I have just read the thread about clarified butter, but none of it
answered what puzzles me about it. I have made clarified butter twice.
Both times in small a small quantity {1/4 or 1/2 pound). It worked
fine, I skimmed off the foam and the clear clarified butter remained.
But when I poured it into a small bowl to chill and store, it got very,
very hard. So hard that you couldn't scoop it out of the dish at all.
Not even with a sharp spoon, or knife.
It as hard as the porcelain dish was. The second time, I poured it
into a small dish with sloping sides, thinking that I could slide a
small knife down along the side and loosed the butter. No luck--it
would have broken the dish. Letting it come to room temperature wasn't
much better.
Surely someone else has had this experience. How do you store and
use clarified butter after you have made it? I would appreciate any
comments.
TIA Nancree

"nancree" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>I have just read the thread about clarified butter, but none of it
> answered what puzzles me about it. I have made clarified butter twice.
> Both times in small a small quantity {1/4 or 1/2 pound). It worked
> fine, I skimmed off the foam and the clear clarified butter remained.
> But when I poured it into a small bowl to chill and store, it got very,
> very hard. So hard that you couldn't scoop it out of the dish at all.
> Not even with a sharp spoon, or knife.
> It as hard as the porcelain dish was. The second time, I poured it
> into a small dish with sloping sides, thinking that I could slide a
> small knife down along the side and loosed the butter. No luck--it
> would have broken the dish. Letting it come to room temperature wasn't
> much better.
> Surely someone else has had this experience. How do you store and
> use clarified butter after you have made it? I would appreciate any
> comments.
> TIA Nancree

As I mentioned in my previous email, my bought butter labeled 'ghee' was
this way, and there was no way that I would microwave the whole 8oz-1# to
get out a spoonful. When I was able to remove some, it disgusted DH anyway,
so out it went.
But my thinking cap goes on, and this thought arrives:
I suppose after making it, one could contain it in small measured amounts,
then microwave it as needed. But what? would be the container? I don't
think one would want to measure out more than 1/4 cup (4 T) for use, would
you?
Dee Dee

On Sun, 9 Oct 2005 08:53:33 -0400, "Dee Randall"
> wrote:

>
>"nancree" > wrote in message
roups.com...
>>I have just read the thread about clarified butter, but none of it
>> answered what puzzles me about it. I have made clarified butter twice.
>> Both times in small a small quantity {1/4 or 1/2 pound). It worked
>> fine, I skimmed off the foam and the clear clarified butter remained.
>> But when I poured it into a small bowl to chill and store, it got very,
>> very hard. So hard that you couldn't scoop it out of the dish at all.
>> Not even with a sharp spoon, or knife.
>> It as hard as the porcelain dish was. The second time, I poured it
>> into a small dish with sloping sides, thinking that I could slide a
>> small knife down along the side and loosed the butter. No luck--it
>> would have broken the dish. Letting it come to room temperature wasn't
>> much better.
>> Surely someone else has had this experience. How do you store and
>> use clarified butter after you have made it? I would appreciate any
>> comments.
>> TIA Nancree
>
>As I mentioned in my previous email, my bought butter labeled 'ghee' was
>this way, and there was no way that I would microwave the whole 8oz-1# to
>get out a spoonful. When I was able to remove some, it disgusted DH anyway,
>so out it went.
>But my thinking cap goes on, and this thought arrives:
>I suppose after making it, one could contain it in small measured amounts,
>then microwave it as needed. But what? would be the container? I don't
>think one would want to measure out more than 1/4 cup (4 T) for use, would
>you?
>Dee Dee
>

You can used 1/2 cup Ball canning jars or Glad Ware 1/2 cup plastic
containers. Not necessary to fill them

--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974

Susan wrote:

"You can used 1/2 cup Ball canning jars or Glad Ware 1/2 cup plastic
containers."

-----------------------------
No, Susan, but thanks. You'd never be able to get it out of a Ball
canning jar with its narrowed top. It would have to be a
straight-sided container. And even then, what if you want just a
spoonful or two, to fry an egg, or baste something. It's just not
worth it, IMO. It gets to hard you can't even get a knife tip into
it.
Thanks for answering.
Nancree

Dee wrote:

> As I mentioned in my previous email, my bought butter labeled 'ghee' was
> this way, and there was no way that I would microwave the whole 8oz-1# to
> get out a spoonful. When I was able to remove some, it disgusted DH
> anyway, so out it went.
> But my thinking cap goes on, and this thought arrives:
> I suppose after making it, one could contain it in small measured amounts,
> then microwave it as needed. But what? would be the container? I don't
> think one would want to measure out more than 1/4 cup (4 T) for use, would
> you?

