I know ghee has been around for centuries, but I am just gheetting on the ghee train. Here’s the scoop on ghee…
GHEE
AKA: Butter’s Clarified Cousin
Ghee starts out as butter, but then it’s “clarified” meaning it’s boiled to evaporate the water and then milk solids are strained out. You can make ghee yourself or buy it in most grocery stores or online.
Ghee = butter MINUS water and milk solids
Butter & its cousin ghee aren’t bad for you. Recent studies suggest butter in moderation isn’t evil like we once thought. In fact, butter/ghee contain many healthful compounds such as butyrate and CLA.
Choose grass-fed versions. When cows eat mostly grass rather than grain, their meat, milk, and products made from the milk (yogurt/butter/ghee) have better nutrition such as more healthy omega-3 fats and CLA.
Ghee is better than butter because it’s:
– shelf-stable. No refrigeration is needed, even after opening, so it’s always easily spreadable. Once open, you can use it for 3 months.
– more flavorful. Ghee tastes butterier than butter so you can use half the amount without sacrificing flavor.
– great at high temps. THIS is the point that makes me most pumped about ghee. Butter can only be heated to 350F, but ghee can safely be used in HIGH HEAT cooking (485F).
– PS: Butter really doesn’t have much lactose or milk protein, but ghee has just about none which is good for people sensitive to them.
Get on the grass-fed ghee train.
Reach for ghee when roasting potatoes, sautéing veggies, broiling frittatas, grilling meats, pan-frying salmon cakes, or griddling pancakes.
BUT also use other smart fats in your kitchen such as EVOO for salad dressings and medium heat cooking (light sautéing/baking) + avocado oil for high heat cooking when you don’t want ghee’s buttery flavor.
All aboard. Let’s Ghee!
