How to Make Clarified Butter

How to Make Clarified Butter

How to Make Clarified Butter

Just the term clarified butter makes this stuff seem a little bit intimidating, and it shouldn’t be. Clarified butter is simply butter which has been melted so that the milk solids can be removed. The liquid which is left – the clarified butter, can be used in a number of recipes. It’s used quite often in Indian cuisine, and it’s also the base of several French sauces, including Hollandaise Sauce and Bearnaise Sauce.

Making clarified butter is so easy. The key is to start with real butter – you can’t use margarine for this. Melt the butter – either use the microwave in short bursts or use very low heat on the stove top. Whichever way you use, make sure the butter doesn’t get too hot. You don’t want to cook the milk solids in the butter, simply let them separate. Once melted, let the melted butter sit undisturbed for just a few minutes. You’ll be able to see the solids that end up separating out – they’ll fall to the bottom of the container. All you have to do at that point is pour off the liquefied butter from the top – work slowly so you don’t end up with the solids right back in the liquid. That’s all there is to it – it’s ready to use!

Clarified butter will become semi solid at room

temperature – if that happens and you need it for a sauce emulsion, simply warm it for a few seconds. To saute with it, just add it to a hot pan as you would any other oil. Try it – you’ll find yourself looking for excuses to use it all the time!