Ghee is a staple in every Indian household. Loaded with its health benefits, rich nutty flavor, nourishing and aromatic, ghee is a must-have in every Indian household.
Homemade ghee is economical and easy to make. Learn how to make ghee step by step in this post, with all the pro tips that will help you achieve the best quality ghee, better than any store-bought Also, includes how to store this golden liquid - Ghee and ways to incorporate it into your diet.
HOMEMADE GHEE
I grew up devouring this golden liquid - Ghee. Ghee is a must have in my home. Growing up, I remember my mom used to make ghee almost every Sunday.
She used to boil the milk first, then skim the cream, and store it in a container. This was like a everyday thing, first thing in the morning.
At the end of the week, she used to turn this cream into homemade butter. We used to devour this fresh, yummy homemade butter with some paratha or on a slice of a toast.
The next day, this butter was converted to Ghee, which was used throughout the week, in many different ways. From savory to sweet dishes, or even as a lip balm.
I learned to make perfect ghee from my mom. I make ghee at home, and it comes out perfect every single time!!
WHY MAKE GHEE AT HOME
Easy to make, tastes amazing and in its purest form.
It's economical, much cheaper than the store-bought one.
Lasts longer, and has a greater shelf life.
You can make small or in large quantities, depending upon your requirements.
HOW TO MAKE GHEE
Ghee is typically prepared by simmering butter and discarding any solid residues left after cooking. The clear liquid obtained from this process is called ghee or yellow gold.
Ghee has a mild nutty flavor, which adds lots of flavor to any dish it is added to.
Ghee is considered to be healthy fat. Due to its high-smoke point, and nutty flavor, ghee is ideal for cooking and can be used in place of butter.
Ghee does not need refrigeration. Because of very less water, content ghee stays fresh much longer than butter. In fact if ghee is kept in an air tight container, in a cool, light-proof, and dry place, ghee will stay fresh for long.
Pic Shown: Homemade ghee in liquid stage.
GHEE vs CLARIFIED BUTTER
Ghee and clarified butter are interchangeably used, however, ghee is not the same as clarified butter.
Though the process of making ghee and clarified butter is similar, both are simmered until milk solids are separated, but ghee is cooked slightly longer which gives it a nice nutty, roasted flavor.
BENEFITS OF GHEE
Ghee has lots of health benefits, due to its healing properties, ghee is used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic cooking. Some of the benefits worth mentioning are:
Ghee is rich in butyrate (butyric acid), a short-chain fatty acid, essential for the growth and repair of new tissues in the digestive tract.
The butyric acid in ghee helps reduce inflammation in the digestive tract and also helps decrease levels of unhealthy cholesterol.
Ghee is rich in Vitamin A, D, E , K2, and Omega-3s.
Ghee is easy to digest and is suitable for those who are lactose intolerant. (check with your physician)
Pic Shown Below: This is how ghee looks when it cools down and starts to solidify.
BEST BUTTER FOR MAKING HOMEMADE GHEE
You can use any good quality, organic or non-organic, unsalted butter, available to you. I have also made ghee using homemade butter, churning cream into fresh butter, and used it for making ghee. The ghee turned out to be amazing, aromatic, grainy, gritty texture, perfect!!
The important thing here is to understand that butter needs to be simmered for a longer period, to achieve the grainy, gritty texture of ghee.
Pic Shown: Ghee solidifies as it cools down
BUTTER I HAVE TRIED AND LOVE THE RESULTS
Homemade butter, made from heavy cream
Kirkland, unsalted organic or non-organic (Costco)
Wegmans unsalted organic or non-organic
Kerrygold butter, pure Irish (Costco, Wegmans)
Land O Lakes Butter, Unsalted (Wegmans, or any other grocery store)
Local butter rolls (Walmart, whole foods)
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE GHEE
Simple technique but many times we end up with an undesirable end product. Though the making of ghee is a very simple process, there are a few things one needs to keep in mind while making ghee.
Time is one of the most important factors, even a few extra minutes, or I must say seconds can change the texture and color of the ghee.
This simple process of making ghee sometimes becomes very complicated, when we miss those important clues while making ghee.
Today, I will share with you all some of the important steps or clues that I find very helpful while making ghee.
Ever since I started looking for these clues while making ghee, I have never missed on making perfect ghee always. These clues will help you in making perfect ghee, that has perfect grainy texture, aroma, and color always!!
Pic Shown: Homemade Ghee
THINGS TO REMEMBER BEFORE YOU START MAKING GHEE
In the making of ghee, it is important to pick the right kind of butter. My choice of butter has always been an unsalted one. If you can get organic, well and good, if not use any good quality unsalted butter.
Start with a clean and a dry pot, it's important, do not to use a wet pot to start making ghee.
Pic Shown Below: Once the ghee solidifies it turns lighter in color.
STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS OF MAKING GHEE
I used 4 lbs of unsalted butter to make ghee. This will yield around 48 oz of homemade ghee.
