Ghee

By Zainab Shah

Updated Oct. 12, 2023

Ghee
Bobbi Lin for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Maggie Ruggiero.
Total Time
25 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(58)
Comments
Read comments

Ghee, which is used extensively in South Asian cooking, is made by slowly browning butter, then straining its solids. This creates a higher smoke point, making ghee ideal for cooking methods that call for higher temperatures like frying, or browning meat. The flavor profile is rich and nutty; it has all of the best parts of butter, but concentrated. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a year. 

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Ingredients

Yield:1 to 1⅓ cups
  • 1pound unsalted butter, cubed
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

271 calories; 31 grams fat; 19 grams saturated fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 0 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 0 grams protein; 4 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the butter in a light-colored high-sided 10- to 12-inch skillet on medium heat until it has melted and is frothy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and skim the froth from the top using a ladle, large spoon or mesh skimmer.

  2. Step 2

    Continue cooking on low until the solids in the butter have sunk to the bottom of the pan and have browned, about 15 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Using a fine-mesh sieve or a double layer of fine cheesecloth set over a strainer, strain the ghee into a heat proof jar. To store, let cool to room temperature, about 1½ hours, then cover and refrigerate.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
58 user ratings
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Comments

Dan

I've been making ghee regularly for years and have never bothered to skim the foam. It sinks to the bottom with the solids and you'll strain it later. Foam-skimming is part of the fussy French technique for making clarified butter. Save the strainings and cracklings from the bottom of the pan to add to baked goods. The light-colored pan is so you can see the browning. I use a 2 quart stainless steel saucepan, 3 1/2 inches deep, to minimize splattering on the cooktop.

Marguerite

Or go to a store with Indian groceries and buy a jar, which you will find is not browned at all and shelf-stable. I use it for all sautéed recipes.

squeezit

Ghee is extremely simple to make in an Insta-Pot, especially in larger quantities. I frequently prepare batches from seven or eight pounds of high quality unsalted butter using the sauté setting. The butter can simmer largely unattended for around 45 minutes; once the milk solids have settled to the bottom and the ghee just begins to take on color I turn off the pot and the residual heat finishes the process. Simply ladle off the ghee and strain through cheesecloth. Unsalted butter only!

mike b

It doesn’t matter if you use salted or unsalted butter. You’ll end up with unsalted ghee.

Susana

What can you substitute for ghee when recipes call for it? Due to health issues.

Jeffrey

I made this yesterday and let it cool down then put in a jar and left it on the counter. It solidified overnight. I thought it would stay in liquid form. Did I do something wrong or were my expectations off? Thanks.

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