To clarify butter: place unsalted butter in a saucepan. Melt over low heat until the oil and milk solids separate. Foam should begin to appear. Continue cooking until the foaming stops (do not overcook or allow the butter to turn brown). Remove from heat and allow to stand for a few minutes, or until the milky solids have all dropped to the bottom of the pan, leaving a clear, yellow mixture. Skim off any remaining foam from the top. Strain the yellow mixture through cheesecloth into a bowl (the residue may be discarded). Clarified butter may be stored covered, in an airtight container, for several weeks in the refrigerator, or may be frozen.

Why clarify butter? Clarified butter has a much higher “smoking” tolerance than when unclarified. By smoking tolerance, we mean its ability to withstand higher cooking temperatures without burning. Clarified butter is therefore useful for cooking preparations where flavour is enhanced by butter, but which may require a higher temperature than unclarified butter could withstand. Clarified butter can also be frozen without significant loss of flavour, thus it can be prepared well ahead of the time when it is required.

What equipment do I need? A saucepan is required, as is either a very fine-meshed sieve, or cheesecloth and a colander for draining, and a covered bowl or jar for storage.

What foods can I clarify? You may clarify unsalted butter using the technique provided above. Soup stocks may be clarified, however, the techniques for this vary significantly and have not been presented here.