Ghee vs. Clarified Butter?

[missybear417]

I was looking up how to make ghee, and it seems to be the same thing as clarified butter... I think? Does anyone know if these are the same thing, or if one is allowed and the other is not? Just wanted to check before I go make/purchase something that isn't even whole30 approved.

[Physibeth]

Both are allowed. My understanding is that they are slightly different but I don't personally know why. 

[Ann@HowcrossCastle]

Commercial ghee might have some herbs or spices in it, I believe.

[GoJo09]

http://www.ancientorganics.com/faqs/what-is-the-difference-between-clarified-butter-and-ghee/

"Clarified butter is made simply by heating butter and removing the milk solids which have risen to the top of the pot. In the making of traditional ghee, butter is brought to a boil and cooked until all the moisture is boiled off, and all the milk solids (lactose and casein) have settled to the bottom. These milks solids which have settled on the bottom of the pot are intentionally burned or caramelized, developing nutty flavor to the ghee. Ghee is the pure extraction of oil from butter."

 

I'll have to try making clarified butter, because I find ghee gross.

[ShannonM816]

My understanding is that ghee is actually cooked longer, so that it develops a different flavor than clarified butter.  This article has a good description of the difference.  (Keep in mind that in the instructions in the article, it says keep the solids and use them for other things, but for W30 purposes, the solids are what you want to get rid of.)

[missmary]

yup ghee is clarified butter which has been cooked longer, so it has a "brown butter" sort of flavor profile. Clarified butter is milder, and tastes more like regular butter.