On 9/7/2012 12:33 PM, Tommy Joe wrote:
>
> The topic was given a good going over only recently, but there was
> so much conflicting information it only got more confusing. My
> question is this: Can clarified butter be made in the microwave?
>
> I sometimes put a tablespoon of butter in a tiny dish in the
> microwave to use on popcorn. I have noticed there is white stuff
> floating on top, a small amount of course, because I only use a
> tablespoon. But when people talking about skimming the milk solids
> from the top of a pound of clarified butter, is that the stuff they're
> talking about?
>
> I know a guy here in town who says he's been clarifying butter
> for years and that cooking it down is not necessary - just heating it
> till it's totally melted to liquid is good enough. I would also like
> to know if it's easier to skim off the milk solids or whatever they're
> called after the butter is allowed to sit awhile. It seems while the
> butter is hot that the stuff on top is harder to skim off, if in fact
> it's the right stuff. I only want to use the clarified butter for
> cooking. Thanks.
>
> TJ
>

The milk solids are on the bottom. The stuff on the top is butter
scum/slag. My guess is that it's water mixed with milk solids and air.
It's some pretty nasty stuff but how bad could it be?

Clarified butter is the stuff in the middle. Popcorn popped with
clarified butter seems like a good idea although I've never heard of
anybody doing it.

On Sep 7, 8:17*pm, dsi1 > wrote:

> The milk solids are on the bottom. The stuff on the top is butter
> scum/slag. My guess is that it's water mixed with milk solids and air.
> It's some pretty nasty stuff but how bad could it be?
>
> Clarified butter is the stuff in the middle. Popcorn popped with
> clarified butter seems like a good idea although I've never heard of
> anybody doing it.


Thanks for your post too. I thought from the start that the stuff
on the bottom was to be thrown away. My main question is, having
melted butter before and never having seen anything different on the
bottom, does it require some cooling time before pouring off the
clarified stuff? I know this is a simple procedure, but it seems
complicated using words to demonstrate it. Yeah, I figured the stuff
on top was air and whatever else. Anyway, is there a waiting period
after the butter is melted before pouring the clarified stuff into a
jar and leaving the unwanted stuff on the bottom of the pan, or dish
if melted in the microwave. I was not looking to use clarified butter
on popcorn, only using it as an example to try and describe what I
thought was the stuff that had to be removed, a sort of white, airy
froth that sits atop the melted butter. I have never seen anything
different on the bottom side which leads me to believe it should sit
awhile before pouring, am I correct?

Thanks again,
TJ

On 9/7/2012 8:37 PM, Tommy Joe wrote:
> On Sep 7, 8:17 pm, dsi1 > wrote:
>
>> The milk solids are on the bottom. The stuff on the top is butter
>> scum/slag. My guess is that it's water mixed with milk solids and air.
>> It's some pretty nasty stuff but how bad could it be?
>>
>> Clarified butter is the stuff in the middle. Popcorn popped with
>> clarified butter seems like a good idea although I've never heard of
>> anybody doing it.
>
>
> Thanks for your post too. I thought from the start that the stuff
> on the bottom was to be thrown away. My main question is, having
> melted butter before and never having seen anything different on the
> bottom, does it require some cooling time before pouring off the
> clarified stuff? I know this is a simple procedure, but it seems
> complicated using words to demonstrate it. Yeah, I figured the stuff
> on top was air and whatever else. Anyway, is there a waiting period
> after the butter is melted before pouring the clarified stuff into a
> jar and leaving the unwanted stuff on the bottom of the pan, or dish
> if melted in the microwave. I was not looking to use clarified butter
> on popcorn, only using it as an example to try and describe what I
> thought was the stuff that had to be removed, a sort of white, airy
> froth that sits atop the melted butter. I have never seen anything
> different on the bottom side which leads me to believe it should sit
> awhile before pouring, am I correct?
>
> Thanks again,
> TJ
>

Remove the froth and then pour out the clear liquid. I don't think you
need to wait for the butter to settle. I'm not sure what you can do with
the surplus milk solids - my guess is that you could dump it on some
popcorn and it would be fine.

On Sep 8, 5:40*am, dsi1 > wrote:

> Remove the froth and then pour out the clear liquid. I don't think you
> need to wait for the butter to settle. I'm not sure what you can do with
> the surplus milk solids - my guess is that you could dump it on some
> popcorn and it would be fine.


