The topic was given a good going over only recently, but there was
so much conflicting information it only got more confusing. My
question is this: Can clarified butter be made in the microwave?

I sometimes put a tablespoon of butter in a tiny dish in the
microwave to use on popcorn. I have noticed there is white stuff
floating on top, a small amount of course, because I only use a
tablespoon. But when people talking about skimming the milk solids
from the top of a pound of clarified butter, is that the stuff they're
talking about?

I know a guy here in town who says he's been clarifying butter
for years and that cooking it down is not necessary - just heating it
till it's totally melted to liquid is good enough. I would also like
to know if it's easier to skim off the milk solids or whatever they're
called after the butter is allowed to sit awhile. It seems while the
butter is hot that the stuff on top is harder to skim off, if in fact
it's the right stuff. I only want to use the clarified butter for
cooking. Thanks.

TJ

On Sep 7, 3:33*pm, Tommy Joe > wrote:
> * * The topic was given a good going over only recently, but there was
> so much conflicting information it only got more confusing. *My
> question is this: *Can clarified butter be made in the microwave?
>
> * * *I sometimes put a tablespoon of butter in a tiny dish in the
> microwave to use on popcorn. *I have noticed there is white stuff
> floating on top, a small amount of course, because I only use a
> tablespoon. *But when people talking about skimming the milk solids
> from the top of a pound of clarified butter, is that the stuff they're
> talking about?
>
> * * *I know a guy here in town who says he's been clarifying butter
> for years and that cooking it down is not necessary - just heating it
> till it's totally melted to liquid is good enough. *I would also like
> to know if it's easier to skim off the milk solids or whatever they're
> called after the butter is allowed to sit awhile. *It seems while the
> butter is hot that the stuff on top is harder to skim off, if in fact
> it's the right stuff. * I only want to use the clarified butter for
> cooking. *Thanks.
>
> TJ

He I googled it for you. http://alterecipes.com/06-etc/clarif...ify-butter.htm

On Fri, 7 Sep 2012 15:33:58 -0700 (PDT), Tommy Joe
> wrote:

>
> The topic was given a good going over only recently, but there was
>so much conflicting information it only got more confusing. My
>question is this: Can clarified butter be made in the microwave?
>
> I sometimes put a tablespoon of butter in a tiny dish in the
>microwave to use on popcorn. I have noticed there is white stuff
>floating on top, a small amount of course, because I only use a
>tablespoon. But when people talking about skimming the milk solids
>from the top of a pound of clarified butter, is that the stuff they're
>talking about?
>
> I know a guy here in town who says he's been clarifying butter
>for years and that cooking it down is not necessary - just heating it
>till it's totally melted to liquid is good enough. I would also like
>to know if it's easier to skim off the milk solids or whatever they're
>called after the butter is allowed to sit awhile. It seems while the
>butter is hot that the stuff on top is harder to skim off, if in fact
>it's the right stuff. I only want to use the clarified butter for
>cooking. Thanks.

The foam on top bubbles forms from teh water evaporating an dsome
schmutz that floats... should be skimmed off. The milk solids sink to
the bottom... the clarified butter is carefully poured off.

Your friend is correct, to clarify butter melt at medium heat just
until the milk solids sink to the bottom... cooking longer until the
milk solids begin to brown is how ghee is made. Ghee wouldn't make
popcorn or dipping seafood taste very good, ghee doesn't have that
fresh butter flavor, ghee is used as a cooking oil, for Indian cooking
often it's flavored with spices... you may like curried popcorn.

How much popcorn do you make that one tablespoon of butter is
sufficient, do you count out like twenty five kernals? For popcorn
it's not necessary to skim or separate the milk solids, you won't
notice on popcorn.... for dipping seafood you'll see all the schmutz
and it won't look very attractive.

On Sep 7, 7:00*pm, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
> On Fri, 7 Sep 2012 15:33:58 -0700 (PDT), Tommy Joe
>
>
>
> > wrote:
>
> > * *The topic was given a good going over only recently, but there was
> >so much conflicting information it only got more confusing. *My
> >question is this: *Can clarified butter be made in the microwave?
>
> > * * I sometimes put a tablespoon of butter in a tiny dish in the
> >microwave to use on popcorn. *I have noticed there is white stuff
> >floating on top, a small amount of course, because I only use a
> >tablespoon. *But when people talking about skimming the milk solids
> >from the top of a pound of clarified butter, is that the stuff they're
> >talking about?
>
> > * * I know a guy here in town who says he's been clarifying butter
> >for years and that cooking it down is not necessary - just heating it
> >till it's totally melted to liquid is good enough. *I would also like
> >to know if it's easier to skim off the milk solids or whatever they're
> >called after the butter is allowed to sit awhile. *It seems while the
> >butter is hot that the stuff on top is harder to skim off, if in fact
> >it's the right stuff. * I only want to use the clarified butter for
> >cooking. *Thanks.
>
> The foam on top bubbles forms from teh water evaporating an dsome
> schmutz that floats... should be skimmed off. *The milk solids sink to
> the bottom... the clarified butter is carefully poured off.
>
> Your friend is correct, to clarify butter melt at medium heat just
> until the milk solids sink to the bottom... cooking longer until the
> milk solids begin to brown is how ghee is made. *Ghee wouldn't make
> popcorn or dipping seafood taste very good, ghee doesn't have that
> fresh butter flavor, ghee is used as a cooking oil, for Indian cooking
> often it's flavored with spices... you may like curried popcorn.
>
> How much popcorn do you make that one tablespoon of butter is
> sufficient, do you count out like twenty five kernals? *For popcorn
> it's not necessary to skim or separate the milk solids, you won't
> notice on popcorn.... for dipping seafood you'll see all the schmutz
> and it won't look very attractive.


