Converting butter into ghee is the first phase of making ghee.

 Butter gets boiled, and the impurities and milk solids get removed in this process. But what makes ghee dairy-free when it is made of dairy?

Converting butter into ghee is the simple way of ghee-making explained.  It is a slow cooking method but vital to ghee production.  However, besides following the butter boiling method, it is also important to source raw ingredients: milk butter or milk cream. Purer is the ingredient, ghee quality will match the standard.

The difference between ghee and butter

Converting butter into ghee is a slow cooking process. Ghee and butter are both dairy-derived fats, but they reserve distinct differences in terms of composition, flavor, cooking properties, and culinary uses:

Composition:

• Butter: Butter is made from cream, which contains water, milk solids, and milk fat. It typically consists of around 80-82% milk fat.
• Ghee: Ghee is cooked by heating butter to remove water and milk solids. Ghee is almost pure butterfat, containing about 99-100% milk fat.

Flavor and Aroma:

• Butter: Butter offers a rich, creamy, and slightly sweet flavor. It has a characteristic buttery aroma.
• Ghee: Ghee has a rich, nutty, and buttery flavor. It often has a more intense and complex aroma than regular butter due to the caramelization of milk solids during the clarification process.

Smoke Point:

• Butter: The smoke point of butter is relatively low, typically around 350°F (177°C). It can start to burn and develop a bitter taste at high temperatures.
• Ghee: Ghee has a high smoke point, typically around 450°F (232°C) or higher. It can withstand higher cooking temperatures without smoking or burning, making it suitable for frying and sautéing.

Lactose and Casein:

• Butter: Butter contains small amounts of lactose and casein (milk proteins). This makes it unsuitable for people with lactose intolerance or milk protein allergies.
• Ghee: Ghee is nearly lactose-free and contains negligible amounts of casein. It is often well-tolerated by individuals with lactose or dairy sensitivities.

Shelf Life:

• Butter: Butter reserves a shorter shelf life and can go rancid relatively quickly if not refrigerated.
• Ghee: Ghee has a longer shelf life than butter due to removing water and milk solids. It can be stored at room temperature for extended periods without spoiling.

Culinary Uses:

• Butter: Butter is commonly used in baking, sautéing, and as a spread. It adds a creamy richness to dishes.
• Ghee: Ghee is frequently used in Indian, Middle Eastern, and Southeast Asian cuisines. It is prized for its high smoke point and unique flavor, making it ideal for frying, roasting, and making sauces like curry.

Ultimately, the choice between ghee and butter depends on the specific culinary application, dietary restrictions, and personal flavor preferences. Converting butter into ghee is an advancement in making refined dairy. 

Converting butter into ghee: The steps you must follow

Ghee-making is intricate; you must use the step-by-step method to get the best quality products.

• Always use the finest quality butter. Grass-fed butter is the best butter for making grass-fed quality ghee.
• Allow the butter to boil under slow heat: converting butter into ghee is a slow cooking process.  
• The process will produce foam when the butter is boiling. Remove the foam.
• The milk solids will start depositing down. These impurities will be deposited at the bottom of the ghee. They are called ghee residues.
• Switch off the flame once the butterfat is separated in the ghee-making pot.
• Use a ghee strainer and separate the ghee residues from the butterfat.
• The butterfat is the clarified butter. Now, the process of converting butter into ghee is done.  Now, you can store the ghee in an airtight container.

Converting butter into ghee: which is a better butter?

Ghee making process involves the norms of converting butter into ghee. The process is called the clarification process.  Now, we may wonder about the utility of ghee making from butter. Is ghee a better butter? Let’s compare ghee vs. butter.

• Ghee is lactose and casein-free dairy, but butter contains the trace of lactose and casein. Ghee is safe for dairy-allergic people, whereas butter is not free from the risk of a dairy allergy.
• Ghee is more versatile than butter because ghee goes well with almost all recipes. Butter has obvious limitations.
• Regarding oil safety, ghee offers a higher smoke point than butter. For high-heat cooking methods, ghee is better butter.
• Ghee is more shelf-stable than butter. You can store ghee at room temperature without freezing support, but you can’t store butter without freezing support.

