Hello nautico-ga,
This was a fun question since I was glad to find out that the simple
method I?ve been using is adequate, although I now have several
additional fancier methods for clarifying butter to choose from.
Butter is composed of butterfat, water and mild solids. Clarifying
butter evaporates the water and separates the milk solids from the
butterfat. The pure butterfat has a higher scorch point than butter
that contains milk solids which means that the clarified butter will
not brown like butter that has milk solids that can burn at high
temperatures. It also keeps much longer than unclarified butter.
Clarified butter is also called ?drawn butter? or ?ghee?. You should
expect to reduce the amount of butter by 20-30% by clarifying it so
make sure you check your recipe first to see how much clarified butter
you will need and use a sufficient amount of unclarified butter.
Always use unsalted butter for clarified butter recipes.
I usually use a small saucepan to melt the butter on the stove top. I
prefer one with a pouring lip to make it simpler to pour off the
clarified butter and easily leave the milk solids behind. I find that
a tablespoon is quite effective for skimming the foam from the top. If
you use the microwave method, I recommend using a pyrex or similar
heatproof measuring cup with a pouring lip.
As you can see from the various references listed below, you can
simply melt the butter, skim off the foam that forms as the water
evaporates, let the milk solids sink to the bottom and then pour off
the golden clarified butter and leave the milk solids in the pan. I?ve
included a short video clip from the Food Network that shows you what
this looks like. If you want to be more elaborate, you can let the
milk solids cook until they begin to fry and then strain the clarified
butter through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth.
You can also accomplish the task by melting the butter in a microwave.
A further variation is to let the three layers of the clarified butter
cool and solidify and then separate the scum from the top and the milk
solids from the bottom.
Enjoy!
~ czh
http://www.baking911.com/howto_butter_clarify.htm
Clarify Butter
To clarify butter on the stove top:
1. In a 1-quart saucepan, bring 1 cup of unsalted butter at a time to
a slow boil over low heat until melted and the solids separate from
the fat, about 10 to 15 minutes. Continue until crackling and bubbling
almost stop.
2. Remove from heat and let stand a few minutes; skim off the foam.
3. Slowly pour off clear yellow liquid through a small strainer, into
a covered jar, leaving behind the residue of milk solids that has
settled to the bottom of the pan. Discard milk solids.
To clarify butter in a microwave:
Place 1 stick butter at a time in a 2-cup heatproof glass measure.
Cover with wax paper and microwave at 100 percent power for 1-1/4 to
1-1/2 minutes until melted. Let stand, uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes
until the solids settle, then gently pour off the clarified liquid.
Makes a little over 1/3 cup.
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http://www.ochef.com/69.htm
Q. How does one clarify butter?
A. Depends on how fussy one is.
Melt the butter slowly. Let it sit for a bit to separate. Skim off the
foam that rises to the top, and gently pour the butter off of the milk
solids, which have settled to the bottom. A stick (8 tablespoons) of
butter will produce about 6 tablespoons of clarified butter.
Another method is to simmer the butter in a saucepan until the mixture
separates. After the water has evaporated, the milk solids will begin
to fry in the clear butterfat. When they begin to turn golden, remove
the pan from the heat and pour the butter through a fine strainer
lined with damp cheesecloth into a heatproof container. If the
cheesecloth is damp, all the butterfat will pass through, otherwise
some will be absorbed by the cloth. This method is a little fussier,
but produces a clearer result.
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http://labellecuisine.com/basics/Clarified%20Butter.htm
Clarified Butter
The simple system is to melt the butter and pour the clear yellow
liquid off the residue.
The more thorough professional system is to cut the butter into
smallish pieces for quick melting. Bring it to the slow boil in a
fairly roomy saucepan, listening and watching for several minutes
until its crackling and bubbling almost cease, indicating the milky
liquid has evaporated and the clarification is complete. (At this
point watch that the butter does not burn and darken.) Pour the clear
yellow butter through a tea strainer into a preserving jar. It will
turn a yellowish white when cold and congealed, and will keep for
months in the refrigerator or freezer."
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http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/FOOD_IS_ART/reference/FoodThought/butter.html
CLARIFIED BUTTER
Clarified butter is unsalted butter that has been heated to the point
that its water evaporates and the milk solids separate out. The
resulting golden fluid is the clarified butter, i.e., pure butter fat.
One pound of butter will yield about 12 ounces of clarified butter. To
clarify your butter, heat it on low. Some of the proteins will
coagulate and produce a foam on the surface which must be skimmed off.
Continue to cook until the butter becomes clear and the remaining milk
solids congregate on the bottom. Then either ladle or pour out the
butter being careful not to include the milk solids. If you 'just melt
the butter'and fail to remove the milk solids, you will have just
that: melted butter, not drawn or clarified butter.
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http://images.foodnetwork.com/webfood/images/cooking/cookingdemos/package/clarify_butter_video_player.html
Video ? How to clarify butter
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http://www.911cheferic.com/main/drecipe.asp?Recipe_Name=Clarify%20Butter&recipe=425
To clarify butter, first melt unsalted butter slowly in a pan. Simmer
over low heat, without stirring, until the milk solids have separated
and sink to the bottom. Other impurities will rise to the surface,
while the butterfat in the middle layer becomes very clear. Remove the
pan from the heat and skim off the foam with a spoon. Then carefully
ladle the clarified butterfat into a separate container. Be careful to
leave the solids behind.
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http://www.whattocook.com/tips/howtoclarifybutter.html
HOW TO CLARIFY BUTTER
Melt butter over medium heat or in a microwave oven. Skim off &
discard the foam. Pour butter into a bowl & chill. When butter is
hard remove & discard the milky residue on the bottom. Store in the
freezer in 1 Tablespoon portions.
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http://www.dvo.com/newsletter/monthly/2003/september/0903remedy.html
Clarifying Butter
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