Learn what Ghee is, how to use Ghee in your kitchen, and how to save money by making a large batch at home with our step-by-step tutorial!
WHAT IS GHEE?
Ghee, also called Clarified Butter, is butter that is simmered until the oil and milk solids separate, and the liquid fat has turned a golden color. It is then strained.
The quality, color, and taste of your finished Ghee is only as good as the butter you start with so I highly recommend investing in some good quality butter. And, YES, you can use salted butter to make Ghee. Some people even add a bit of spice while it is simmering (turmeric is common).
The milk solids (which are strained) contain the casein and whey protein, which for a lot of people, is what causes dairy sensitivities and digestion issues.
So, in short – Ghee is butter oil.
Ghee is an ancient food that originated in India and is commonly used in Indian, Middle Eastern, and Southeast Asian cuisines. In many cultures, it’s also used medicinally.
It’s also Whole30 compliant and has a tasty nutty flavor. Plus, a very high smoke point (450F) so it can be used for high-heat cooking without burning!
HOW TO MAKE GHEE
- Begin by cubing the butter. Add to a large pot set over medium-low heat.
- Once butter is completely melted and begins to bubble, very slightly lower the heat. You want a steady bubble but not so much that the butter is splattering out of the pot or spraying on the stove.
- Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until the milk protein has completely separated and there is both a layer on the top of the butter as well as some on the bottom of the pot.
- Begin carefully skimming the top layer off until the Ghee looks clean (except for bits on the bottom). Discard.
- Slightly raise the heat to medium-low and continue simmering for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until most of the bubbling stops and the milk protein bits on the bottom of the pot begin to brown. Do not let them burn! Immediately remove the Ghee from the stovetop and set somewhere to cool.
- Once cool, strain through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Discard the toasted bits from the bottom of the pan.
- That’s it. I included a lot of pictures because while it sounds simple, it took me a couple of tries to get it perfect and I thought for this one, more info was better. Enjoy!
TOOLS TO MAKE GHEE
- Soup pot, stockpot, or Dutch oven
- Skimmer
- Fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth for straining
- Mason jar or other glass jars with lids for storage
TIPS
- Traditionally, Ghee is made from unsalted butter. While I have made it from both salted and unsalted and do prefer unsalted, I have been making salted most recently because Costco has a great deal on grass-fed Kerrygold butter but only the salted. To me, the quality of the butter is more important than if it is salted or not. Bottom Line: Get the best quality butter you can – preferably local and pastured but at a minimum pastured and free of antibiotics and hormones.
- The Ghee in my main photos was still a bit warm so completely liquid. Ghee will stay semi-soft and slightly liquid at temperatures above 62F. It is liquid when warm and becomes more solid as it cools. As a general rule, I keep the jar of Ghee I am currently using in my pantry and cook with it from there. I store the remaining jars in the back of my refrigerator until ready to use.
- If this is your first time making Ghee, I recommend sticking with just 1 pound of butter as it is easier to manage. Once you get the hang of it, double or triple the recipe and then store the additional jars in the back of your fridge until ready to use.
- Use a pot large enough to prevent splatters. As the butter cooked, it bubbles and can splatter as you figure out the perfect temperature for your stove-top (electric and gas can vary). I use a wide-bottomed soup or stockpot or dutch oven.
RECIPES THAT USE GHEE
You can use Ghee in any recipe that calls for butter. If you want to use Ghee for baking, I recommend refrigerating it first so it becomes a solid.
Some recipe ideas that use Ghee are:
- Paleo Cauliflower Mash (Whole30 compliant)
- Strawberry Scones (use Ghee in place of Butter)
- Paleo Chicken Pot Pie (use refrigerated Ghee to make pot pie crust)
- Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole (use Ghee to add butter flavor to casserole)
- Crispy Home Fries (saute potatoes in Ghee instead of avocado oil)
- Paleo Salmon Cakes (use Ghee to add flavor to salmon cakes as you pan fry them)
This is just the beginning as far as recipe ideas go – Ghee works in recipes for all seasons, so learning how to make ghee at home will be a powerful tool in your cooking arsenal. I can’t wait to hear how it turns out for you – be sure to come back and let me know!
