Clarified or drawn butter has had its water evaporated and milk solids removed. The result is pure butter fat, which has a very high smoke point of 485°F—making it a flavorful substitute for vegetable oils and lard for searing, sautéing, and frying. Ghee, which is used extensively in the cuisines of India and South Asia, is cooked longer, which toasts and caramelizes the milk solids, imparting a nutty flavor.

Melt in a saucepan over low heat:

Once melted, do not stir. Skim off any foam that comes to the surface.

For clarified butter, remove from the heat after the foaming ceases. Let stand a few minutes, allowing the milk solids to settle to the bottom. Carefully pour the liquid into a heatproof container, leaving the solids behind, or pour through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or flour sack towel.

For ghee, continue heating the butter over the lowest heat possible, keeping it below a simmer until golden and brown milk solids have settled at the bottom of the pan. This can take up to 1 hour. At this slow rate, the milk solids settle nicely. Pour or strain into a container as for clarified butter.

Both can be stored in an airtight container for 6 to 8 months in the refrigerator. When chilled, clarified butter and ghee become grainy. They should not be used as a spread, only in cooking.