16: Clarified Butter Animation Video
Transcript:
Technique: Clarifying Butter
Clarified butter is a commercial kitchen staple. It is the fat portion of butter which has been separated from the water and milk solids. Clarified butter is preferred for cooking because it performs better than whole butter at high temperatures.
The content of whole butter is only 80% fat. The remaining content is about 18% water and about 2% milk solids. The water and milk solids in whole butter are the reason whole butter smokes, sputters, and browns when used for cooking at higher temperatures.
To remove the water and milk solids from butter, melt the butter in a saucepot over low heat.
As the butter melts, the water portion and some of the milk solids sink to the bottom of the pot.
The rest of the milk solids form white foam that floats on top of the fat portion.
When the butter is completely melted, skim the foam off the top using a ladle.
After the foam is removed, gently lift the pot and carefully pour the fat into a container.
Stop pouring when the water layer becomes visible.
The clarified butter is covered, labeled, and stored in the refrigerator until needed.