I was not trying to make clarified butter for popcorn, only using
the microwaved butter as an example of what I wondered clarified
butter should look like, although my grandmother used it all the time
I never bothered to inspect it or write a dissertation on it. I still
don't understand it. Does the butter have to be cooled. I know the
stuff that rises to the top, a froth of sorts. I never skimmed it off
for the popcorn, I merely mentioned it wondering if that is the stuff
that should be skimmed off for clarified butter. Yeah, I don't care
about ghee or flavorings, I just thought it would be nice to have the
clarified butter around for browning some things, certain dishes. As
for my popcorn making, I use those single-serving bags that have as
little oil or fat in them as I can find. I micro the bag, then micro
the butter - unzip the bag and pour into a bowl and then drizzle with
the butter. I still don't get it about the clarified butter. The
stuff on top is to be skimmed off, the stuff on the bottom sort of
remains on the bottom, and what's in the middle is the clarified stuff
- right? Well, how long does one wait to pour out the butter after
it's melted to insure that the unwanted stuff stays on the bottom and
does not come out with the clarified stuff? See how confusing this
is, one answer forcing another question, round and round we go and
where we're going to stop nobody knows.

Can you clarify that? Seriously.
TJ

On 9/7/2012 12:33 PM, Tommy Joe wrote:
>
> The topic was given a good going over only recently, but there was
> so much conflicting information it only got more confusing. My
> question is this: Can clarified butter be made in the microwave?
>
> I sometimes put a tablespoon of butter in a tiny dish in the
> microwave to use on popcorn. I have noticed there is white stuff
> floating on top, a small amount of course, because I only use a
> tablespoon. But when people talking about skimming the milk solids
> from the top of a pound of clarified butter, is that the stuff they're
> talking about?
>
> I know a guy here in town who says he's been clarifying butter
> for years and that cooking it down is not necessary - just heating it
> till it's totally melted to liquid is good enough. I would also like
> to know if it's easier to skim off the milk solids or whatever they're
> called after the butter is allowed to sit awhile. It seems while the
> butter is hot that the stuff on top is harder to skim off, if in fact
> it's the right stuff. I only want to use the clarified butter for
> cooking. Thanks.
>
> TJ
>

The milk solids are on the bottom. The stuff on the top is butter
scum/slag. My guess is that it's water mixed with milk solids and air.
It's some pretty nasty stuff but how bad could it be?

Clarified butter is the stuff in the middle. Popcorn popped with
clarified butter seems like a good idea although I've never heard of
anybody doing it.

On Sep 7, 8:17*pm, dsi1 > wrote:

> The milk solids are on the bottom. The stuff on the top is butter
> scum/slag. My guess is that it's water mixed with milk solids and air.
> It's some pretty nasty stuff but how bad could it be?
>
> Clarified butter is the stuff in the middle. Popcorn popped with
> clarified butter seems like a good idea although I've never heard of
> anybody doing it.


Thanks for your post too. I thought from the start that the stuff
on the bottom was to be thrown away. My main question is, having
melted butter before and never having seen anything different on the
bottom, does it require some cooling time before pouring off the
clarified stuff? I know this is a simple procedure, but it seems
complicated using words to demonstrate it. Yeah, I figured the stuff
on top was air and whatever else. Anyway, is there a waiting period
after the butter is melted before pouring the clarified stuff into a
jar and leaving the unwanted stuff on the bottom of the pan, or dish
if melted in the microwave. I was not looking to use clarified butter
on popcorn, only using it as an example to try and describe what I
thought was the stuff that had to be removed, a sort of white, airy
froth that sits atop the melted butter. I have never seen anything
different on the bottom side which leads me to believe it should sit
awhile before pouring, am I correct?

