Clarified butter
Clarified butter is anhydrous milk fat rendered from butter to separate the milk solids and water from the butterfat.[1] Typically, it is produced by melting butter and allowing the different components to separate by density. The water evaporates, some solids float to the surface and are skimmed off, and the remainder of the milk solids sink to the bottom and are left behind when the butter fat (which would then be on top) is poured off.
Commercial methods of production also include direct evaporation, but may also be accomplished by decantation and centrifugation followed by vacuum drying; or direct from cream by de-emulsification followed by centrifugation.[2][3]
Properties
Clarified butter has a higher smoke point than regular butter and is, therefore, preferred in some cooking applications, such as sautéing. Clarified butter also has a much longer shelf life than fresh butter.
Regional variations
In the Middle East ('samna') and South Asia ('ghee'), the butter is cooked long enough to evaporate the water portion and caramelize the milk solids (which are then filtered out), resulting in a nutty flavor.[4][5][6] In French cuisine, this is called beurre noisette, loosely translated as "hazelnut butter," and known as brown butter in English.[7]
Names and uses in different countries
In the United States, clarified butter is typically served with unbreaded cooked seafood. It is also referred to as drawn butter.
In England, clarified butter is used in the process of potting, whereby foods such as shrimp and hare are preserved in pots of butter.
In India, clarified butter is commonly known as ghee, and is a common cooking oil. It is also burned as a fuel source in religious lamps. In northern India, the milk solids are a delicacy eaten with various unleavened breads. In Hindi, the milk solids are called mehran. In Tamil its called neigh and in Kannada called thuppa.
In Brazil, it is known as manteiga de garrafa (bottle butter), and is featured mostly in cuisine from the northeast.
In Iran, it is known as "yellow oil" or "good oil" and is used in place of other oils.
In Arab countries, it is known as samnah. It replaces oil in frying and sautéing because of its perceived superior flavor. Interestingly, in some Arab countries, like Egypt, the separated milk solids which remain in the bottom (named mortah) is a rare delicacy, and is eaten as a spread on bread.
In Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine (particularly in the highlands), clarified butter is infused with ginger, garlic, and several spices, and is known as niter kibbeh in Amharic and tesmi in Tigrinya.
In Uganda, amongst the Ankole cultures, clarified butter is made into a dish called eshabwe, a white frothy cream that is eaten with solid foods and is sometimes added into smoked meat.
References
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th:เนยใส- ↑ "Clarified butter - Glossary - How to cook". BBC Good Food. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
- ↑ "Butteroil | Butter Oil | Composition | Preparation | Production | Uses". Dairyforall.com. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
- ↑ Walstra, P. Wouters, J. Geurts, T. (2006). Dairy Science and Technology, CRC Press - Taylor and Francis Group
- ↑ Iyer, Raghavan (2008). 660 Curries, p. 21. New York: Workman Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7611-3787-0.
- ↑ Jaffrey, Madhur (1982). Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian Cooking, p. 211. London: BBC Books. ISBN 0-8120-6548-4.
- ↑ Sahni, Julie (1998). Julie Sahni’s Introduction to Indian Cooking, p. 217 under “usli ghee.” Berkeley: Ten Speed Press. ISBN 0-89815-976-8.
- ↑ Julia Child (1961), Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Alfred A. Knopf
