Making Clarified Butter
Clarified butter is butter with the milk solids and water removed, leaving behind pure golden fat that can withstand high heat without burning. To make it, melt unsalted butter over low heat until the water evaporates and the white milk proteins settle at the bottom or float to the top as foam, then strain the clear liquid through a fine-mesh cloth.
Patience produces the clearest yield.
Use only unsalted butter to avoid excess salt buildup. Keep the heat strictly low to prevent the milk solids from browning.
- small heavy-bottomed saucepan
- fine-mesh sieve
- cheesecloth or a clean coffee filter
- glass storage jar
What goes in.
- 1 lbunsalted butter
The patience test
Wait for the butter to reach a steady, quiet simmer where the foam rises to the top and the solids sink to the bottom. If you stir it, you interrupt the separation and make the straining process murky.
The method.
Melt the butter
Place the butter in the saucepan over low heat. Let it melt completely without letting it bubble aggressively.
Simmer gently
Maintain low heat until a white foam forms on the surface. The butter will crackle as the water content evaporates.
Monitor the solids
Once the crackling stops and the liquid below the foam appears transparent and golden, remove the pan from the heat immediately.
Strain
Line your sieve with several layers of cheesecloth. Carefully pour the golden fat through the cloth into a glass jar, leaving the white solids at the bottom of the pan.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If you see dark specks at the bottom of the pan, you have heated it too much; strain extra carefully to avoid getting them in your final product.
Store the jar in a cool, dark cupboard or the refrigerator; it will solidify as it cools.
Do not discard the milk solids left in the pan; they carry a toasted flavor that works well stirred into warm porridge or sprinkled over roasted vegetables.
The ones that keep coming up.
How do I know if I have overcooked it?
If the butter turns dark brown or smells like burnt toast, the milk solids have scorched. Start over with fresh butter; burnt butter cannot be salvaged.
How long does this keep?
Stored in an airtight glass jar, it lasts for several months in the refrigerator or a few weeks at room temperature.
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