Making Clarified Butter Isn’t as Complicated as It Sounds

It’s safe to assume that you’ve come across a recipe that called for clarified butter, or ghee, and wondered how to make it at home. Maybe you’ve even spotted it around the dairy section of your local grocery store, but weren’t entirely sure how to make clarified butter or what the difference between butter and clarified butter was. Clarified butter is simply butter that has been boiled down to remove milk proteins and water. This process yields butter with a high-smoke point, making it less likely to burn or spoil like regular butter. Because clarified butter can withstand temperatures up to 450°F, it’s ideal for cooking methods like sautéing and roasting. Consider it pure liquid gold. Commonly used as a dip for seafood or an additive to hollandaise sauce, you can also cook with clarified butter when frying eggs or breakfast potatoes. Sure, you can buy store-bought clarified butter, but why pay more money for something that's so simple to make at home? For homemade clarified butter, all you need is a pack of butter, a heavy-bottom saucepan, and a spoon.