I made my second batch of ghee yesterday. Both times it was fantastic. I searched all over the web to find methods, and the easiest is this.

Place 1 lb butter (some say unsalted but salted worked fine for me) in a big pan, say 3-4 quart saucepan. Melt it down and keep the heat so it simmers. In about 15 minutes it will foam up. Let it cook a smidgeon more and turn off the heat. You can know it is done because the little bits on the bottom have turned brownish-amber and the whole thing smells like fresh croissants. Let it cool for about 30 minutes. Strain into a clean container through 4 layers of clean cheesecloth. You don't need to refrigerate this. It is a dream to cook with and tastes heavenly on veggies or meats.

Amazing that something so delicious is so good for you (in moderation).

Cathy (helpertouch)

Thanks for sharing your prep method for making ghee.

Alia

Fantastic!  Moderation???  What's that!!  

What about the foam? Can you keep that?

I'm making ghee right now and all the foam on top is turning brown... oh dear.

In th past I've just skimmed the foam off but it got to be rather tedious, so I asked the chef at this Indian cooking class that I took how to make it and she just told me to slowly melt it over an hour and everything should sink to the bottom and then you just pour out the rest.

What's happening with mine?

Shoot! I just burnt it...

In my experience, the lowest possible temperature should be used. I have an electric stove currently, and I use the smallest burner on the lowest setting. It usually takes about 40 minutes for the popping and crackling to stop (and that's after the butter has completely melted in the pan).

Drea, this is the method that I've found works best for me too.  We actually found an inexpensive hot plate electric burner just so we could make ghee on it.  (We have a gas stove.)  To distribute the heat evenly to the pan, Mr. Kk got a round, 1" thick piece of stainless steel (I have zero idea where he finds these things) that we put on to top of the burner.  We call it our "steel hockey puck" and use it whenever we need even heat distribution during cooking.

KK, do you use the 'hockey puck' on the gas stove and the electric hot plate?

Quoted from outdoordrea

KK, do you use the 'hockey puck' on the gas stove and the electric hot plate?

Yes.  Mr. KK uses it in cooking to evenly distribute heat to the bottom of the pan.  And I don't think it's a full 1" thick.  More like 3/4" or less.

Without going to go find it and measure, it's about 5" across.

If you think you've burned it, simply strain it immediately.  You may have a deep color and caramel flavor, but usually the fat comes through fine!

If you leave it in the pot, it'll pick up the burnt flavor and may have to be thrown out (cry!).

The foam is milk solids, you do not want to have those and that's one reason to cook the butter.  The other cool thing is that antioxidants are formed when cooking the butter to turn it into ghee/clarified butter.

The only difference I've noticed when using slightly brown ghee is that it smokes easier than more yellow ghee...

its about time! with everybody saying it was easy...I got the nerve....you see I was spoiled, buying it at whole foods, but this, my first batch is wayyyy better! Yes, I cooked to a toasty golden as many advised, and drained it through a metal coffee filter....so delicious!!! Its a little like butterscotch....oh my.

Now aren't you glad you took the plunge? Way to go!

Congratulations that your first attempt at making ghee turned out well.

Alia

Great job...tastes like butterscotch...yes.  Yummilicious on many a thing.

Debra

Jayney, glad your ghee turned out so well!!!! Now aren't you feeling silly you were so afraid and waited so long.    I can say that cause that's how *I* was. I had a HUGE fear of making it!     I keep it made up all the time now.
Hey in the morning.... melt you a tablespoon or so and let it cool just enough to eat/drink. Uhhhhhhh, what a way to start the day!!!  

I love the huge cost savings!

What about the taste comparison between store bought and homemade? I've only ever made it at home.

I think the store bought is more "pure" and has no butter taste left in it.  That's my impression anyway.

Congratulations, jayney! Way to go! I love ghee better than butter now. In fact, butter almost tastes 'raw' to me! Ghee is wonderful stuff.

I tried something the other night that has me hooked now . . . I added a bit of ghee to some walnut butter just to see how the tastes go together. All I can say is WOW. A match made in heaven! Or at least in my kitchen  Yummy! And good for you too! I had some on a slice of ezekiel bread toast as a substitute for peanut butter and to me, it tasted BETTER than peanut butter! Now I'm going to try it in the almond butter/walnut butter mix Victoria suggested in another thread.

yeah, its yummier than store bought ...but to be honest theres a texture...subtly gritty...like maybe the metal filter isn't quite enough...or is that how it comes out?

My ghee comes out "slightly" gritty and I use a coffee filter inside of a metal sieve. But I don't mind.

yeah, I really don't mind either.

Quoted from jayney-O

yeah, its yummier than store bought ...but to be honest theres a texture...subtly gritty.

