Clarified Butter

By Melissa Clark

Clarified Butter
Francesco Tonelli for The New York Times
Total Time
10 minutes
Rating
4(345)
Comments
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Clarified butter can withstand heat without burning for a longer period and at a higher temperature than whole, nonclarified butter, making it ideal for pan-frying. Clarifying is a relatively simple process that takes just a few extra minutes. Essentially, you’re removing the water content and white milk solids from the butter. Expect to end up with about 25 percent less butter than you started with. Clarified butter keeps up to 1 month in the fridge. This recipe is part of The New Essentials of French Cooking, a guide to definitive dishes every modern cook should master.

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Ingredients

Yield:12 tablespoons, or ¾ cup
  • 1cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

135 calories; 15 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 0 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 0 grams protein; 2 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a small pot, melt butter over low heat until bubbling and foaming subsides. Remove from heat, let cool slightly (don’t let butter resolidify), then skim any foam off the top.

  2. Step 2

    Line a sieve with cheesecloth or a clean dish towel and place over a heat-safe bowl or container. Leaving the white milk solids at the bottom of the pot, carefully pour or spoon yellow butter fat through the sieve and into the container. Let cool completely before refrigerating for up to 1 month.

Ratings

4 out of 5
345 user ratings
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Comments

Doc

It should be pointed out that the solids should NOT be discarded. They make a wonderful addition to veggies or whenever you want to amp up the butter flavor without adding too much more oil.

Eric Rosentreter

A coffee filter works pretty well if only a bit slower than cheese cloth. Once the flow slows way down, dump the remaining unfiltered butter into a new coffee filter to speed up the process a little.

Tom

It says one month in both sections now. They clarified the clarified butter longevity.

Charlie

Cheap butter has too much water, and you'll burn some of the milk solids trying to boil the water off. You have to get rid of the water, too, or the clarified butter is useless as a fat for sauteeing. Long story, short -- start with the highest butterfat content butter you can buy. Clarified butter is not inexpensive.

Anne Carter

226 grams of butter = one cup US

Charlie

The water has to be gotten rid of, and the only way to do that is to heat the butter hot enough to boil the water off.

Charlie

You are trying to remove the milk solids AND the water. Clarified butter with water still in it will pop all over the place when you get it really hot, and getting it really hot is the whole point -- you want that high smoke point temp.

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