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
Learn what Ghee is, how to use Ghee in your kitchen, and how to save money by making a large batch at home with our step-by-step tutorial!
- 1 pound pastured butter cut into evenly sized pieces
-
Heat a wide-bottomed pot with high sides (for splashing/bubbling) over medium-low heat. Once hot, add cubed butter.
-
Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir the butter and speed along the melting process.
-
Once butter is completely melted and begins to bubble, very slightly lower the light. You want a steady bubble but not so much that butter is jumping out of the pan or spraying on the stove top.
Cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until the milk protein has completely separated and there is a layer on the top and bits on the bottom of the pan.
-
Begin carefully skimming the top layer off until Ghee looks clean (except for bits on the very bottom) and discard.
-
Slightly raise the heat back up to medium low and continue cooking another 5 to 10 minutes until most of the bubbling stops and the milk protein bits on the bottom of the pan begin to brown.
Do not let them burn! Immediately remove the Ghee from the stove top and set somewhere to cool.
-
Once cool, strain through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Discard the toasted bits from the bottom of the pan.
Store Ghee at room temperature in a glass container or mason jar and use as needed.
- Traditionally, Ghee is made from unsalted butter. While I have made it from both salted and unsalted and do prefer unsalted, I have been making salted most recently because Costco has a great deal on grass-fed Kerrygold butter but only the salted. To me, the quality of the butter is more important than if it is salted or not. Bottom Line: Get the best quality butter you can - preferably local and pastured but at a minimum pastured and free of antibiotics and hormones.
- The Ghee in my main photos was still a bit warm so completely liquid. Ghee will stay semi-soft and slightly liquid at temperatures above 62F. It is liquid when warm and becomes more solid as it cools. As a general rule, I keep the jar of Ghee I am currently using in my pantry and cook with it from there. I store the remaining jars in the back of my refrigerator until ready to use.
- If this is your first time making Ghee, I recommend sticking with just 1 pound of butter as it is easier to manage. Once you get the hang of it, double or triple the recipe and then store the additional jars in the back of your fridge until ready to use.
- Use a pot large enough to prevent splatters. As the butter cooked, it bubbles and can splatter as you figure out the perfect temperature for your stove-top (electric and gas can vary). I use a wide-bottomed soup or stockpot or dutch oven.
Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.
UPDATE NOTES: Please note that this recipe was originally published in April 2014. It was updated in December 2019 with additional text, edited photos, and more recipe ideas.
Karen says
Washed Ghee face cream is amazing and worth the effort. Also washed ghee full body massage before a bath would be amazing for the skin and any stretch marks.
I am using ghee in an Ayurvedic detox it gently pulls out toxins from your fat cells. It resets your fat burning metabolism ?
THANKYOU MAVEN FOR THE WONDERFUL INSTRUCTIONS and PHOTOS.
EverydayMaven says
Karen, do you have a recipe for making the “washing ghee creams”. Glad you are finding my tutorial helpful! 🙂
lei says
Oh yes, I would love to try the creams as well.
Susan says
What’s left in the strainer is good for your skin. An Ayurvedic practitioner told me to save the solids and use them as a moisturizer. I use it at night and my rosacea and sebhorreic dermatitis are much better. It’s too soon to tell, but I think it is also improving the blotchiness from sun damage. I will be using the warmed ghee as eye drops for my severely dry eyes. My first batch came out grainy, but the second one is just as clear as it can be. I love cooking with it.
EverydayMaven says
That is really interesting Susan! I am going to save my next batch and use on my skin!!
