Ghee: Liquid Gold Benefits & Easy Homemade Recipe

· 

There's something about a pot of butter slowly turning to gold on the stove. The kitchen fills with a warm, nutty aroma, and you can almost feel the house settle. For thousands of years, Ayurvedic medicine has treasured ghee as one of the most healing foods in the kitchen, and it's often called "liquid gold."

In this post, I'll share why ghee deserves a spot in your pantry, what Ayurveda teaches about it, and how to make your own batch at home, with a photo from my last batch.

What is ghee?

Ghee is clarified butter that has been simmered a little longer, until the milk solids toast and the butterfat turns clear and golden. What's left is rich, nutty, and deeply nourishing.

It's a versatile, nutrient-dense fat with a lot to offer:

  • Fat-soluble vitamins A, E, and K, which support vision, skin, immunity, and healthy bones.
  • Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that helps feed and support the cells lining the gut.
  • Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), found in higher amounts when ghee is made from grass-fed butter.

Ghee is also a wonderful carrier. Fat-soluble nutrients in vegetables, herbs, and spices are better absorbed when eaten with a little healthy fat, and ghee does that job beautifully.

Ghee in Ayurveda

In Ayurveda, ghee is valued for bringing balance to the body. It's considered one of the most sattvic foods, meaning it is pure, nourishing, and supportive of a calm, clear mind. Who doesn't need that!

  • Balancing the doshas. Ghee is traditionally seen as grounding for Vata and cooling for Pitta. Kapha types are encouraged to enjoy it in smaller amounts.
  • Kindling agni. Ayurveda teaches that ghee gently strengthens agni, or digestive fire, helping the body digest food and absorb nutrients.
  • A carrier for healing. Ghee is used as an anupana, a vehicle for herbs and spices, helping their nutrients have far reaching benefits that travel deeper into the tissues.
  • Cleansing and renewal. Ghee has long been part of traditional cleansing and detox practices that help the body release what it no longer needs.

Modern science is still catching up with many of these traditional uses. But the wisdom of pairing good fats with whole foods, herbs and spices lines up nicely with what we know about nutrient absorption.

Ghee vs. butter

I love butter too, but ghee earns its spot by the stove.

 

Ghee

Butter

Smoke point (approx.)

About 450°F

About 350°F

Lactose and casein

Trace amounts

Present

Shelf life

Counter-stable for months

Best refrigerated

Flavor

Nutty, toasty

Creamy, sweet

Its higher smoke point makes ghee ideal for sautéing, roasting, and searing without burning. Because the milk solids are removed, ghee contains only trace amounts of lactose (milk sugar) and casein (milk protein). Many people who are sensitive to dairy find they can enjoy its creamy richness comfortably. Anyone with a true milk allergy should still steer clear.

How to make ghee at home

Ghee takes one ingredient, one pot, and about half an hour. One pound of butter makes roughly 1½ cups of ghee.

You'll need: 1 lb unsalted butter (ideally grass-fed and organic), a heavy-bottomed saucepan, a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or cheesecloth, and a clean, dry glass jar.

  1. Melt. Place the butter in the saucepan over medium-low heat and let it melt gently. 
  2. Simmer. The butter will foam a bit and sputter as the water cooks off. Let it simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes.
  3. Watch for gold. The sputtering quiets, the butterfat turns clear, and the milk solids sink and turn golden brown. When it smells nutty, it's done. Pull it off the heat before the solids go dark.
  4. Strain. Let it cool for a few minutes, then pour it through the lined sieve into your jar. Watch the golden magic happen.
  5. Cool and store. Let it cool uncovered, then seal. Ghee sets up creamy and opaque at room temperature.

Storing and using your ghee

With the water and milk solids gone, ghee is shelf-stable. Keep it in a cool, dark spot on the counter for up to about three months, or in the fridge for longer. Always use a clean, dry spoon, since water or crumbs can spoil it.

A few of my favorite ways to use it:

  • Roast root vegetables or squash
  • Scramble or fry eggs
  • Stir into rice, oatmeal, or kitchari
  • Drizzle over popcorn
  • Blend into golden milk with turmeric and black pepper
  • Spread it generously on warm toast

Short on time?

If you don't have the time or energy to make a batch, we've got you covered. Come down to the Mighty Oak and grab a jar!

Soon we'll also carry turmeric-infused ghee. Turmeric's curcumin is best absorbed with fat, so the pairing gives you an extra anti-inflammatory boost. It's ancient wisdom and modern science in one little jar.

Back to blog