Clarified butter

Name: Clarified butter
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: Butter 4.4 cups

it br fr es de

758

Calories per serving

Gluten Free
Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 758
Carbohydrates g 1.1
of which sugars g 1.1
Protein g 0.8
Fats g 83.4
of which saturated fat g 48.78
Cholesterol mg 250
Sodium mg 7

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Serving: 10
Cost: Very low

PRESENTATION

In Lombardy, especially around Milan, folks are really serious about their fried dishes. And look, nothing gets more respect than clarified butter. It’s not just regular butter. Nope. It’s melted gently to let water and milk solids drift away, leaving you with pure butterfat. This stuff can take more heat, having a high smoke point around 170°C, compared to regular butter that starts to burn at, like, 130°C.

And the cotoletta alla milanese? Seriously, you need this butter for that perfect golden, crispy crust. It’s really simple to make clarified butter. Once you try it, you’ll see why it's all over traditional Italian kitchens. It has a rich, almost nutty taste. Plus, it’s not as heavy as plain melted butter. Some folks might think clarified butter is like Italian ghee. Well, kinda. But ghee is cooked longer for a deeper, more toasty flavor. But in Italy, though, it's about keeping things light for frying.

For those who are sensitive to lactose, it's a better option—though always wise to check with your doctor. Using clarified butter makes frying safer and tastier, for sure. Your food gets a tender inside and that golden color without burning or tasting weirdly bitter.

There are many uses for clarified butter in regional cooking. It's great for risotto, sauces, and even some sweets where you want that pure, clean butter flavor. Compared to regular butter, it’s just a bit more special. Once you get the hang of it, you'll see how much better your fried foods taste.

In Lombardy, this method has been passed down for generations. Why? Because it makes a real difference in the kitchen. Whether you’re trying to master Italian cooking or just want better fried dishes, clarified butter is definitely the way to go. Really, it’s that good.

INGREDIENTS: Butter 4.4 cups (1 kg)

Preparation

How to prepare Clarified butter

To prepare clarified butter, the first thing to do is to cut the butter into pieces 1, then gather them and pour them into a saucepan and melt in a bain-marie 2. As the butter melts, you will notice a watery substance rising to the surface 3; let it cook over low heat until it has completely evaporated; let it go without stirring.

Place a funnel in a container and line it with a very fine sterile gauze 4, pour the liquid clarified butter making sure that the casein deposited at the bottom does not resurface; finally, place the liquid in jars. The clarified butter will become solid once it has cooled.

Storage

Sealed hermetically in a glass jar, clarified butter can be stored for several months in the refrigerator.

Tip

Every time I prepare Milanese cutlets, I need to have clarified butter, which fortunately I always keep in the fridge ready for use, but it is also perfect for flavoring various sauces, like hollandaise! Since it is a more concentrated version, clarified butter should not be added to a preparation as if it were the classic kind, because the fat and flavor are much more concentrated; generally, you could use 30% less than the indicated amount.

Trivia

This preparation is also famous on the other side of the world, as in Asia, clarified butter is known as ghee (pronounced "ghi") and is used in many Asian dishes, particularly Indian ones, a prime example being chapati. Why is it so well known in their tradition? Because it seems to have therapeutic effects in Ayurvedic medicine.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.

Clarified butter

PRESENTATION

How to prepare Clarified butter

Storage

Tip

Trivia

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