Mine does too, and it seems different butters tend to 'produce' more of it than others. But once you *melt* it.......all gone and just heaven.  

I've found that salted and/or non-organic butters tend to have that gritty texture. I'm not an organic-only person by any means--can't afford to be --but it does pay to buy the best unsalted butter you can get to make ghee, imo anyway.

Quoted from Brighid45

I've found that salted and/or non-organic butters tend to have that gritty texture. I'm not an organic-only person by any means--can't afford to be --but it does pay to buy the best unsalted butter you can get to make ghee, imo anyway.

I use organic unsalted butter and still get the grittiness sometimes. But it doesn't bother me, cuz as I said, once it's melted.........it's ALL GOOD!!!  

I've been using cultured unsalted organic butter and still get the grit, but I don't mind it at all.

Today I melted 1 tsp of ghee in my cup of black cocoa.  It added a nice smoothness to what can be a rather stiff drink.

Maybe Lola and I are the only people who drink this, but it's a good way to get the benefits of chocolate without any sugar or unhealthy fats.
1 Tb. plain cocoa, dissolved in a little hot water, then fill the cup with hot water.
Optional, add 1 tsp (or more) of ghee!

that would be a -cocoa butyrate-!!!

will report as soon as I try that!   great tip and a means to add the ghee and make the cocoa creamy!

Yeah!  Let me know if you like it, Lola!  

The Softies can add sweetener, and I'll bet it would be a great hot cocoa for those who don't want any kind of milk or even milk substitute.  I treat it more like a cup of straight green tea than a milky beverage.

Sounds fascinating. Will add honey. and dried lavender flowers, I'll try that. I love lavender chocolate.

Sounds amazing, Yael!

My only problem with homemade ghee is that I could put it in a extra large latte cup and drink the whole thing!  Therefore I make very small batches everyday (in the micro) so I only drink an expresso cup full.  

a real treat thanks Victoria!

Quoted from Victoria

Today I melted 1 tsp of ghee in my cup of black cocoa.

Isn't there caffeine in cocoa?  

Quoted from yael_p

Sounds fascinating. Will add honey. and lavender dried flowers, I'll try that. I love lavender chocolate.

I've just had it, it's wonderful. A genious idea, to add ghee to hot chocolate. Magic. Reminds me of the film 'Chocolat' with Juliette Binoche.

Quoted from pkarmeier

Isn't there caffeine in cocoa?  

According to NutritionData.com 1 tbsp / 5g of cocoa powder has:
Caffeine       12.1mg
Theobromine      108mg

Quoted from Wikipedia, Theobromine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobromine

Theobromine is a bitter alkaloid of the methylxanthine family, which also includes the similar compounds theophylline and caffeine.

Quoted from MyraBee

My only problem with homemade ghee is that I could put it in a extra large latte cup and drink the whole thing!  Therefore I make very small batches everyday (in the micro) so I only drink an expresso cup full.  

I wouldn't cook anything, but especially fat, in a microwave!

Quoted from ironwood55

According to NutritionData.com 1 tbsp / 5g of cocoa powder has:
Caffeine       12.1mg
Theobromine      108mg

well, I guess that's much better than all the caffeine that's in coffee.  Just wondered because of Victoria's adrenal issue.

Thank you for asking, Pat.  I am not caffeine free, although I am caffeine "light".  

I normally have a couple of big cups of lightly brewed green tea every day.  When I occasionally have a cup of black cocoa, I'll skip one of my cups of green tea.

I would be careful about the use cocoa or chocolate if I were concerned about my adrenal glands because of the stimulating effect of theobromine and the caffeine.

I don't use any.

I was told to stay away from caffeine, but I do drink green tea. Sometimes decaf g/t.

Two wise ones have spoken to me, and so I must pause and take heed.

Ok, That makes sense to view chocolate as questionable at this time for me.  There's always the future, and now that I know about the Ghee in hot chocolate, it's just as well that I don't even let myself be tempted until my adrenals are stable.

 Thanks Pat and Don!  

Quoted from ABJoe

I wouldn't cook anything, but especially fat, in a microwave!

Could you explain further??  I know folks around here are anti-microwave--me, too--but for right now with my somewhat limited mobility it often makes the difference between compliant and non-compliant.

Quoted from MyraBee

with my somewhat limited mobility it often makes the difference between compliant and non-compliant.

Myra, if you are somewhat limited in mobility, I would like to gently urge you to make your ghee in the oven. At least 2 sticks at a time (to make it 'worth' heating your oven up). Set it to 350 and leave it for at least 30 min. Check it thereafter every 5. This way you don't have to stand and the ghee will be much better for you than in the m/w. IMHO.