Making Ghee: A Dairy-Free Method of Preserving Butter
I had never even considered making ghee until my husband started the GAPS diet. Why would I when we eat so much butter with no problems? But butter contains milk solids, which some find allergenic.
So I looked into it and found an easy method that Kimi shared a while back. After making it I am floored at how delicious this stuff is… and how orange, and therefore full of vitamins, it is when using grass-fed butter.
Ghee is nothing new, though. People in India have been making it for a very long time. In fact, turning butter into ghee is a great way to preserve this nutrient-dense food without refrigeration. By removing the milk solids you can store ghee at room temperature for several months, or some claim several years.
Finally, ghee has different properties than butter in terms of cooking. The smoking point of ghee is much higher since the milk solids are absent. So you can use it for high heat stir frying or roasting without the smoking troubles that butter will give you.
All of that to say… I think I’ll be making ghee more often.
Have you ever tried making ghee? If so, what method do you use?
I’ve always bought ghee, never even thought about making it!
I’m so excited to make this. I am also on the GAPS diet.
I would love to make ghee but the thought of throwing away perfectly good milk solids sends shivers down my spine!
So, can you use ghee instead of butter in baked goods?
My son and I are allergic to dairy and I make ghee all the time! I use Kimi’s method, that is where I first learned about it. 🙂 It’s so easy.
I don’t have a cheesecloth, so I just use a paper towel and it works great.
I’ve been making ghee for a couple of months with success! Some recipes call for medium-high heat for a sort period of time, but I find that a long, low heat keeps things from burning. @ Stacey – I also don’t have cheesecloth but find a strainer and coffee filter do the trick. The key is definitely in which butter you use. Most recently I tried Kerrygold Salted Irish Butter (http://www.kerrygold.com/usa/product_butter.php). The final product was not salty because the salt gathered at the bottom with the milk proteins. Ghee is my new go-to fat for grilling vegetables!
I’m confused. Why do you say a “dairy-free” method? Ghee is still a dairy product, and although some dairy-intolerant people (maybe even many) can eat it, others can not.
Lynn – It is my understanding that many with dairy allergies/sensitivities are able to eat ghee since the milk portion is removed.
I ladle out the clear ghee with a soup ladle. A bit is left behind with the milk solids but this can be blended up and used as a spread so there is no waste although you need to use it within a couple of days. Making your own ghee is half the cost of buying it.
i’ve never thought about making ghee but now maybe i will. i also love the flavor of ghee better than butter.
haven’t but you are an inspiration to try….
@Peggy, you needn’t throw away the milk solids after straining. In India they’re used in sweets. Put them on steamed vegetables, give to the dogs, or save and put in something for extra flavor.
@Kim, yes, you can used ghee for baking. You can use it on toast if you like. It’s my #1 cooking fat. #2 is lard.
Ghee is wonderful! My personal favorite way to do it is to mix it with coconut oil, as explained by Mark Sisson here: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/coconut-oil-and-ghee/
Mark liked the idea when I mentioned it in a comment on one of his blogposts and he kindly cited me. Try it! He has helpful step-by-step photos as well. I answer many reader questions in the comments.
When my family first moved to the United Arab Emirates, I couldn’t find vegetable shortening anywhere (I know, yuk, but I used to use it for making frosting! double yuk). Anyway, there is a large Indian population over here and the shelves are full of GHEE! It took me a while to build up the courage to try it (I hadn’t heard of it before) and now I rather like it. I would make my own, but it’s actually cheaper to buy the ghee over here than it is to make your own 🙂 Perhaps when we move back home I’ll give it a try.
I made ghee yesterday for the first time and was surprised at how little milk solids is actually in a pound on butter. Just a couple of tablespoons. So give it a go!
“Making Ghee: A Dairy-Free Method of Preserving Butter
| Nourishing Days” was a superb blog post. If solely there were
alot more websites such as this specific one in the web.
Anyways, thank you for your time, Mose