Why not use ice cube trays to chill them, then when they're solidified, just
put them into freezer bags?+

(Fact is, though, I've never encountered ghee or clarified butter which was
NEARLY as hard as you've described. If I did, I'd be inclined to go after
it with an ice pick to extract whatever small amount I needed at the time.)

Bob

On 9 Oct 2005 06:08:41 -0700, "nancree" > wrote:

>Susan wrote:
>
>"You can used 1/2 cup Ball canning jars or Glad Ware 1/2 cup plastic
>containers."
>
>-----------------------------
>No, Susan, but thanks. You'd never be able to get it out of a Ball
>canning jar with its narrowed top. It would have to be a
>straight-sided container. And even then, what if you want just a
>spoonful or two, to fry an egg, or baste something. It's just not
>worth it, IMO. It gets to hard you can't even get a knife tip into
>it.
>Thanks for answering.
>Nancree


The 1/2 cup jars are tapered for canning or freezing.
http://www.jardenhomebrands.com/homecanning.html
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974

Dee Randall wrote:

> I suppose after making it, one could contain it in small measured
> amounts, then microwave it as needed. But what? would be the
> container? I don't think one would want to measure out more than 1/4
> cup (4 T) for use, would you?
> Dee Dee
>

Dee Dee,

You could use those paper cupcake thingys.

--
Andy
http://tinyurl.com/dzl7h

"nancree" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Susan wrote:
>
> "You can used 1/2 cup Ball canning jars or Glad Ware 1/2 cup plastic
> containers."
>
> -----------------------------
> No, Susan, but thanks. You'd never be able to get it out of a Ball
> canning jar with its narrowed top. It would have to be a
> straight-sided container. And even then, what if you want just a
> spoonful or two, to fry an egg, or baste something. It's just not
> worth it, IMO. It gets to hard you can't even get a knife tip into
> it.
> Thanks for answering.

I think the little ones are straight sided, but whatever ... is there a
reason you can't just zap it for a few seconds to soften it?

nancy

" If I did, I'd be inclined to go after
it with an ice pick to extract whatever small amount I needed at the
time.)
------------
I think you would surely shatter the glass jar or bowl that the hard
clarified butter is stored in.
Thanks, though
Nancree

Dee Randall wrote:
> "nancree" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> I have just read the thread about clarified butter, but none of it
>> answered what puzzles me about it. I have made clarified butter
>> twice. Both times in small a small quantity {1/4 or 1/2 pound). It
>> worked
>> fine, I skimmed off the foam and the clear clarified butter remained.
>> But when I poured it into a small bowl to chill and store, it got
>> very, very hard. So hard that you couldn't scoop it out of the dish
>> at all. Not even with a sharp spoon, or knife.
>> It as hard as the porcelain dish was. The second time, I poured it
>> into a small dish with sloping sides, thinking that I could slide a
>> small knife down along the side and loosed the butter. No luck--it
>> would have broken the dish. Letting it come to room temperature
>> wasn't much better.
>> Surely someone else has had this experience. How do you store and
>> use clarified butter after you have made it? I would appreciate any
>> comments.
>> TIA Nancree
>
> As I mentioned in my previous email, my bought butter labeled 'ghee'
> was this way, and there was no way that I would microwave the whole
> 8oz-1# to get out a spoonful. When I was able to remove some, it
> disgusted DH anyway, so out it went.
> But my thinking cap goes on, and this thought arrives:
> I suppose after making it, one could contain it in small measured
> amounts, then microwave it as needed. But what? would be the
> container? I don't think one would want to measure out more than 1/4
> cup (4 T) for use, would you?
> Dee Dee

Why not measure out 4 Tbs. for use? There are tiny sealed containers
available for such small quantities. I have several in my cabinets.

Jill

"Andy" <q> wrote in message
.. .
> Dee Randall wrote:
>
>> I suppose after making it, one could contain it in small measured
>> amounts, then microwave it as needed. But what? would be the
>> container? I don't think one would want to measure out more than 1/4
>> cup (4 T) for use, would you?
>> Dee Dee
>>
>
> Dee Dee,
>
> You could use those paper cupcake thingys.
>
Thanks, Andy.
1) Pour 2 T cb into Parchment paper cupcake thingies [thingies contained in
a ramekin]
2) Freeze cb which are in ramekins
3)Remove thingies containing 2T cb each
4)Put multiple 2Tb thingies in freezer in one bag

As some French say, when asked, "Can you do this"?
"It's a possibility."