After the butter was completely melted it took me around 30 minutes to make ghee. I made this ghee in an Instant pot on saute mode, initially on high until the butter was completely melted, then I reduced the heat to medium.
You can reduce the quantity as per desired, but the process of making ghee still will remain the same. Depending upon the quantity of the butter the cooking time will vary.
RECIPE VIDEO - HOW TO MAKE GHEE
DIRECTIONS FOR INSTANT POT GHEE
Turn on Instant Pot to Sauté mode (more), add butter to the inner pot and let it melt.
Once the butter has melted completely, let the melted butter come to a rolling boil, you will notice a thick dense, whitish foam/froth build-up. At this point reduce the Instant Pot setting to sauté (normal).
Pic Shown: Left - whitish foam/froth build-up. Right - gradually the froth starts to dissipate.
After a few minutes of cooking, you will notice that the foam/froth has dissipated and the liquid is more clear and thinner. This is an indication of water content or moisture has almost evaporated from the butter. Wait we are not done making ghee yet.
After cooking for a few more minutes, milk solids start to build up. Milk solids are small whitish granules you will see floating in the liquid. Continue to cook, after cooking for a few minutes, the milk solids will start to settle at the bottom of the pot. Give a gentle stir in between the process.
Finally, you will see the liquid is almost clear, the milk solids have settled at the bottom of the pot and have changed color from white to light brown. Also, you will notice there are fine (thin), clear bubbles on top of the liquid. At, this time ghee is ready.
Pic Shown: Milk solids have settled at the bottom of the pot, and start to turn brown.
Turn off the sauté. After 5-10 minutes, it is OK to strain the ghee using a fine strainer or cheesecloth. Or you may choose to leave it in the inner pot to cool it further. If the ghee is left in the inner pot, it continues cooking from the liquid heat.
The milk solids turn dark brown, which will result in darker, nuttier, tasting ghee.
Pic Shown: Closeup - Homemade Ghee
After the ghee is at room temperature, transfer the ghee to a clean, dry, airtight container. Depending upon how long the ghee is cooked, it will differ in texture, aroma, taste, and color.
Please do check out the video, I have tried to include all the visible clues, that will be very helpful while making perfect ghee. Notice the change in sound, yes the sound changes as the butter is transformed into ghee?
Pic Shown Below: Homemade ghee, 4 pounds of butter yields, 48 ounces of ghee.
DIRECTIONS FOR STOVETOP GHEE
Follow the recipe as discussed earlier. Once the butter is completely melted, reduce the heat to medium and cook until milk solids start to turn brown. Since the entire process is done on sauté mode, follow the same steps as Instant Pot.
PRO TIPS FOR THE BEST HOMEMADE GHEE
For best homemade ghee use unsalted, good-quality butter.
Once the butter is melted, simmer the butter over low heat.
Once the clarified butter stage is reached, cook the butter longer, for the nutty, grainy, gritty texture to form ghee.
Once the milk solids settle at the bottom of the pot and start to change color from pale to golden, turn OFF the heat (Instant pot or stovetop).
The milk solids will turn brown with the residual heat. The longer it sits, the nuttier flavor it has.
Strain the ghee while still warm, as ghee starts to solidify once cool. I normally, strain after 10-15 minutes of turning OFF the heat.
You can use the brown milk solids to knead dough, and add in dals, and curries. As a kid, I remember I use to have it with some sugar, spread it over paratha, roll it and devour it!!
Store the ghee in a clean, air-tight glass jar, in a cool, dry, dark place.
Ghee does not require any refrigeration and has a long shelf life, up to six months.
Always, use a dry, clean spoon each time to remove ghee from the container.
Depending upon the temperature, you can see different forms of ghee, from solid, and semi-solid to the liquid stage. I live in cold temperatures, and during winter, ghee solidifies. During summers, or when temperatures are not so cold, ghee remains semi-solid or even turns into liquid.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
HOW TO STORE HOMEMADE GHEE
You can store homemade ghee in a clean, air-tight glass jar, in a cool, dry, dark place, away from any kind of light (even sunlight) or any heat source (direct or indirect).
HOW LONG DOES HOMEMADE GHEE STAY FRESH
Homemade ghee has a good shelf. Homemade ghee stays good for up to six months on a counter top or can be refrigerated for up to a year.
Store the ghee in a clean, air-tight glass jar, in a cool, dry, dark place.
Always, use a dry, clean spoon each time to remove ghee from the container.
DOES HOMEMADE GHEE GO BAD
Yes, just like any other food, ghee can also go bad. The main culprit is the moisture, moisture in any form can lead ghee to go bad.
For example, if a wet spoon is used to remove ghee from the jar, it will cause ghee to go bad.
If homemade ghee is stored in a loose-fitting jar (not air-tight), the moisture in the atmosphere can cause ghee to go bad.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF GHEE IS BAD
If the ghee has gone bad it will smell and taste sour, and rancid. It loses its grainy texture and beautiful golden color.
