Why ghee is better than butter?

[EatRealFoo]

I keep reading that ghee is like the best thing ever to be used againt every kind of ailment from inflamation to depression. Several websites say to eat two tablespoon of ghee a day to be healthy and longeve.

But, except from the lower smoke point, why is ghee better than butter?

[VersatileD]

I don't think there's much different from ghee and butter. Ghee just has less difficulty digesting and is used more efficiently. (Lactose/Casein free)

As always, sites blow the proportion with a particular food and call it a "superfood".

[Nancy LC]

Maybe because it contains butyrate but none of the milk solids like casein that causes issues for (some) people. Just speculating.

Or perhaps what you read is a little overblown with hype for ghee.

It does taste good!

[EatRealFoo]

Does it taste better than butter?
I thought about making ghee at home since it's easy to make, but I wonder if it worth the effort or I should stick with butter.

[VersatileD]

It has a much more rich taste than butter. Making it at home will give a nice aroma of classic popcorn, too.

I say it's worth the small hassle to make it. Especially if you're lactose/casein intolerant. It comes out very healthy and delicious when grass fed butter is used. I use Kerrygold's brand and it costs less than 5.50 a pound.

[Nancy LC]

It's a really nice taste but it tastes almost nothing like butter. I has what I'd describe as an almost nutty flavor.

[EatRealFoo]

How do you make it?
I'm looking for the easiest way to make ghee but have found recipes that requires 6 pounds of frozen butter and 4 hours of cooking.

[Nancy LC]

Keep looking, it's really easy. I just googled and found some instructions. I think you can find them on the Good Eats Fan Page too.

[EatRealFoo]

Keep looking, it's really easy. I just googled and found some instructions. I think you can find them on the Good Eats Fan Page too.

Found it, thanks :)

[cbcb]

Doesn't the cooking hurt the omega 3 polyunsaturated that are a benefit of grass fed butter?

[Nancy LC]

It's done at a very, very low temperature. Like enough to make it melt and the water to bubble off.

[Shobha]

As an Indian, I make/eat quite a bit of ghee. I would say it does taste better in some ways.

However, you need to heat butter for quite a few minutes to make ghee, so I guess some of the nutrition would be lost. Plus you filter out the dark brown residue too.

[amandawald]

Isn't ghee just butter that has had its water boiled out?

I use a solid butter fat which I can buy here in Germany and it says on the package that it is 99.2% fat, whereas butter is just 82% fat. When you use butter to cook with, it sizzles and gives off water, but my "Butaris" just turns to liquid.

It's great for frying just about anything, although I do like to use beef fat for frying potatoes - they come out so crispy and golden brown (which is what McD's used to use in the olden days, too).

But ghee is special, I think, cos the cows are kind of "free range", I do believe.

amanda

[Nancy LC]

Water boiled out and milk solids removed.

[jrosevear]

Ghee is just clarified butter. Any basic cookbook will tell you how to make it. The cows are only "free range" if you start with butter from pastured cows; that's certainly better healthwise, but not a requirement from a culinary perspective.