Converting butter into ghee: some dos and don’ts

Here are six dos and don’ts for converting butter into ghee:

Dos:

1. Start with Unsalted Butter: It’s best to use unsalted butter when making ghee from butter. It is a guaranteed process for making ghee with a neutral taste.
2. Use Low Heat: Start with low to medium-low heat when melting the butter. Slow and gentle heating helps separate the water and milk solids from the fat without burning them.
3. Skim the Foam: A white foam will form on the surface as the butter melts. Skim off this foam regularly to remove the water content and milk solids. This step is crucial for clarifying the butter.
4. Simmer Until Clear: Continue simmering the butter until it becomes clear and the bubbling sound diminishes. The milk solids will be deposited to the bottom, and the liquid on top will be golden and transparent.
5. Strain Thoroughly: After simmering, strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove any remaining milk solids. This ensures your ghee is pure and free from impurities.
6. Store Properly: Store the ghee in a clean, dry, and airtight container at room temperature. Ghee has a long shelf life due to its low moisture content and doesn’t require refrigeration.

Don’ts for converting butter into ghee

1. Don’t Use High Heat Initially: Avoid using high heat at the beginning of the process, as this can cause the butter to splatter and increase the risk of burning.
2. Don’t Skip Skimming: Neglecting to skim the foam can produce less pure ghee with a stronger dairy flavor and a shorter shelf life.
3. Don’t Stir Too Much: Refrain from stirring the butter too frequently during the clarifying process. Gentle simmering and occasional skimming are sufficient.
4. Don’t Leave Unattended: While making ghee, it’s essential to stay attentive and not leave the stove unattended. Butter can go from clarified to burnt relatively quickly.
5. Don’t Use Salted Butter: Avoid using salted butter for making ghee, as the salt can interfere with the clarification process and affect the final product’s flavor.
6. Don’t Seal While Hot: Do not seal the ghee container while it’s hot. Allow it to cool to room temperature first to prevent condensation inside the container, which can introduce moisture and reduce shelf life.

Following these dos and don’ts when converting butter into ghee will help you produce a high-quality, flavorful, and shelf-stable cooking fat for your culinary needs.

Summing up:

Converting butter into ghee is not a culinary style only; it is the process of upgrading butter for use with better benefits. However, making ghee at home may not seem to be an easy-to-do idea for you. In that situation, you may use grass-fed quality ghee readymade from a reliable brand like Milkio.

About Milkio Grass-fed ghee:

Try Milkio grass-fed ghee, prepared in New Zealand from local and imported ingredients. Milkio grass-fed ghee is all-natural and does not contain artificial color, flavor, or chemical preservatives.

Milkio grass-fed ghee products are verified as non-GMO. Milkio Foods, the leading grass-fed ghee manufacturer and exporter, produces them. The ghee is all-natural and offers an intensely nutty, feel-good aroma, rich, creamy texture, and additive-free quality, making it a superfood for the kitchen.

Milkio Ghee is a gluten, lactose, casein, carb, sugar, and chemical-free product safe for consuming lactose intolerants and casein sensitives. It is keto and paleo diet-friendly.  Milkio ghee products do not contain artificial color, flavor, or preservatives.

Milkio ghee offers a high smoke point. It is shelf-stable dairy oil you can store in the kitchen at room temperature for up to 18 months from manufacturing. To buy Milkio ghee, you may order at the Milkio website. 

If You Wish to partner with us to Import/Buy/Distribute/Trade Our Milkio Ghee products, or for developing Private label ghee products, or contract ghee manufacturing support, Please Feel Free To Contact Us Via Our Email, We Will Be In Touch With You Within the next 48 Hrs.

Reference Links:

• Ghee
• Butter