This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission.

New to clarified butter, or not quite sure what it is? I’m here to convert you! Clarified butter is simple to make but infinitely useful in the kitchen. With just one ingredient to worry about, anyone can learn to make clarified butter at home. Why? Read on!! I will make you a believer!

With recipes like this, a bit of effort now can save a lot of time later, which is also true for Tuscan Kale Pesto!

Clarified butter is something I am quite passionate about. It’s actually a second-generation passion, as something I had passed down to me from my mother, who takes it very seriously.

But we may be on an island here. When I made clarified butter the other day I was so excited I shared a photo in my Instagram stories, where I polled my readers about how much they were familiar with it.

It turned out 80% of them didn’t know what I was going on about! That needs to change. Clarified butter is so simple, and so useful, that it should be in the arsenal of every home cook.

What is clarified butter aka ghee?

Alright, have you heard about ghee? If the answer is yes, then we are almost there. Clarified butter or as it is called in Russia ‘toplenoe maslo’ and ‘ghee’ are very similar.

They both go through a process where the butter is heated until the milk solids float to the top, which are then skimmed off.

What you get in the end is amber coloured butter with an almost caramelised scent and flavour. It will make your house smell amazing! Ghee is cooked a bit longer until the butter turns a slightly deeper colour and acquires a nutty taste.

Why Make It

Every oil or fat has a smoking point, which is the temperature at which it begins to break down and smoke. Clarifying butter significantly raises its smoking point, so you can fry in butter without it burning.

The process also removes dairy from butter, so those with dairy allergies can enjoy it.

Finally, it gives the butter the most delicious and unique taste, you will want to put it on everything!

Common uses

Frying for adding extra buttery flavour (try frying steak and thank me later)
Making sauces (especially hollandaise…hello Eggs Benedict on repeat)
Popping corn
Grilled cheese sandwich (okay I added this one because…YUM)

Recipe Tips and Notes

Make sure that the butter you choose has at least 80% fat content. Avoid low-fat or reduced-fat butter.
When making clarified butter you will skim off milk solids, but don’t throw them out. You can add them to soups, broths or scrambled eggs. They still carry that delicious butter flavour!

Storage

Clarifying butter prolongs its shelf life, so the butter won’t go rancid as it would if left untouched. And it does this without needing to be refrigerated if you don’t keep it too long.

Instead, store it in an airtight container and leave it in a cool dark place, where it will keep for up to 2 months. But if you plan to keep it in the fridge, it can last for 6 months, and sometimes longer, or in the freezer for up to a year.

If you do keep it in the fridge, you may notice that the butter solidifies. This is fine, and it will soften quickly when brought back to room temperature.

Recipes that can use clarified butter

5 from 1 vote

How to Make Clarified Butter

By Julia Frey of Vikalinka

Prep: 5

Cook: 1

Total: 1

Servings:

Save Pin Print

Method for making clarified butter, useful in making many recipes.

Equipment

This is an affiliate link.Dutch oven

Ingredients

▢ 1kg / 2lbs unsalted butter, no less than 80% fat content

Instructions

Put butter in a cast iron pot or any thick-walled pot and melt over the lowest heat possible. Once milk solid begin to float to the top skim them off. Continue the process until the butter is amber in colour and transparent, take off the heat. It takes about 45-50 minutes to clarify 2 lbs of butter. (Roughly 25 minutes per pound of butter.) You should be able to see the bottom of the pot.
Ladle the clarified butter into clean jars. Pour the butter through a cheesecloth for the last jar to filter out the sediment.

Notes

This recipe makes 750 ml/3 cups.
The butter needs to have at least 80% fat content. Low-fat or reduced-fat butter won’t work.
Hold onto the milk solids you skim off. They can be added to soups, broths or scrambled eggs. and will carry that delicious butter flavour!