How to make ghee:
Place 1 pound unsalted butter in a one-quart heavy-bottom saucepan over low heat. Allow to melt completely. When the butter starts to release its water content, lower heat to the lowest simmer and cook slowly for about 15 to 45 minutes. Cooking time depends on individual stoves. And different brands of butter take different lengths of time. Longer cooking at lower heat produces a good flavor.
At first, there will be a lot of white foam on the surface, and the ghee will be noisy. The foam is the milk separating out from the butter oil. Gradually, the water will evaporate, the milk solids will drop to the bottom of the pot, the foam will begin to thin, the cooking sounds will become quiet and the sediment in the pan will begin to darken. At this point, it can burn quickly so keep tilting the pan to check the color of the sediment.
The ghee is done when the ghee becomes quiet, the aroma will be somewhat like popcorn and the milk solids at the bottom of the pan have turned light golden brown, like beer or honey. If the sediment turns dark brown, the ghee has cooked too long, but is still usable.
Remove pan from heat, let cool for a few minutes, then pour it through a fine stainless steel mesh strainer into a clean glass jar or bowl and discard the sediment. Leave the lid off until the ghee has cooled. This helps to prevent condensation.
Ghee can be stored at room temperature if kept very clean and dry. If water or food gets into the ghee, it can mold, otherwise it has a long shelf-life. |