I made ghee for the first time today, following Julie Sahni's recipe. When
done and when transferring the ghee from the pot to a container, she says to
make sure the browned milk solids remain behind, suggesting that one even
use cheesecloth to strain them out. How important is that? Why?

Peter

Salut/Hi Peter Dy,

le/on Wed, 01 Oct 2003 07:20:30 GMT, tu disais/you said:-

>I made ghee for the first time today, following Julie Sahni's recipe. When
>done and when transferring the ghee from the pot to a container, she says to
>make sure the browned milk solids remain behind, suggesting that one even
>use cheesecloth to strain them out. How important is that? Why?

Actually, with care you can just decant from off the top. what _I_ do is to
skim off froth and then leave to settle a few minutes before decanting
carefully. I can get a 99.5% pure ghee, and that's close enough for me.

The importance is that the milk solids burn at a relatively low
temperature, so if you leave them in, you rish getting a burnt taste to
your dishes. The French do the same thing sometimes, they call it
"clarified butter". They do it for two reasons, one to raise frying temp,
t'other if they want to seal a dish with clarified butter, the process
makes the fat water free, so it seals perfectly, preserving what is
underneath from risk of infection.
--
All the Best
Ian Hoare

Sometimes oi just sits and thinks
Sometimes oi just sits.

"Ian Hoare" > wrote in message
...
> Salut/Hi Peter Dy,
>
> le/on Wed, 01 Oct 2003 07:20:30 GMT, tu disais/you said:-
>
> >I made ghee for the first time today, following Julie Sahni's recipe.
When
> >done and when transferring the ghee from the pot to a container, she says
to
> >make sure the browned milk solids remain behind, suggesting that one even
> >use cheesecloth to strain them out. How important is that? Why?
>
> Actually, with care you can just decant from off the top. what _I_ do is
to
> skim off froth and then leave to settle a few minutes before decanting
> carefully. I can get a 99.5% pure ghee, and that's close enough for me.
>
> The importance is that the milk solids burn at a relatively low
> temperature, so if you leave them in, you rish getting a burnt taste to
> your dishes. The French do the same thing sometimes, they call it
> "clarified butter". They do it for two reasons, one to raise frying temp,
> t'other if they want to seal a dish with clarified butter, the process
> makes the fat water free, so it seals perfectly, preserving what is
> underneath from risk of infection.


Thanks, Ian. I had decanted from the top, pouring it into cheesecloth. The
ghee had such a hard time getting through, that I ditched the cloth, and
just decanted straight. I noticed a few flecks of brown pour out, but I
guess it is no big deal now -- not enough to burn. 98% pure, I'd say.

Peter

"Peter Dy" > wrote:
> "Ian Hoare" > wrote in message
> > [ . . . ]what _I_ do is to skim off froth and then leave to settle a
> > few minutes before decanting carefully.
>
Peter,

What works very well for me is, as Ian says, to skim off the froth, but
then, while it's settling, tap the side of the (glass) bowl with the back
of a kitchen knife several times every few minutes to dislodge any residue
in the ghee. After it's cooled a bit, I put it in the 'fridge overnight.
The next morning, the ghee has hardened and can be broken up and removed.
You can lightly scrape the bottom of it to remove any particles that are
still adhering. I do that when I'm using it to make white cookies.

--
Nick, Retired in the San Fernando Valley www.boonchoo.com
"Giving violent criminals a government guarantee that their intended
victims are defenseless is bad public policy."
- John Ross, "Unintended Consequences"

Peter Dy wrote:

> I made ghee for the first time today, following Julie Sahni's recipe. When
> done and when transferring the ghee from the pot to a container, she says to
> make sure the browned milk solids remain behind, suggesting that one even
> use cheesecloth to strain them out. How important is that? Why?
>

They will spoil rather than keep for eons,unlike ghee, and they will burn when
frying, unlike ghee.
I find that straining lets through the liquid some, so I decant the pure oil off
the top, leaving a little behind with the browned solids and whey. Pour that
over toast. Wow!
blacksalt