Dee Dee

Bob Terwilliger wrote:
> Dee wrote:
>
>
>>As I mentioned in my previous email, my bought butter labeled 'ghee' was
>>this way, and there was no way that I would microwave the whole 8oz-1# to
>>get out a spoonful. When I was able to remove some, it disgusted DH
>>anyway, so out it went.
>>But my thinking cap goes on, and this thought arrives:
>>I suppose after making it, one could contain it in small measured amounts,
>>then microwave it as needed. But what? would be the container? I don't
>>think one would want to measure out more than 1/4 cup (4 T) for use, would
>>you?
>
>
> Why not use ice cube trays to chill them, then when they're solidified, just
> put them into freezer bags?+
>
> (Fact is, though, I've never encountered ghee or clarified butter which was
> NEARLY as hard as you've described. If I did, I'd be inclined to go after
> it with an ice pick to extract whatever small amount I needed at the time.)
>
> Bob
>
>

I did the ice cube tray thing the last time I made clarified butter; it
worked pretty well (better than my attempt to store it in a glass jar,
at least :> )

--

saerah

"It's not a gimmick, it's an incentive."- asterbark, afca

aware of the manifold possibilities of the future

"I think there's a clause in the Shaman's and Jujumen's Local #57 Union
contract that they have to have reciprocity for each other's shop rules."
-König Prüß

nancree wrote on 09 Oct 2005 in rec.food.cooking

> I have just read the thread about clarified butter, but none of it
> answered what puzzles me about it. I have made clarified butter twice.
> Both times in small a small quantity {1/4 or 1/2 pound). It worked
> fine, I skimmed off the foam and the clear clarified butter remained.
> But when I poured it into a small bowl to chill and store, it got very,
> very hard. So hard that you couldn't scoop it out of the dish at all.
> Not even with a sharp spoon, or knife.
> It as hard as the porcelain dish was. The second time, I poured it
> into a small dish with sloping sides, thinking that I could slide a
> small knife down along the side and loosed the butter. No luck--it
> would have broken the dish. Letting it come to room temperature wasn't
> much better.
> Surely someone else has had this experience. How do you store and
> use clarified butter after you have made it? I would appreciate any
> comments.
> TIA Nancree
>

AFAIK Ghee doesn't need to be refridgerated. It should keep as well as
olive oil, corn oil, peanut oil or canola oil does without refridgeration
in a darkened room temperature-ish cupboard. You might consider a screw cap
container, something that would stop light...say a metal or a non-
transparent plastic bottle. Ghee has been in use in India long before there
were fridges in India, just the same as olive oil in Italy or Greece.

--
The eyes are the mirrors....
But the ears...Ah the ears.
The ears keep the hat up.

In article .com>,
"nancree" > wrote:

> Susan wrote:
>
> "You can used 1/2 cup Ball canning jars or Glad Ware 1/2 cup plastic
> containers."
>
> -----------------------------
> No, Susan, but thanks. You'd never be able to get it out of a Ball
> canning jar with its narrowed top. It would have to be a
> straight-sided container. And even then, what if you want just a
> spoonful or two, to fry an egg, or baste something. It's just not
> worth it, IMO. It gets to hard you can't even get a knife tip into
> it.
> Thanks for answering.
> Nancree
>

What's wrong with just using butter?
Clarified butter, imho has no flavor.
Might as well use corn oil. :-P

I use olive oil or grapeseed oil for frying
and if I'm sautee'ing shrimp or other foods I
might want a buttery flavor in, I still use
olive oil, and just mix a little butter in with
it.

As for dipping shrimp, crab or lobster, again,
I don't see what the attraction in using clarified
butter is.

It's just yucky. Regular melted butter is sooooo
much tastier!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

In article >,
"jmcquown" > wrote:

