The Steps
-
1. Add the butter to a saucepan and place over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt. Bring the melted butter to a simmer. 00:29
-
2. As the butter begins to simmer and separate, use a small ladle or spoon to skim the white foam off the top of the butter. This white foam consists of milk solids that are separating out of the butter. Discard the milk solids. 00:53
-
3. Continue to skim off the milk solids until a clear, yellow layer begins to appear underneath the foam. Remove the saucepan from the heat. 01:50
-
4. Skim off any remaining foam from the top of the butter. Transfer the butter to another saucepan or heatproof container. When pouring, be careful not to pour out the layer of milk solids that have settled on the bottom of the saucepan. Use the clarified butter immediately, or store in the refrigerator up to four months or in the freezer for up to a year. 02:06
What You'll Need
Equipment
- Saucepan (2)
- Small ladle or spoon
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
Chef Notes
Clarified butter is butter that has had all of the milk solids removed. This process results in a clear fat that has a higher smoke point than regular butter. Clarified butter can be used for high-heat cooking when the flavor of butter is desired.
Clarifying butter gives the butter a higher smoke point. To learn more about smoke points and cooking with oil, visit Chef Michael Sichel’s “An Overview of Cooking Oils” located at the bottom of the page.
For a few ideas about how to use clarified butter, visit Chef Daniel Oseas's "How to Properly Bake Eggs" tutorial, Chef Michael Sichel's "Classic Béarnaise Sauce" tutorial, and Chef Adam Steudle's "How to Make a Classic Hollandaise" tutorial located at the bottom of the page.
Comments
Sign up to leave a comment