When I first started on this healthy journey and removed dairy, I purchased a jar of ghee. Ghee is another word for clarified butter. This is butter with the “milk proteins” like casein and whey removed (as well it’s lactose free).  If you have an anaphylactic allergy to dairy DO NOT EAT THIS, as most of the proteins are removed, but it’s almost impossible to get every molecule.

I justified the cost of pre-made ghee by telling myself it would last a really long time. I blew through that expensive jar in no time.  I was worried.  This new life was going to be really expensive, just with the ghee, let alone the higher quality meats and veggies.  There had to be a better way! How do they make ghee anyway? In short, you boil, skim and strain butter.  That’s it, there is no magic involved. What you’re left with is pure fat. Fat is your friend, fat is how your body makes hormones and fat can fuel your body with energy. Umm and fat is delicious!

I make big batches at a time, and keep the extra in the fridge (even though ghee is shelf stable, meaning it doesn’t need to be refrigerated).  I keep one jar on the counter next to the sea salt and the pepper.

Fun fact, ghee has a very high smoke point if 450 degrees. This means that you can heat the oil to 450 degrees before it gets rancid and full of free radicals.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 lbs unsalted butter (preferably grass fed, organic)

Equipment:

• sauce pan
• nut milk bag or cheese cloth
• skimming spoon (literally any spoon will do)
• bowl to put scum you’ve skimmed
• jars to store

Cut the butter into smaller pieces to help it melt faster.  If you skip this step, it’s no big deal; it will just take longer to melt.  Place butter in your sauce pan over medium heat.

Once the butter is melted gently simmer.  As this is simmering you are going skim the lighter foamy stuff off the top.  These are impurities.  Skim and discard until most of the foam is gone for about 5 minutes.  Continue to simmer for another 10 minutes and you will see bits starting to form and brown on the bottom of the pan. You don’t want to disturb this, as you don’t want it in your ghee.

Strain your ghee by gently pouring this through the nut bag.  If you don’t have a nut milk bag, use cheese cloth.  I’ve even seen a coffee filter used.  Put your strained ghee in small mason jars and enjoy.

Another fun fact: I sometimes get distracted in the kitchen.  I made ghee once and kind of accidentally forgot about it.…  Not for very long but it was defiantly a lot darker than my usual ghee.  I strained it anyway, because there had to be a use for this expensive product.  Sure enough it tasted amazing. It wasn’t burnt (thank goodness).  My husband thought I was a fool for not realizing it was “browned butter”.  You can use browned butter (over cooked ghee) for baking and it’s some next level stuff!  Kitchen victory!