Makes about 3/4 cup
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup organic, grassfed butter, cubed
AROMATICS (optional; pick one or more from the list below)
- 8-10 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 4–6 sprigs fresh hard herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, or bay leaves)
- 1 jalapeño or other chili pepper, halved, with or without seeds
- 2–3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 vanilla bean
DIRECTIONS
1. Place a medium-size, heavy-bottom pot over medium-low heat. Add butter and stir occasionally until completely melted. Reduce heat to low and allow butter to cook until the white, foamy whey rises to the top, about five minutes. Use a spoon to skim off the whey and reserve for another use. (You can stir the whey into mashed potatoes, cooked grains, or grilled vegetables to add a buttery flavor.)
2. Add aromatics and continue to cook the butter over low heat. After about 10 minutes, you’ll see the milk solids beginning to gather at the bottom of the pot. After another 10 to 15 minutes, when the milk solids are browned and the ghee is deeply golden and fragrant, turn off the heat.
3. Remove and discard aromatics, then use cheesecloth or a tea towel to strain the ghee into a clean canning jar. With the whey removed, the ghee can be stored at room temperature for up to three months.