> Dee Randall wrote:
> > "nancree" > wrote in message
> > oups.com...
> >> I have just read the thread about clarified butter, but none of it
> >> answered what puzzles me about it. I have made clarified butter
> >> twice. Both times in small a small quantity {1/4 or 1/2 pound). It
> >> worked
> >> fine, I skimmed off the foam and the clear clarified butter remained.
> >> But when I poured it into a small bowl to chill and store, it got
> >> very, very hard. So hard that you couldn't scoop it out of the dish
> >> at all. Not even with a sharp spoon, or knife.
> >> It as hard as the porcelain dish was. The second time, I poured it
> >> into a small dish with sloping sides, thinking that I could slide a
> >> small knife down along the side and loosed the butter. No luck--it
> >> would have broken the dish. Letting it come to room temperature
> >> wasn't much better.
> >> Surely someone else has had this experience. How do you store and
> >> use clarified butter after you have made it? I would appreciate any
> >> comments.
> >> TIA Nancree
> >
> > As I mentioned in my previous email, my bought butter labeled 'ghee'
> > was this way, and there was no way that I would microwave the whole
> > 8oz-1# to get out a spoonful. When I was able to remove some, it
> > disgusted DH anyway, so out it went.
> > But my thinking cap goes on, and this thought arrives:
> > I suppose after making it, one could contain it in small measured
> > amounts, then microwave it as needed. But what? would be the
> > container? I don't think one would want to measure out more than 1/4
> > cup (4 T) for use, would you?
> > Dee Dee
>
> Why not measure out 4 Tbs. for use? There are tiny sealed containers
> available for such small quantities. I have several in my cabinets.
>
> Jill
>
>

Those little ziplock brand (or other brand) of disposable snack
containers should work. They are better IMHO that rubbermade brands. ;-)
I use a lot of those! They are handy, and cheap!

And despite being "disposable", can often be used several times.
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:

> As for dipping shrimp, crab or lobster, again,
> I don't see what the attraction in using clarified
> butter is.
>
> It's just yucky. Regular melted butter is sooooo
> much tastier!


It sounds fancier; more pretentious. And it works better for frying at
high temperatures than regular butter, but that's what peanut oil is for.

Best regards,
Bob

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:

>
> What's wrong with just using butter?
> Clarified butter, imho has no flavor.
> Might as well use corn oil. :-P

Clarified butter does have more flavour than corn oil. The thing about clarified
butter is that the milk solids are separated and removed, so it can be heated to a
higher temperature without smoking.

nancree wrote:

> How do you store and
> use clarified butter after you have made it?

At room temperature. It doesn't need to be chilled. I just leave mine
out on the counter in a wide-mouth jar with a lid. It never lasts more
than a couple weeks because we use it. The flavor will subtly change and
get more rounded, richer.

The reason it's so hard when refrigerated is that it's pure fat with no
water (normally about 20% of volume) and no milk solids. Milkfat is one
of the ones that gets hard at fridge temps.

Pastorio

In article >,
zxcvbob > wrote:

> OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>
> > As for dipping shrimp, crab or lobster, again,
> > I don't see what the attraction in using clarified
> > butter is.
> >
> > It's just yucky. Regular melted butter is sooooo
> > much tastier!
>
>
> It sounds fancier; more pretentious. And it works better for frying at
> high temperatures than regular butter, but that's what peanut oil is for.
>
> Best regards,
> Bob

Kinda what I figured. ;-)

Whenever I do eat seafood "out", I always request fresh melted butter.

I really do hate clarified butter!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

In article >,
Dave Smith > wrote:

> OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>
> >
> > What's wrong with just using butter?
> > Clarified butter, imho has no flavor.
> > Might as well use corn oil. :-P
>
> Clarified butter does have more flavour than corn oil. The thing about
> clarified
> butter is that the milk solids are separated and removed, so it can be heated
> to a
> higher temperature without smoking.
>
>
>

Ok, but when I am doing a quick sautee' with shrimp, it does not matter
much what the smoke point is as my cooking time is so fast.
And I _want_ the carmelized "milk solids" that provide the flavor I'm
looking for. Clarified butter is missing that!

I've compared the "flavor" of clarified butter to cooking oils.

Grapeseed oil and peanut oil have a similar flavor.

And both have even higher smoke points.

Cheers!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> In article >,
> Dave Smith > wrote:
>
> > OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > What's wrong with just using butter?
> > > Clarified butter, imho has no flavor.
> > > Might as well use corn oil. :-P
> >
> > Clarified butter does have more flavour than corn oil. The thing about
> > clarified
> > butter is that the milk solids are separated and removed, so it can be heated
> > to a
> > higher temperature without smoking.
> >
> >
> >
>
> Ok, but when I am doing a quick sautee' with shrimp, it does not matter
> much what the smoke point is as my cooking time is so fast.
> And I _want_ the carmelized "milk solids" that provide the flavor I'm
> looking for. Clarified butter is missing that!
>
> I've compared the "flavor" of clarified butter to cooking oils.
>
> Grapeseed oil and peanut oil have a similar flavor.
>
> And both have even higher smoke points.