I'd just throw it away. I read somewhere that in clarifying
butter approximately 1/4 of what one starts with is lost. Big deal, I
can live with that. I still don't quite get it though, the stuff on
the bottom I mean. I've never seen it. I've melted butter before,
never a whole pound, but a few tablespoons, maybe as much as 4 of
them, and I saw the froth on top, but I never noticed anything forming
on the bottom. So it's hard for me to visualize it. A pound of
unsalted butter from the local market is only about $3, so maybe I'll
just wing it and see what happens. So what I'm imagining is that when
I pour the usable butter into a jar or whatever there is some small
amount of something that clings to the pot or container I'm using, so
the butter should be poured off gently so as not to include the bottom
stuff, whatever the hell that is. At least the experiment will give
me something to do. Thanks again.

Please not there are no question marks in my paragraph above, but if
you suddenly feel you have something new and simple to add to the
equation, by all means feel free. Otherwise, your info has been
helpful and I appreciate it.

TJ

On Sat, 8 Sep 2012 13:05:38 -0700 (PDT), Tommy Joe
> wrote:

>On Sep 8, 5:40*am, dsi1 > wrote:
>
>> Remove the froth and then pour out the clear liquid. I don't think you
>> need to wait for the butter to settle. I'm not sure what you can do with
>> the surplus milk solids - my guess is that you could dump it on some
>> popcorn and it would be fine.
>
>
> I'd just throw it away. I read somewhere that in clarifying
>butter approximately 1/4 of what one starts with is lost. Big deal, I
>can live with that. I still don't quite get it though, the stuff on
>the bottom I mean. I've never seen it. I've melted butter before,
>never a whole pound, but a few tablespoons, maybe as much as 4 of
>them, and I saw the froth on top, but I never noticed anything forming
>on the bottom. So it's hard for me to visualize it. A pound of
>unsalted butter from the local market is only about $3, so maybe I'll
>just wing it and see what happens. So what I'm imagining is that when
>I pour the usable butter into a jar or whatever there is some small
>amount of something that clings to the pot or container I'm using, so
>the butter should be poured off gently so as not to include the bottom
>stuff, whatever the hell that is. At least the experiment will give
>me something to do.

You can use the dregs for a lubricant, for when you have nothing to
do. hehe

On Sep 8, 4:46*pm, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:

> You can use the dregs for a lubricant, for when you have nothing to
> do. *hehe


During my times I used almost anything to achieve the desired
effect, but those days are gone as my sausage has turned to hamburger
meat.

The days of Wine and Lubricants
Laughed and ran away
Through a meadowland toward a closing door
The door has closed, I can't hear them laughing anymore

TJ

On Sep 8, 9:16*pm, Tommy Joe > wrote:
> On Sep 8, 4:46*pm, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
>
> > You can use the dregs for a lubricant, for when you have nothing to
> > do. *hehe
>
> * * During my times I used almost anything to achieve the desired
> effect, but those days are gone as my sausage has turned to hamburger
> meat.
>
> The days of Wine and Lubricants
> Laughed and ran away
> Through a meadowland toward a closing door
> The door has closed, I can't hear them laughing anymore
>
> TJ

Hell, I'm in my 60's and we do it a lot!

On 9/8/12 4:05 PM, Tommy Joe wrote:
>.... I saw the froth on top, but I never noticed anything forming
> on the bottom. So it's hard for me to visualize it.

Just keep the butter over low heat a bit longer, maybe 10 minutes, and
you will definitely see it. It will look like dark brown grainy bits
suspended in an opaque creamy (almost milk) colored goop.

Then, after skimming off any lingering foam, you just pour off the clear
clarified butter and leave the obvious garbage behind.

-- Larry

On Sep 8, 5:13*pm, pltrgyst > wrote:

> Just keep the butter over low heat a bit longer, maybe 10 minutes, and
> you will definitely see it. It will look like dark brown grainy bits
> suspended in an opaque creamy (almost milk) colored goop.
>
> Then, after skimming off any lingering foam, you just pour off the clear
> clarified butter and leave the obvious garbage behind.


No disrespect to others on this, but your description was the
easiest for me to understand, very well described, and makes me feel
more confident about what to look for and expect. Thanks to all who
have answered on this. For a long time I rarely used butter, only for
a few select dishes that either call for them or do better with them.
I remember my grandmother using butter for those dishes. A simple
string bean and chunked meat stew was one I loved and have made myself
many times with decent results. But her beans always came out darker
and softer, almost brownish, and I think it was the clarified butter
that made the difference. I will find out as I intend to make the
bean and meat dish my first effort with clarified butter. Thanks
again. Simmer 10 minutes, no more, got it.

TJ