at home
butter
instant pot
paleo
budget-friendly

"O. M. Ghee! This recipe can be done just as easily on your stovetop in a pot or Dutch oven, but—not surprisingly—I prefer to use the Instant Pot. Ghee, which originated in India, is a clarified—or anhydrous—butter, which means that it's ordinary butter with all the milk solids separated out after it melts from its solid state. Once you strain the butter and cool it in the fridge, it hardens up again and can be used for months to come. Even better, it has a high heat tolerance so it won't burn as quickly as other oils or regular butter, making it ideal for sautéing. And since all the lactose is removed, ghee is paleo-compliant. It's perfectly normal if a few particles sink to the bottom of the jar once poured. That shows that the ghee has separated from the milk solids with success! If it gets dark brown, you'll have brown ghee—which will be delicious as well, but will have a slightly charred flavor (like brown butter). Anything darker will taste burnt and likely unpleasant. Regardless, taste it once cooled to see if it's your style. You'll get the hang of it the more you make it, and it's a big money saver." –Jeff 

Pro Tip: Pour the ghee into a silicone ice cube tray (about 1 teaspoon each) and pop in the fridge for easy use.  

Jeff uses this plus his Instant Pot Roasted Garlic to make Instant Pot Cream of Cauliflower Soup. 

Adapted from The Lighter Step-By-Step Instant Pot Cookbook by Jeffrey Eisner. Copyright © 2021 by Jeffrey Eisner. Used with permission by Voracious. All rights reserved. 

Ingredients

  • 1 pound high-quality unsalted butter

Yield

Serves: Makes 2 cups

Preparation

Fold a piece of cheesecloth to make a double layer and place it over the mouth of a 16-ounce mason jar. Allow some slack over the lip of the jar so it forms a bit of a sunken pit for catching milk solids, then screw on the ring lid.

Put the butter in the Instant Pot, hit Sauté, and Adjust so it’s on the Less or Low setting. Heat for 3 minutes, or until the butter is melted. You can encourage quicker melting by stirring often.

From there, it’s a watching game as we want it to get to a light golden color. To achieve this, hit Sauté twice more until you’re on the More or High setting (for older models, hit Keep Warm/Cancel, hit Sauté, and Adjust so you're on the More or High setting). Stir every 15 seconds for 4 to 5 minutes until the butter is a golden color, small particles form, and the top is covered with foam, which means it's about to quickly change to a dark brown.

Immediately hit Keep Warm/Cancel and, with oven mitts or dish towels, carefully strain the ghee into the jar through the cheesecloth filter. The jar will get hot, so be careful when touching. Let the ghee cool on the counter for an hour, then remove the cheesecloth, secure the full lid, and refrigerate to solidify for up to 6 months.