Clarified butter (synonymous with drawn butter) is primarilly called
for when the butter is *served* as a dressing, ie. drawn butter
w/lobster, crab, etc... doesn't need a higher smoke point as it's
typically not used for cooking, nor is the smoke point of clarified
butter so appreciably higher than that of ordinary plain butter that
very, very few cooks ever bother. Ghee however is used as a cooking
medium, its benefit is from its appreciably higher smoke point but
mostly from its significantly longer shelf life... but would be a
disappointing substitute for drawn/clarified butter... ghee generally
has a nutty flavor (I call it 'burned'), and/or flavored with herbs,
neither of which would enhance the seafood experience. Ghee tastes
nothing like butter, in fact unless it's somehow otherwise seasoned
high quality ghee tastes pretty much like nothing... may as well dip
your lobster meat in generic salad oil.

Sheldon

"Dee Randall" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> As I mentioned in my previous email, my bought butter labeled 'ghee' was
> this way,

Just make sure everyone knows, although I am sure they do, ghee and
clarified butter are not the same thing. Ghee is taken a step further than
making clarified butter. It's solids are browned before having the liquid
poured off. This adds a great deal of nuttiness to the ghee. Clarified
butter is so quick and easy to make when needed, that I see no reason to
make it in quantity beforehand. Ghee is a little more time consuming and
requires a little more care in it's preparation, so having it done ahead of
time is reasonable. I have purchased bottled ghee at one of the local Indian
groceries when it was cheaper than fresh butter and never had any problem
with spooning some out when needed. The grocery did not refrigerate it. I
did, though I usually took it out a while before I used it to allow it to
soften a little.

Charlie

In article . com>,
"Sheldon" > wrote:

> OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> > In article >,
> > Dave Smith > wrote:
> >
> > > OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> > >
> > > >
> > > > What's wrong with just using butter?
> > > > Clarified butter, imho has no flavor.
> > > > Might as well use corn oil. :-P
> > >
> > > Clarified butter does have more flavour than corn oil. The thing about
> > > clarified
> > > butter is that the milk solids are separated and removed, so it can be
> > > heated
> > > to a
> > > higher temperature without smoking.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> > Ok, but when I am doing a quick sautee' with shrimp, it does not matter
> > much what the smoke point is as my cooking time is so fast.
> > And I _want_ the carmelized "milk solids" that provide the flavor I'm
> > looking for. Clarified butter is missing that!
> >
> > I've compared the "flavor" of clarified butter to cooking oils.
> >
> > Grapeseed oil and peanut oil have a similar flavor.
> >
> > And both have even higher smoke points.
>
> Clarified butter (synonymous with drawn butter) is primarilly called
> for when the butter is *served* as a dressing, ie. drawn butter
> w/lobster, crab, etc... doesn't need a higher smoke point as it's
> typically not used for cooking, nor is the smoke point of clarified
> butter so appreciably higher than that of ordinary plain butter that
> very, very few cooks ever bother. Ghee however is used as a cooking
> medium, its benefit is from its appreciably higher smoke point but
> mostly from its significantly longer shelf life... but would be a
> disappointing substitute for drawn/clarified butter... ghee generally
> has a nutty flavor (I call it 'burned'), and/or flavored with herbs,
> neither of which would enhance the seafood experience. Ghee tastes
> nothing like butter, in fact unless it's somehow otherwise seasoned
> high quality ghee tastes pretty much like nothing... may as well dip
> your lobster meat in generic salad oil.
>
> Sheldon
>

That was my point. ;-)
I feel the same way about drawn or clarified butter.

IMHO it has NO flavor!
Not like plain melted butter......

But, to each their own!

Restaurants serve drawn butter with crab, lobster and shrimp.
It's gross. I always request fresh melted butter. And I get it. ;-)
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:

> I feel the same way about drawn or clarified butter.
>
> IMHO it has NO flavor!
> Not like plain melted butter......
>
> But, to each their own!
>
> Restaurants serve drawn butter with crab, lobster and shrimp.
> It's gross. I always request fresh melted butter. And I get it. ;-)
> --
> Om.


A TV show explained how to make clarified butter and they insisted on
using unsalted butter. That probably contributes to the lack of flavor.

Mom used to serve us cb for dipping artichoke leaves and heart but hers
was seasoned somehow. The few times I've made cb it's never matched what
Mom made. [sigh]

--
Andy
http://tinyurl.com/dzl7h

Charles Gifford wrote:
> "Dee Randall" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> >
> > As I mentioned in my previous email, my bought butter labeled 'ghee' was
> > this way,
>
> Just make sure everyone knows, although I am sure they do, ghee and
> clarified butter are not the same thing. Ghee is taken a step further than
> making clarified butter. It's solids are browned before having the liquid
> poured off. This adds a great deal of nuttiness to the ghee. Clarified
> butter is so quick and easy to make when needed, that I see no reason to
> make it in quantity beforehand. Ghee is a little more time consuming and
> requires a little more care in it's preparation, so having it done ahead of
> time is reasonable. I have purchased bottled ghee at one of the local Indian
> groceries when it was cheaper than fresh butter and never had any problem
> with spooning some out when needed. The grocery did not refrigerate it. I
> did, though I usually took it out a while before I used it to allow it to
> soften a little.

