Clarified butter is basically the butterfat fat that is rendered when butter is heated and the milk fats and water separate from the butterfat. Due to this separation, the life of clarified butter is much longer than that of regular butter. Clarified butter is used in recipes that require higher heat because the smoke point is higher, thus it does not burn as easily. Clarified butter is often used with seafood and is called drawn butter.

Sometimes clarified butter is called ghee, though the actual process between the two is different. The difference between the two is the ghee takes clarified butter one step further. After the butter is clarified through heated separation, the clarified butter is browned, which produces a nutty taste, and a thicker consistency.

Clarified butter or ghee can often be found in your grocery market, hidden in the international market section or possibly in the natural food section.

What is this deliciousness good for? Clarified butter is great for sautéing, in recipes where you seriously want to be slapped with some buttery goodness. Clarified butter is also delicious on pasta, and great for frying. Due to the high smoke point clarified butter is useful when making pan sauces and roux. Clarified butter will also be your secret weapon to making crazy good popcorn, because it doesn’t have as much water, your popcorn won’t get soggy!

What is deliciousness good for? Clarified butter is great for sautéing, in recipes where you seriously want to be slapped with some buttery goodness. Clarified butter is also delicious on pasta, and great for frying. Due to the high smoke point clarified butter is useful when making pan sauces and roux. Clarified butter will also be your secret weapon to making crazy good popcorn, because it doesn’t have as much water, your popcorn won’t get soggy!

Making your own clarified butter is easy.

Place butter in a heavy sauce pan and melt it slowly over a low heat. After butter is melted, remove from the heat and let it sit, untouched for five minutes.

The heated mixture will have foam on top, skim the foam. Do this carefully and do not stir. At this point, there will be milky solids in the bottom of the pan, it is important not to mix the milky solids with the clarified butter, which is the middle layer in your pan. Pour the clarified butter into a sealable container that can be refrigerated. Once refrigerated the fats may separate again, remove any milk solids again for the purest version of clarified butter.

This can last up to two years and possibly longer, because what is left is pure fats (natural fats too by the way), fats will go rancid, but the process is very slow. This process is also good for lactose intolerance as the dairy has been removed.

A microwave version of clarified butter is also useful, particularly if only a small amount is needed, like for some buttery popcorn.

Simply add a stick of butter to microwave safe container and zap it for ninety seconds on 70% power. The milk solids separate beautifully and are easily removed with a spoon. Pour off the clarified butter and dispose of the milky solids. Keep in an airtight container.