An idea for dealing with a surplus of butter

#1

So, my hubby scored around 8 pounds of butter at Aldi while he was on a business trip. Now, I use butter pretty much every day on every thing. But, 8 pounds, plus that which I already had seemed a bit excessive. Not wanting it to spoil, I decided to make ghee. Basically, clarified butter that you make, pour in a jar, seal it up and use when you need it.
Chop up the butter in cubes. toss into a good pot. melt on low for about 20 mins. While its melting and simmering, the dairy solids will sink to the bottom of the pot and ball up. Before the foam on top sinks, its kinda fun to scrap some off, put in a bowl on use on meat and veggies. It’s basically the salt foam from the salted butter. (You can make ghee with unsalted butter, but all I had was salted) I decided to use this byproduct of the ghee, and am astounded at the amazing buttery-salty flavor it lends to meats, eggs and veggies!!!

So, just throwing that out there for anyone who might be interested.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #2

We go through butter so fast that we buy five or six pounds at a time and freeze most of it. The current stick stays out on the counter, and the rest of the current pound stays in the fridge.

(Richard Morris) #3

I love cooking with ghee. I use the CostCo ghee. I should try making my own.

(Butter Withaspoon) #4

Thanks second brekkie! I’ve never tried making ghee but since I cook with butter it makes sense to try

#5

Making ghee is easy. I made it once (for a longish trip without a fridge), never again as it took away all the flavor (and never went to such a trip again). But the stuff on the top of bottom, that was super flavorful! No wonder, it was all the flavor concentrated.

We buy 1 kg butter at most (but usually 200g, it’s often on sale), 1 kg lasts for a few months or longer, it doesn’t spoil in the fridge. Butter is very expensive and not even as flavorful as good lard, I do my best to avoid using added fat anyway so we use it very rarely and in small amounts. But it has its role :slight_smile: Nothing can fully substitute some nice tasty butter!

(Alec) #6
  1. There is no such thing as a surplus of butter
  2. Butter freezes ok
  3. Butter is the Nectar of The Gods
  4. How any sane civilisation can replace butter with margerine and think it is a good idea is beyond me
  5. I love butter
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#7

I make ghee in the Instant Pot, and use 2kg of unsalted butter for each batch. Salted butter also works; there’s just more sediment to remove. Some reckon that unsalted butter is a fresher product, but I couldn’t tell a difference - so if all you have is salted butter, don’t let it put you off trying.

What did make a difference to the quality of the finished product was using reusable coffee filters to strain the ghee. These sell for a couple of quid online.

I ladle the ghee through a sieve and a coffee filter into a measuring jug. Then I pour the contents of the measuring jug through another coffee filter into a jar.

The result is perfectly clear ghee.

#8

Your hubby made a good score!

Your fresh ghee sounds delish…I know you are eating good in your neighborhood :wink:

I just freeze tho. Butter freezes so well and for so long but around here it sure doesn’t last long. I am one of those ‘less work in the kitchen’ all the time is a good thing LOL

It sounds like you made something you truly like…cool deal!!

#9

I should have mentioned that freezer storage is not an option right now.

@Alecmcq I could not agree more. I love the stuff, but with those additional 8 pounds in the fridge, I’d have had 17 pounds of butter in there. I do have a family, and sadly, they do not share the same zeal for butter consumption that we do. So, I needed space for other foods for the family.

#10

I know why…you got meat slam packed full in there don’t ya :slight_smile: :slight_smile:
I actually threw out some packages of french fries I had in my regular refrig freezer when I had no room…got one of those side by sides and I hate it…it fills up with no room so fast…but I ‘moved them over a bit’ to put in some butter I bought LOL Kid one day says I want some fries and I am like, hmm, sorry out, you ate them all!! Yes I throw out their food when mine is more important, me bad HA In fact I’ve done stuff like that a few too many times, I think they might be catching onto me :wink:

(Jane) #11

Can you post how you make it in an Instant Pot?

Thanks!

#12

Yes, no problem!

I watched lots of YouTube videos on it - and there’s such a mix of styles.

This is the first one I tried was based on this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MoaBc0xN-M - which was basically 1kg of butter, 30 minutes on soup mode with a natural release, job done. It worked, but I felt that it wasn’t as golden as it could’ve been.

But as I watched more videos, most people put the pot on soup mode for longer durations. I’m not exactly convinced that it matters, but I’m working from home so it’s no odds to me to put the pot on and leave it to work.

So now my method is:

  • Place 2kg of butter in the Instant Pot (in 4 x 500g blocks) - no need to slice it up
  • Put the Instant Pot lid on and set it to soup mode for 60-120 minutes (depending on what time I am due to finish work!)
  • Leave the Instant Pot to release naturally (you don’t want butter splatter through the vent)
  • Take the lid off, and then put the pot on saute mode (middle setting) until the ghee is clear
  • I don’t stir at all, as I find its better if you leave the solids to fall and settle on the bottom - but I do tend to scrape away any of the froth that that rises to the surface during this part, but some on the videos don’t bother (I find it easier to get rid of it at this stage than when straining)
  • Wait until the ghee is a deep golden brown - you’ll see this stage really obviously - it starts off as a yellow mass, then eventually looks like yellow strands, and then it’ll become a clear golden colour. Keep your nerve until it becomes a deep golden colour rather than pulling it off the heat too soon.
  • Take the inner pot out and put it on the worktop (with a protector under the hot pot) and let it cool down slightly
  • Ladle through a sieve and a coffee strainer into a measuring jug
  • Pour the contents from the jug through another coffee strainer into a jar

It’s probably overkill as far as methods go. I reckon you could probably ditch the soup mode and just saute it down (which is the way you’d do it on the stove). I find that having it on soup mode reduces how long you need to saute for and reduces the amount of steam in the kitchen.

From watching others, I think the methods seem to be:

  • use less butter, use soup mode, no saute mode
  • use more butter, use soup mode for extended amounts of time (e.g. 4 hours + splatter guard instead of the lid), no saute mode
  • use a mix of soup mode and saute mode

The last few batches have been perfect, so I’m staying with the current method for a while. The yield tends to fill 2 x 900g (2lb) jars, and then partially fill a 500g jar.

Hope that helps - if you give it a go, I’d love to know which method works for you.

(Jane) #13

Thanks. I just made a batch on the stovetop so will be a while before I try your method but definitely will the next time I need to make some ghee.

(Butter Withaspoon) #14

Alec I had to laugh at your post! :joy: the picture is perfect.
You know I’m with you; read my name. When I really really REALLY need a snack, a small bit of butter usually does the trick. Usually happens when I’m slowish cooking something and waiting waiting…