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would like to know tips for clarifying my own butter


healthyAbby

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Hi Everyone....

 

So I'm on day 3 of my second whole 30 and I really would like to clarify my own butter this time... I was wondering if anyone had any good tips/tricks? Do you have to use cheesecloth, or can you use some sort of alternative (I did a basic google search and coffee filters could work?)

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I make ghee which goes a little further than clarified butter and I think it tastes better. When making ghee, you actually brown the milk solids which makes it taste like browned butter.

I put a pound of Kerrygold or Organic Valley butter from grassfed cows in a heavy bottomed pan. Mine has a white interior so I can see what is going on. I put it in a 300f oven for one hour and ten minutes. You want the milk solids at the bottom to be a nice dark brown but not black. I strain mine in a fine mesh sieve, but a little of the milk solids end up at the bottom of the jar. I use cheesecloth when I am on a W30.

I have never tried a coffee filter, but I think I will try it next time. I'll bet it would work great.

You can also do this on the stovetop. Just cook it on about medium and keep your eye on it so it doesn't burn. You can stir it if you want. That lets you see what is going on a little easier.

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" I tried a coffee filter and wasn't happy: took FOREVER for the butter to drip through. Using 2-3 layers of cheesecloth over a fine mesh sieve is the only way I strain my clarified butter now. "

You know...I think I may have tried it long ago and did not like it. I was out of cheesecloth. Glad you said that.

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I'm not sure I love ghee. I'd be interested in learning more about just clarifying.

I've followed the directions on this website to clarify butter and find it comes out terrific each time. http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2010/03/how-to-clarify-butter-recipe/  Takes ~30-35 minutes to clarify 1 lb. of butter on the stovetop.

I've used Kerrygold, Organic Valley and a generic organic butter. For the money, I like Organic Valley the best. Almost identical results to Kerrygold at a lesser price. I refrigerate my clarified butter, and the generic organic gets substantially harder than the Kerrygold or Organic Valley.

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Thanks, Chris!  I've been hoarding the pasture butter when I have seen it this summer and now I can give it a test.

Curious to know how that goes for you, Nico. I was going to use the pasture butter when I saw it, but noted that it was 'lightly salted.' All I've read about making clarified butter says to use unsalted.

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Curious to know how that goes for you, Nico. I was going to use the pasture butter when I saw it, but noted that it was 'lightly salted.' All I've read about making clarified butter says to use unsalted.

 

Yikes!  I avoided all of the others because their cows do get grains and I really want to avoid that.

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Yikes!  I avoided all of the others because their cows do get grains and I really want to avoid that.

 

From what I've read, it's because the amount of salt in different butters varies and could translate into unpredictable results for the clarified butter.  Some of the salt will leave with the milk solids, but it's unclear how much salt will remain afterward.

That all being said, I just found this article from a couple years ago, with the Hartwigs claiming they use the Organic Valley Pastured Butter for making clarified, and they loved it, so I'd absolutely proceed with using it to clarify. http://whole9life.com/2011/10/butter/

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Organic Valley has an unsalted version. However, I wanted to try their limited edition spring butter which is lightly salted (2%). Best ghee ever. I now use it exclusively. Also, Trader Joes has 8 ounce Kerrygold for $2.99. Organic Valley limited edition is $7.99 lb. I think OV unsalted is a little less than Kerrygold. I also like the fact that it's organic.

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Organic Valley has an unsalted version. However, I wanted to try their limited edition spring butter which is lightly salted (2%). Best ghee ever. I now use it exclusively. Also, Trader Joes has 8 ounce Kerrygold for $2.99. Organic Valley limited edition is $7.99 lb. I think OV unsalted is a little less than Kerrygold. I also like the fact that it's organic.

Yup, I buy the unsalted Organic Valley cultured butter for $4.49/lb at my local grocery store. That same store and Trader Joe's charges $2.99 for 8 oz of Kerrygold.  For the negligible difference I experienced in making clarified butter using both, I'm sticking with OV cultured butter for the $1.49/lb difference.

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"It tastes so good too. Almost like caramel"

Did you do the oven or stovetop method? It takes my butter 70 minutes in the oven at 300f.

I did the stove top method, and I kept the heat super low cause I didn't want things to happen too fast.(I believe it took almost an hour for it to come to a simmer/boil) While my butter melted I made mayo and ate lunch :)

I had some of it in my coffee yesterday with some coconut milk and oh my goodness it tasted like I was drinking a caramel latte or something.

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"I did the stove top method, and I kept the heat super low cause I didn't want things to happen too fast.(I believe it took almost an hour for it to come to a simmer/boil) While my butter melted I made mayo and ate lunch :)

I had some of it in my coffee yesterday with some coconut milk and oh my goodness it tasted like I was drinking a caramel latte or something. "

That's okay that you took it slow. You'll get braver with future batches. I love ghee and coconut oil in coffee blended. Bullet Proof coffee is delish. :) Ghee and coconut milk in coffee sounds good.

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I've had two different brands of store bought ghee.  I haven't liked either all that much and I LOVE butter.  Is ghee something I have to get used to, or might I like it more if I clarify my own?  I can get Kerrygold butter I'm sure... probably organic valley if I look around...

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