Byrne says
thanks so much for step by step recipe for making ghee
made it the other day on other cooker and it was golden
today it is dark brown and smells like toffee – has it cooked for too long?
the gas cooker does not go very low and it was kept on for 30 mins
should it be kept on for less.
thanks again and would love and answer.
is organic butter best to use?
blessings to you
EverydayMaven says
Hi Byrne,
I always use pastured butter (grass fed cows) like Kerrygold or another similar brand. Toffee tasting and dark brown is a little more well done than Ghee should be – sounds more like “brown butter” but if it doesn’t taste burnt, it’s OK to use.
Byrne says
thanks so much for your comment – much appreciated.
We have just come back from Kerry and we saw the cows grazing in the fields and looking fresh and healthy.
You do a great job with the information.
blessings
EverydayMaven says
Thanks Byrne! 🙂
Michael Colman says
It works,not so hard to cook ,just don`t burn.Also ,I always mix an ounce or two of coconut oil,great for pan cooking…
EverydayMaven says
Glad it worked for you Michael!
Hoai says
Hi,
I used Kerry gold as well, unsalted, and after 24 hours my ghee doesn’t look solid. There’s a layer of thin oil liquid on top and thicker solids on the bottom. Any idea what I did wrong? It’s about high 70s, low 80s in my place in terms of temperature.
Thanks!
Adrienne says
My ghee doesn’t go solid unless it’s low 70’s in my house. 75 and up it turns to liquid. But I use it the way it is regardless. Most recipes want liquid anyway 🙂 If you need some solid, throw it in the fridge for a bit.
Hoai says
thanks for the info! I used raw butter recently, which you can’t find everywhere, and my ghee stays solidified at very warm temps, even at 85. Very interesting!
VJ says
I just have to thank you for this great how-to.
I have traveled trough all the seas of the web to finally find this one. It most definitely IS the best ghee tutorial I have found so far and that DOES mean a lot (me being paid to do online researches among other things). It is elaborate enough to guid one through the process safely AND well-arranged to remain followable.
THANKS!
Btw. I’m using your method for more than a year every 2 months and always succesfully!
VJ says
Forgot to rate the recipe!
Roberta says
First time making ghee. After straining, my product is medium brown. Is that bad? Does it mean I burned my milk protein bits? I burn toast too.
EverydayMaven says
Does it smell burnt Roberta?
Diana says
Step 4 says very slightly lower the light. Is that why everyone is burning their ghee?
tressa says
thank you for the ghee tutorial, I will use the information for an up and coming talk for moms and babies – great info!
EverydayMaven says
You’re welcome Tressa and good luck with your talk!
Flavia Mussio says
Followed the recipe to a T, and it worked perfectly! Thanks so much! Goodbye store-bought ghee?
EverydayMaven says
Wonderful Flavia! You will save a lot of $ making it yourself.
A.S. says
Best ghee tutorial I’ve found. 4th attempt and finally got it right. Thank you!
EverydayMaven says
Great!! Thanks for taking the time to let me know 🙂
Jenn says
I just made my first pound of ghee using instructions from your site and others (there are quite a few different methods out there for making this – ghee whiz! 😉 I used the best butter I could find locally (cultured, unsalted…that’s about it) and used a slightly lower temp I think than most recipes recommend as it took quite a bit longer to get the oil to separate and the solids to brown. I’m pretty happy, it seems to have turned out beautifully! Slightly nutty/toffee flavour which I have a hard time keeping my digits out of while it’s cooling. I did this as an experiment to see if I like ghee since the container I bought at the grocery just tasted “off” to me…and now, after tasting the home made, I really think the store bought is rancid or “sour”. So happy, as I was worried I just didn’t like ghee. For those with “grainy” issues, I suggest you really check the filtering – I used a fine screen filter, then did it again with the filter AND two layers of cheesecloth, before finally digging out my gold mesh coffee filter to strain out those absolutely miniscule particles! But worth it, the end result is amazing. Thanks for all your hard work, I love your site and recipes!
EverydayMaven says
Great tips Jenn – thanks for taking the time to comment and let me know!