I do clarified butter all the time in the microwave oven... simply melt
a stick in a two cup Pyrex measuring cup until it's boiling (good to
place a saucer over the cup) and pour of all but the last dregs...
naturally when I butter popcorn I use it all, every last drop. <g> I
know most folks opt for air-popped pop corn to save on fat calories but
not me... cold weather is coming so it's time to break out my Wearever
Popcorn Pumper... I tend to over fill it so it makes six quarts of
popcorn, just right for my stick of butter.

Sheldon

"Mr Libido Incognito" > wrote in message
...
> nancree wrote on 09 Oct 2005 in rec.food.cooking
>
>> I have just read the thread about clarified butter, but none of it
>> answered what puzzles me about it. I have made clarified butter
>> twice.
>> Both times in small a small quantity {1/4 or 1/2 pound). It worked
>> fine, I skimmed off the foam and the clear clarified butter remained.
>> But when I poured it into a small bowl to chill and store, it got
>> very,
>> very hard. So hard that you couldn't scoop it out of the dish at
>> all.
>> Not even with a sharp spoon, or knife.
>> It as hard as the porcelain dish was. The second time, I poured it
>> into a small dish with sloping sides, thinking that I could slide a
>> small knife down along the side and loosed the butter. No luck--it
>> would have broken the dish. Letting it come to room temperature
>> wasn't
>> much better.
>> Surely someone else has had this experience. How do you store and
>> use clarified butter after you have made it? I would appreciate any
>> comments.
>> TIA Nancree
>>
>
> AFAIK Ghee doesn't need to be refridgerated. It should keep as well as
> olive oil, corn oil, peanut oil or canola oil does without
> refridgeration
> in a darkened room temperature-ish cupboard. You might consider a
> screw cap
> container, something that would stop light...say a metal or a non-
> transparent plastic bottle. Ghee has been in use in India long before
> there
> were fridges in India, just the same as olive oil in Italy or Greece.
>


Ghee doesn't have to be refrigerated, but she made clarified butter at
home, which isn't exactly the same. I think ghee is heated longer than
Western clarified butter, or something like that, which makes it stable
at room temperature.

-T

Simply warm your container up over an open flame or in a microwave.
Come to think of it, it's the same thing with graham cracker crusts on
cheesecakes, or upside down pies, etc (these having a high butter
content). To insure the crust releases neatly and cleanly from the
pan's bottom, heat it for an instant over an open flame before
unmolding.

-Ron

In article . com>,
"Sheldon" > wrote:

> Charles Gifford wrote:
> > "Dee Randall" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > >
> > >
> > > As I mentioned in my previous email, my bought butter labeled 'ghee' was
> > > this way,
> >
> > Just make sure everyone knows, although I am sure they do, ghee and
> > clarified butter are not the same thing. Ghee is taken a step further than
> > making clarified butter. It's solids are browned before having the liquid
> > poured off. This adds a great deal of nuttiness to the ghee. Clarified
> > butter is so quick and easy to make when needed, that I see no reason to
> > make it in quantity beforehand. Ghee is a little more time consuming and
> > requires a little more care in it's preparation, so having it done ahead of
> > time is reasonable. I have purchased bottled ghee at one of the local Indian
> > groceries when it was cheaper than fresh butter and never had any problem
> > with spooning some out when needed. The grocery did not refrigerate it. I
> > did, though I usually took it out a while before I used it to allow it to
> > soften a little.
>
> I do clarified butter all the time in the microwave oven... simply melt
> a stick in a two cup Pyrex measuring cup until it's boiling (good to
> place a saucer over the cup) and pour of all but the last dregs...
> naturally when I butter popcorn I use it all, every last drop. <g> I
> know most folks opt for air-popped pop corn to save on fat calories but
> not me... cold weather is coming so it's time to break out my Wearever
> Popcorn Pumper... I tend to over fill it so it makes six quarts of
> popcorn, just right for my stick of butter.
>
> Sheldon
>

Damn you! ;-)

Now I have a craving for popcorn... and I have a box of "Act II"
microwave popcorn!

