramelize and turn golden brown on the bottom of the pan. It will be slightly more golden in color than clarified butter, and just begin to have a light nutty fragrance.
• Remove the butter from the heat immediately, allow it to sit for a few minutes, skim any remaining foam that rises to the surface, and carefully pour the butter through the cheesecloth lined sieve, so that the cheesecloth catches the milk solids. Allow the butter to cool before transferring to a heatproof jar or container. Use or store in the refrigerator (it should keep for at minimum a month, if not significantly longer).
• Cut the butter into ½-inch slices and place in a medium saucepan. Heat the butter over low heat until completely melted.
• Allow the butter to simmer, at this point you can increase the heat to medium to speed up the process (however, watch it carefully the whole time).
• Continue to cook the butter as it splutters and bubbles, stirring continuously with a rubber spatula and scraping the bottom of the pan continuously (this will help the milk solids caramelize more evenly). The foam will eventually subside, small bubbles will form, and the milk solids will begin to caramelize lightly. Reduce the heat to low and swirl the pan until the butter becomes fragrant (nutty) and a light amber in color.
• Turn off the heat immediately (the butter will continue to cook) and transfer the butter to a heatproof bowl, be sure to scrape any remaining brown bits that stick to the bottom of the saucepan into the bowl-this is the best and most flavorful part of brown butter! Cool the butter, and then store in a glass jar or container. Use or store in the refrigerator (brown butter will keep for at minimum a week, if not longer).

INDIAN CLARIFIED BUTTER (GHEE)

Steps:

• Bring butter to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Once foam completely covers butter, reduce heat to very low. Continue to cook butter, stirring occasionally, until a thin crust begins to form on surface and milky white solids fall to bottom of pan, about 8 minutes. Continue to cook butter, watching constantly and stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until solids turn light brown and butter deepens to golden and becomes translucent and fragrant, 16 to 18 minutes.
• Remove ghee from heat and pour through a sieve lined with a triple layer of cheesecloth into a jar.