CAN I FLAVOR GHEE
Ghee is known for its aromatic, nutty flavor. Traditionally, ghee does not have any added flavorings. However, you can add flavoring of your choice, to infuse additional flavors to the ghee.
Some of the flavorings that can be used to add flavor to the ghee and my favorite are:
TURMERIC
VANILLA BEAN
CLOVES
CURRY LEAVES
CAN I USE SALTED BUTTER TO MAKE GHEE
Traditionally, ghee is made using unsalted butter, however, if you prefer, you can make ghee using salted butter. Follow the recipe as discussed earlier for making homemade ghee.
WHAT IS THE TEXTURE OF GHEE LIKE
A grainy, gritty texture makes perfect ghee. Ghee simmered over for a long time acquires this nice grainy texture.
Grainy texture ghee means ghee is cooked to perfection!!!
COLOR OF GHEE
Once the ghee solidifies, it turns lighter in color. Ghee can be found in white, golden, or brown color, depending upon the type of the butter and how long it has been cooked.
WHITE - If the butter used for making ghee is pale or white, it will yield white color ghee.
Secondly, if the ghee is under-cooked, the color of the ghee will be white. You can simmer it a little longer to get the right color of ghee. The lighter ghee will have a decreased shelf life, and will go bad soon.
It is important to cook the butter until milk solids sink to the bottom of the pot, and start to change color from pale to brown. At this stage, the ghee is perfectly cooked.
GOLDEN - If the butter used for making ghee is deep yellow, it will yield golden color ghee.
BROWN - Weather you use white or yellow butter to make ghee. If the color of the ghee is brown, don't worry. It is just fine. Ghee is cooked slightly longer resulting in a nuttier, toasted flavor.
HOW TO USE GHEE
Ghee has a very high smoke point, and is ideal to use for cooking. I use it in almost everything. From stir fry, sautéing, rice, khichdi, lentils, over roti's, parathas, in baking,...
Ghee can be used in your routine beauty care. Use it as a lip moisturizer, rub it over the nail cuticle, and for soft nails. Soothe irritating skin, any kind of skin rashes, and apply on dry scalp.
Pic Shown below: After the ghee comes to room temperature. It takes around 6-8 hours for ghee to completely solidify. The solidified ghee becomes lighter in color.
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Homemade Ghee - Instant Pot, Stove Top
Ingredients
- 4 lbs unsalted butter
Instructions
Instructions for Instant Pot Cooking:
- Turn on Instant Pot on Saute mode (more). Add butter, butter will start to melt. This will take around 8-10 minutes.
- Once when the butter is completely melted and it starts to boil vigorously. Switch to Saute mode (normal). Continue to cook the butter.
- After 5-7 minutes, you will notice some foam/froth developing. Continue cooking.
- After 5-6 minutes of cooking, the foam/froth will dissipate and you will see more clear butter. Continue cooking.
- After few more minutes of cooking, the milk solids (whitish granule) will start to build up. You will start to notice whitish granules or milk solids floating in the liquid. Slowly once the ghee is cooked, these milk solids will start to settle at the bottom of the inner pot. Gently stir between the process.
- Once the milk solids have settled at the bottom of the inner pot and you notice a change in color (both the liquid and milk solids start to turn light brown). It's time to switch of saute mode. Ghee is ready.
- After 5-10 minutes, strain the ghee using a fine strainer or cheesecloth to a clean, dry, airtight container.
- Enjoy homemade ghee!!
INSTRUCTIONS FOR STOVE TOP GHEE
- Follow the recipe as discussed earlier. Once the butter is completely melted, reduce the heat to medium and cook until milk solids start to turn brown. Since the entire process is done on saute mode, follow the same steps as Instant Pot.
Notes
- Unsalted butter is preferred in making of ghee.
- You can use organic butter or any good quality unsalted butter works just fine.
- Depending upon the quantity of the butter, the cooking time will vary.
- Depending upon how long the butter is cooked, the texture, taste and color will be different.
- It is important to start with a clean and dry pot for making ghee.
- Once ghee is done, if left in the pot for longer, the milk solids turn dark brown in color, resulting in dark colored ghee.
- This recipe yields around 48 oz of homemade ghee.
- Please refer to the post earlier - PRO TIPS FOR BEST HOMEMADE GHEE
- Please refer to the post earlier - FAQ ABOUT HOMEMADE GHEE
Disclaimer
Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
KEYWORD
ghee,clarified butter,desi ghee,homemade ghee, clarified butter, instant pot recipes, instant pot ghee, instant pot vegetarian recipes, instant pot Indian recipes
Terri Baker says
My first batch of ghee came out perfect. I thought the second one had also, until the one left on the counter molded in 3 days. I’m thinking I didn’t cook it long enough to get the dairy out. The ghee that I refrigerated is fine, no mold. What do you think?
Jyoti Behrani says
Hi Terri, Any moisture in the ghee will result in mold formation. Ghee needs to be cooked until all the milk solids settle at the bottom of the pot, and start to turn brown in color. Also, ghee does not require any refrigeration. You can cook the ghee little longer and see if it helps. Thanks!