<sigh>
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

In article >, Andy <q>
wrote:

> OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>
> > I feel the same way about drawn or clarified butter.
> >
> > IMHO it has NO flavor!
> > Not like plain melted butter......
> >
> > But, to each their own!
> >
> > Restaurants serve drawn butter with crab, lobster and shrimp.
> > It's gross. I always request fresh melted butter. And I get it. ;-)
> > --
> > Om.
>
>
> A TV show explained how to make clarified butter and they insisted on
> using unsalted butter. That probably contributes to the lack of flavor.

Very likely! I always use salted butter at home.
I really don't care for unsalted butter as it tends to taste "off" to me.

The exception is for baking, especially mom's shortbread cookies.

I also started making lemon butter quite some time back.
I now add fresh lemon juice to my dipping butter for seafood.

The juice of 1 lemon per 1/2 cube (1/8 lb.) of butter.

>
> Mom used to serve us cb for dipping artichoke leaves and heart but hers
> was seasoned somehow. The few times I've made cb it's never matched what
> Mom made. [sigh]

Nothing ever tastes like mom made it. <sigh indeed!>

I dip artichokes in lime based mayo. :-d

Speaking of which, I have a pair of artichokes in the 'frige I really
need to cook tonight!

Pressure cook for 5 to 10 minutes. :-)
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

in India, ghi is often not refigerated because the removal of the milk
solids preserves it. Thus, it would never harden.

Orlando

skoonj wrote:
> "Mr Libido Incognito" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> nancree wrote on 09 Oct 2005 in rec.food.cooking
>>
>>
>>> I have just read the thread about clarified butter, but none of
>>> it answered what puzzles me about it. I have made clarified
>>> butter twice. Both times in small a small quantity {1/4 or 1/2
>>> pound). It worked fine, I skimmed off the foam and the clear
>>> clarified butter remained. But when I poured it into a small bowl
>>> to chill and store, it got very, very hard. So hard that you
>>> couldn't scoop it out of the dish at all. Not even with a sharp
>>> spoon, or knife. It as hard as the porcelain dish was. The
>>> second time, I poured it into a small dish with sloping sides,
>>> thinking that I could slide a small knife down along the side and
>>> loosed the butter. No luck--it would have broken the dish.
>>> Letting it come to room temperature wasn't much better. Surely
>>> someone else has had this experience. How do you store and use
>>> clarified butter after you have made it? I would appreciate any
>>> comments. TIA Nancree
>>>
>>
>> AFAIK Ghee doesn't need to be refridgerated. It should keep as well
>> as olive oil, corn oil, peanut oil or canola oil does without
>> refridgeration in a darkened room temperature-ish cupboard. You
>> might consider a screw cap container, something that would stop
>> light...say a metal or a non- transparent plastic bottle. Ghee has
>> been in use in India long before there were fridges in India, just
>> the same as olive oil in Italy or Greece.
>>
>
> Ghee doesn't have to be refrigerated, but she made clarified butter
> at home, which isn't exactly the same. I think ghee is heated longer
> than Western clarified butter, or something like that, which makes it
> stable at room temperature.

Ghee is butter cooked without separating until the water is gone and the
milk solids caramelize. Clarified butter is butter, melted and the fat
component taken off. When all is said and done, they can both be stored
on the same room-temp shelf.

Pastorio

Orlando Enrique Fiol wrote:

> in India, ghi is often not refigerated because the removal of the milk
> solids preserves it. Thus, it would never harden.

It's more complicated than that. Ghee is cooked to drive out the water
component (which reduces the volume by 20% or so). Bacteria don't spoil
fats. The milk solids are sometimes removed, other times left in. In
either case, ghee can be kept at room temperature.

Chilled ghee will harden.

Pastorio

wrote:
>Ghee is butter cooked without separating until the water is gone and the
>milk solids caramelize.

Don't the milk solids have to be strained off at some point? Most ghi
recipes call for this.

>Clarified butter is butter, melted and the fat
>component taken off. When all is said and done, they can both be stored
>on the same room-temp shelf.
Are you simply saying the ghi is cooked longer than clarified butter? I
know it is usually boiled at a low flame for close to an hour.

Orlando

wrote:
>It's more complicated than that. Ghee is cooked to drive out the water
>component (which reduces the volume by 20% or so). Bacteria don't spoil
>fats. The milk solids are sometimes removed, other times left in. In
>either case, ghee can be kept at room temperature.

Is there any relation between water volume and milk solid content? I'd
imagine that removing the milk solids would also slightly reduce the
water further.

Orlando

Orlando Enrique Fiol wrote:
> wrote:
>
>>Ghee is butter cooked without separating until the water is gone and the
>>milk solids caramelize.
>
> Don't the milk solids have to be strained off at some point? Most ghi
> recipes call for this.

