Name: How To: Make Ghee
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2+ cups unsalted - butter -> grass-fed, if possible

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Ghee is a magnificent transformation of butter. This ghee recipe walks you through the steps required to make it, as well as the benefits of ghee and when to use it.

There's something about the word ghee.

It always makes me think of my daughter and back to the days where there were actually words she couldn't pronounce. When she'd make me read books aloud to her until I thought my mouth would fall off, and she'd know them word for word.

It brings me back to reading Whacky Wednesday. Back to a little smarty-pants with tons of dark hair and squeaky voice flipping pages, getting to the 4th page, and proudly saying "I looked out the window and I said GHEE!"

Ghee should really remind me of the divine, nutty smell, the silky texture, the heavenly mouthfeel. All of it.

Instead, I think of Dr Suess. HA!

Motherhood has ruined me - but, like, in a good way.

This ghee recipe is dedicated to transforming basic ingredients and intoxicating smells.

A mason jar filled with creamy yellow ghee.

What is Ghee?

Ghee is simply butter that has been processed to remove the milk solids. I prefer to make it with unsalted butter, but it's possible to be made with salted butter, too.

Making ghee is simply taking browned butter one step further. You heat high-quality butter until the milk solids turn brown and the whole kitchen smells like buttery, nutty heaven.

Ghee Vs Butter

Why use ghee instead of butter? There's a whole list of reasons, really. Here's some, in no particular order.

Because we are heating the milk solids until they brown and are separate them out, ghee becomes very, very low in casein. By removing this protein, most people with an intolerance to casein can enjoy butter!
- PS. Since we removed the milk solids, we can also classify this as a Paleo/Primal/Whole 30 treat!! Score!
Ghee has a higher smoke point than butter, coconut oil, and olive oil! In fact, it's got such a high smoke point it's in the same category as some unhealthy oil options. Use ghee and kick the GMO corn, soy, canola etc oils to the curb!
Ghee is rich in vitamin A, D, E, and K.
- Vitamin A is integral in cell integrity and differentiation, and has strong anti-oxidant functions to help protect our bodies from stress!
- Vitamin D works in conjunction with vitamin A and is especially important in the regulation of calcium metabolism and normal calcification within the body!
- The anti-oxidant effects of vitamin E help reduce the oxidation of lipid membranes and prevent the breakdown of nutrients by oxygen.
- Meanwhile, vitamin K is vital to our health by supporting healthy blood clotting and coagulation.
It can help you lose weight?! Yeah, true. Healthy fats are part of a balanced diet and a balanced diet can help you lose weight.
Did I mention it tastes and smells AMAAAAZING!
You can use it nearly any time you'd use oil.

Straining fresh ghee through cheesecloth. — Gotta get every drop of that golden goodness!!!

When Do You Use Ghee?

Use in place of oil when frying and sauteeing
Toss steamed veggies with ghee, salt and pepper
Use as the oil for roasting veggies
Swap ghee for oils in baking
Spread ghee on homemade bread and baked goods instead of butter
Mix ghee with spices for a flavoured spread

Ghee is incredibly versatile, and I have a feeling that once you go ghee, you will have a hard time using butter. We've always got a jar full of ghee on the counter!

Overhead view of two glass jars filled with ghee.

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How do I get it?!

Well, you can buy it! Amazon stocks it.

Here's the link: Viva Naturals Ghee

Or, if you've been spending too much time with me, you can make it!

Squeezing the ghee through a cheesecloth. — Gotta get every drop of that golden goodness!!!

HOW TO MAKE GHEE AT HOME:

There are 5 basic steps to this ghee recipe. None of them are particularly hard, but they do need some attention - particularly when cooking the butter. It can burn.

Chop the butter
Add butter to a pot
Heat butter until it melts and foams twice
Cool slightly
Strain out the milk solids

📖 Printable Recipe

2 cups

How To: Make Ghee

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 18 minutes

Ingredients

2+ cups unsalted - butter -> grass-fed, if possible

Instructions

Coarsley chop the butter into chunks and place into a large, heavy bottomed pot or the pot of your pressure cooker.
Heat butter over medium heat, or saute setting for your pressure cooker, stirring regularly until you notice a thick white foam and a slight simmer, at this point, reduce temperature to medium low.
Continue stirring regularly while the butter simmers - taking notice of the colour change and change in foam. The foam will disappear, and come back. Once it returns, it's time to strain!
Allow the ghee to cool for a few minutes, meanwhile, line a mesh strainer with cheesecloth and prepare your containers. I use mason jars.
Carefully pour hot liquid gold through the strainer, into your container of choice!
Allow to cool at room temperature until fully cool before covering.

Notes

2 cups of butter will make just about 2 cups of ghee

Ghee can be store on the counter in a sealed container for 3 months, and much longer in the fridge! I usually make a 4 cup batch and keep one jar on the counter and one in the fridge till the first one is done!