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4 jars of homemade ghee in liquid form

Homemade Ghee from Butter

Shweta Arora
Homemade ghee from butter is simple, easy to make, and cheaper than buying. This Indian clarified butter is delicious, shelf-table, nutty in flavor, and has high smoke point making it perfect for cooking, roasting, stir frying, and even deep frying. You need just 1 ingredient and less than 30 mins to make the best ghee at home. 
5 from 4 votes
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Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Spices
Cuisine Indian
Servings 144 teaspoons
Calories 45 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

To Make Ghee in Instant Pot

  • Unwrap the refrigerated unsalted butter from its cover and add it to a stainless steel insert of the Instant Pot.
  • Turn on the Instant Pot on saute-normal mode. Also, start an external timer (stopwatch). Butter will start to melt.
  • Stir butter every 5 mins, no need to stir very often.
  • After 5-6 mins the butter will be all melted and froth will start to form.
  • Between 7-8 mins, there will be heavy frothing and bubbling which will eventually reduce.
  • At 10 mins give a quick stir. You will notice the froth starting to clear up
  • At 11-12 mins, the milk solids will start separating and settle at the bottom of the pan. They will be white not brown at this point.
  • At 15 mins, do a quick stir and you will notice tiny fizzy bubbles covering the surface.
  • The tiny bubbles are a good indicator to go ahead and turn off the Instant Pot (at 16-17 mins).
    If you prefer darker color (amber orangish) ghee, let the ghee cook for additional 2-3 mins before turning off the pot.
  • The ghee will continue to cook even when the Instant Pot is turned off about (5-7mins more). The simmering will cause the milk solids settled at the bottom to caramelize and turn brown in color and the ghee to develop a nice golden hue.
    If the bottom of the pot is browning too quickly remove the inner pot and place it on the stove without any heat so it does not cook further.
  • At 25 mins, the simmering has reduced. Add a pinch of salt (optional), and mix. Ghee is ready!!
  • While the ghee is still hot, filter it into a clean dry glass jar using a mesh sieve or cheesecloth. The browned milk solids will be collected in the sieve or cheesecloth (see notes on how to use them).
  • Allow the ghee to cool completely in the jars before closing the lids and storing the ghee.

To Make Ghee On Stovetop

  • Unwrap refrigerated unsalted butter. Add it to a clean, dry, deep, and heavy-bottomed pot. Shallow pan will cause the ghee to overflow so deeper pan or the saucepan/pot is preferred here.
  • Place the pot on the stove and melt the butter on medium heat. Keep string intermittently.
  • The melted butter will slowly start to froth up and bubble. Keep stirring and scraping the sides at regular intervals.
  • After a couple of minutes, the foam will start to clear and surface will be filled with tiny bubbles. Reduce the heat to low and continue simmering. Stir intermittently.
  • At this stage, the milk solids will separate, settle to the bottom of pan and begin to caramelize. Keep a close watch.
  • You know your Ghee is ready when the surface is covered with fizzy bubbles and you smell the nutty aroma from ghee. At this point, turn off the heat, ghee will continue to simmer for few more mins and the milk solids from the bottom will turn light to medium brown.
  • Add a pinch of salt (optional), and mix. Ghee is ready!!
  • Cool the ghee in the pot for 5-10 mins and while the ghee is still hot, filter it into a clean dry glass jar using a mesh sieve or cheesecloth. The browned milk solids will be collected in the sieve or cheesecloth (see notes on how to use them).
  • Allow the ghee to cool completely in the jars before closing the lids and storing the ghee.

Notes

Butter - Use good quality butter for making the best ghee in terms of taste, texture, and flavor. I prefer Kerry Gold Unsalted butter. Salted butter can be used too but it cooks fast and also tends to splash more and high as compared to unsalted so be careful.
Cooking Pot - Use tall stainless steel or heavy-bottomed pan with a light interior to make ghee as it is easy to see the change in color of ghee and browned milk solids.  
Cooking Ghee - Keep a close watch once the milk solids start separating. Keep the heat on low to prevent ghee from burning. If the milk solids burn they will impart that flavor to the ghee and will not taste best for cooking.
Storage - Allow the ghee to cool completely before closing the lid. Store it air-tight in a cool dark place away from sunlight. Use a clean dry spoon to prevent it from spoiling due to any water or liquid getting in. 
Storage Jars - Use heat-proof shatter-proof glass jars to store ghee. I recommend Mason jars or stainless jars. Never use plastic jars to store ghee. 
Cooking times - Please refer to the cooking times mentioned but strongly recommend following visual cues as the times can vary based on the quality, type, and temperature of the butter. 
Instant Pot Ghee Cooking times - Here are the cook times that have worked for me for cold refrigerated unsalted butter using Instant Pot saute mode normal. 
  • 1 Pound (16 ounces) - takes 10-12 minutes - yields 1.5 cups
  • 2 Pound (32 ounces) - takes 15-17 minutes - yields 3 cups
  • 3 Pound (48 ounces) - takes 25-27 minutes - yields 4.5 cups
  • 4 Pound (64 ounces) - takes 30-32 minutes - yields 6 cups

Nutrition

Serving: 1teaspoon | Calories: 45kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 2mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 157IU | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg
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