Some call for it; some don't. I prefer that it be strained through
cheesecloth to remove any residue.

>>Clarified butter is butter, melted and the fat
>>component taken off. When all is said and done, they can both be stored
>>on the same room-temp shelf.
>
> Are you simply saying the ghi is cooked longer than clarified butter? I
> know it is usually boiled at a low flame for close to an hour.

Clarified butter is melted, skimmed and poured off the milk solids that
have settled to the bottom of the vessel. Not really cooked.

Pastorio

Orlando Enrique Fiol wrote:
> wrote:
>
>>It's more complicated than that. Ghee is cooked to drive out the water
>>component (which reduces the volume by 20% or so). Bacteria don't spoil
>>fats. The milk solids are sometimes removed, other times left in. In
>>either case, ghee can be kept at room temperature.
>
> Is there any relation between water volume and milk solid content? I'd
> imagine that removing the milk solids would also slightly reduce the
> water further.

In making ghee, cooking it removes all the water along with any water
trapped in the milk solids. So it will actually come to some small
number over 20%. A tad more upon filtering out the solids.

Pastorio

wrote:
>Clarified butter is melted, skimmed and poured off the milk solids that
>have settled to the bottom of the vessel. Not really cooked.

Isn't something exposed to heat technical cooked? <grin>

Orlando

Dee Randall wrote:

> "nancree" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>
>>I have just read the thread about clarified butter, but none of it
>>answered what puzzles me about it. I have made clarified butter twice.
>>Both times in small a small quantity {1/4 or 1/2 pound). It worked
>>fine, I skimmed off the foam and the clear clarified butter remained.
>>But when I poured it into a small bowl to chill and store, it got very,
>>very hard. So hard that you couldn't scoop it out of the dish at all.
>>Not even with a sharp spoon, or knife.
>>It as hard as the porcelain dish was. The second time, I poured it
>>into a small dish with sloping sides, thinking that I could slide a
>>small knife down along the side and loosed the butter. No luck--it
>>would have broken the dish. Letting it come to room temperature wasn't
>>much better.
>> Surely someone else has had this experience. How do you store and
>>use clarified butter after you have made it? I would appreciate any
>>comments.
>>TIA Nancree
>
>
> As I mentioned in my previous email, my bought butter labeled 'ghee' was
> this way, and there was no way that I would microwave the whole 8oz-1# to
> get out a spoonful. When I was able to remove some, it disgusted DH anyway,
> so out it went.
> But my thinking cap goes on, and this thought arrives:
> I suppose after making it, one could contain it in small measured amounts,
> then microwave it as needed. But what? would be the container? I don't
> think one would want to measure out more than 1/4 cup (4 T) for use, would
> you?
> Dee Dee
>
>


Plasic ice trays come to mind.

nancree wrote:
> I have just read the thread about clarified butter, but none of it
> answered what puzzles me about it. I have made clarified butter twice.
> Both times in small a small quantity {1/4 or 1/2 pound). It worked
> fine, I skimmed off the foam and the clear clarified butter remained.

You didn't make clarified butter, in fact you made nothing... all you
did was melt butter and then let it cool... big friggin' deal, any low
IQ asshole could do that. You were supposed to pour off the melted
butter fat and leave the milk solids and water at the bottom of the
container.

> But when I poured it into a small bowl to chill and store, it got very,
> very hard. So hard that you couldn't scoop it out of the dish at all.
> Not even with a sharp spoon, or knife.
> It as hard as the porcelain dish was.

You obviously did more than chill it, you froze it... of course frozen
butter gets rock hard... dumkoff!

> The second time, I poured it
> into a small dish with sloping sides, thinking that I could slide a
> small knife down along the side and loosed the butter. No luck--it
> would have broken the dish. Letting it come to room temperature wasn't
> much better.
> Surely someone else has had this experience. How do you store and
> use clarified butter after you have made it?

Why would you wnat to store clarified butter, there is no reason too,
nor is storing clarified butter a smart thing... it will absorb foul
odors and become indistinguishable from a filthy fat WOP *******. <G>

Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. . . .

Orlando Enrique Fiol wrote:

> wrote:
>
>>Clarified butter is melted, skimmed and poured off the milk solids that
>>have settled to the bottom of the vessel. Not really cooked.
>
> Isn't something exposed to heat technical cooked? <grin>

Are the peaches on a tree exposed to the hot sun cooked? Is ice cooked
when it's exposed to enough heat to make it become water?

Pastorio