How to Make Clarified Butter

Cook Time 20

Total Time 20

Equipment

Small Saucepan (1-2 Quarts)

Ingredients

▢ 4 sticks unsalted butter, 1 pound

Instructions

Place the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until completely melted. As the butter melts, a white, milky layer will develop on top. These are the milk proteins separating from the fat. Do not stir.
Keep heating until the butter comes to a gentle boil. The surface will become quite foamy. Reduce the heat to medium to maintain a steady simmer. You'll observe the milk solids breaking down and transforming during this stage. Do not stir.
Watch carefully as the process continues. The milk solids will gradually sink to the bottom of the pan, taking on a golden-brown color. The bubbling will become less vigorous and eventually stop, indicating that the water content has evaporated.
Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter. This will capture the browned milk solids and leave pure, golden, clarified butter. Let it cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container.

Notes

1. Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. The nutritional value is only for clarified butter. It does not include the nutrition for any items cooked with clarified butter.

2. Be sure to check out the Key Ingredients along with the Recipe Tips and Notes sections found in the post, for more tips, options, substitutions, and variations for this recipe! You will also find step-by-step photos there.