Thanks again,
TJ

On 9/7/2012 8:37 PM, Tommy Joe wrote:
> On Sep 7, 8:17 pm, dsi1 > wrote:
>
>> The milk solids are on the bottom. The stuff on the top is butter
>> scum/slag. My guess is that it's water mixed with milk solids and air.
>> It's some pretty nasty stuff but how bad could it be?
>>
>> Clarified butter is the stuff in the middle. Popcorn popped with
>> clarified butter seems like a good idea although I've never heard of
>> anybody doing it.
>
>
> Thanks for your post too. I thought from the start that the stuff
> on the bottom was to be thrown away. My main question is, having
> melted butter before and never having seen anything different on the
> bottom, does it require some cooling time before pouring off the
> clarified stuff? I know this is a simple procedure, but it seems
> complicated using words to demonstrate it. Yeah, I figured the stuff
> on top was air and whatever else. Anyway, is there a waiting period
> after the butter is melted before pouring the clarified stuff into a
> jar and leaving the unwanted stuff on the bottom of the pan, or dish
> if melted in the microwave. I was not looking to use clarified butter
> on popcorn, only using it as an example to try and describe what I
> thought was the stuff that had to be removed, a sort of white, airy
> froth that sits atop the melted butter. I have never seen anything
> different on the bottom side which leads me to believe it should sit
> awhile before pouring, am I correct?
>
> Thanks again,
> TJ
>

Remove the froth and then pour out the clear liquid. I don't think you
need to wait for the butter to settle. I'm not sure what you can do with
the surplus milk solids - my guess is that you could dump it on some
popcorn and it would be fine.

On Sep 8, 5:40*am, dsi1 > wrote:

> Remove the froth and then pour out the clear liquid. I don't think you
> need to wait for the butter to settle. I'm not sure what you can do with
> the surplus milk solids - my guess is that you could dump it on some
> popcorn and it would be fine.


I'd just throw it away. I read somewhere that in clarifying
butter approximately 1/4 of what one starts with is lost. Big deal, I
can live with that. I still don't quite get it though, the stuff on
the bottom I mean. I've never seen it. I've melted butter before,
never a whole pound, but a few tablespoons, maybe as much as 4 of
them, and I saw the froth on top, but I never noticed anything forming
on the bottom. So it's hard for me to visualize it. A pound of
unsalted butter from the local market is only about $3, so maybe I'll
just wing it and see what happens. So what I'm imagining is that when
I pour the usable butter into a jar or whatever there is some small
amount of something that clings to the pot or container I'm using, so
the butter should be poured off gently so as not to include the bottom
stuff, whatever the hell that is. At least the experiment will give
me something to do. Thanks again.

Please not there are no question marks in my paragraph above, but if
you suddenly feel you have something new and simple to add to the
equation, by all means feel free. Otherwise, your info has been
helpful and I appreciate it.

TJ

On Sat, 8 Sep 2012 13:05:38 -0700 (PDT), Tommy Joe
> wrote:

>On Sep 8, 5:40*am, dsi1 > wrote:
>
>> Remove the froth and then pour out the clear liquid. I don't think you
>> need to wait for the butter to settle. I'm not sure what you can do with
>> the surplus milk solids - my guess is that you could dump it on some
>> popcorn and it would be fine.
>
>
> I'd just throw it away. I read somewhere that in clarifying
>butter approximately 1/4 of what one starts with is lost. Big deal, I
>can live with that. I still don't quite get it though, the stuff on
>the bottom I mean. I've never seen it. I've melted butter before,
>never a whole pound, but a few tablespoons, maybe as much as 4 of
>them, and I saw the froth on top, but I never noticed anything forming
>on the bottom. So it's hard for me to visualize it. A pound of
>unsalted butter from the local market is only about $3, so maybe I'll
>just wing it and see what happens. So what I'm imagining is that when
>I pour the usable butter into a jar or whatever there is some small
>amount of something that clings to the pot or container I'm using, so
>the butter should be poured off gently so as not to include the bottom
>stuff, whatever the hell that is. At least the experiment will give
>me something to do.

You can use the dregs for a lubricant, for when you have nothing to
do. hehe

On 9/8/12 4:05 PM, Tommy Joe wrote:
>.... I saw the froth on top, but I never noticed anything forming
> on the bottom. So it's hard for me to visualize it.

Just keep the butter over low heat a bit longer, maybe 10 minutes, and
you will definitely see it. It will look like dark brown grainy bits
suspended in an opaque creamy (almost milk) colored goop.

Then, after skimming off any lingering foam, you just pour off the clear
clarified butter and leave the obvious garbage behind.

-- Larry

Tommy Joe wrote:
>
> The topic was given a good going over only recently, but there was
> so much conflicting information it only got more confusing. My
> question is this: Can clarified butter be made in the microwave?

I'm sure it could be but maybe better to make it in a very small saucepan so
you can watch the process like a hawk and not take it too far. I would also
tip the saucepan while heating to keep the bottom residue confined to a
small pile.

G.

On Sep 9, 5:41*am, Gary > wrote:



> I'm sure it could be but maybe better to make it in a very small saucepan so
> you can watch the process like a hawk and not take it too far. *I would also
> tip the saucepan while heating to keep the bottom residue confined to a
> small pile.


Like impatient people do when they're making an omelet? Thank
you for your advice too. I figure what the hell, I can make a pound
of the stuff and keep it in a jar, even if it goes wrong it's not the
end of the world. When is the world going to end anyway?

TJ