DAIRY TECHNOLOGY: FAT RICH DAIRY PRODUCTS
Diagram
Butter and ghee side by side
Butter
Cream churned until the fat gathers: about 80 percent fat, with water and milk solids still in it.
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Ghee
Butter heated until the water boils off and the solids brown: almost pure milk fat.
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The core difference
Water and milk solids. Ghee is butter with the water and solids removed, so it keeps without a fridge.
Figure 1: Butter compared with ghee. Drawn in our own style from A. K. M. Humayun Kober, Milk and Dairy Foods: Nutrition, Processing and Healthy Aging, CRC Press, 2024, Ch. 6, Butter, p. 151, and Ch. 7, Ghee: Clarified Butter, p. 175.
Introduction
Butter and ghee both come from milk fat and both are used for cooking, but ghee is butter taken one step further. That step changes how it keeps, how hot it can be heated, and how it tastes.
The core difference is what is left in the product. Butter keeps its water and its milk solids, about 16 percent water and 2 percent solids, which is why it spoils in the fridge and burns easily in a hot pan. Ghee has the water boiled off and the solids strained out, leaving almost pure fat that keeps for months without refrigeration and fries at a higher heat.
Quick comparison
Table 1: Butter compared with Ghee
| Aspect | Butter | Ghee |
|---|---|---|
| Fat content | About 80 percent fat | About 99 percent fat, almost pure fat |
| Water | About 16 percent water | Under 0.5 percent water |
| Milk solids | About 2 percent, protein and lactose | Removed, strained out after heating |
| How it is made | Cream churned until fat gathers, then worked | Butter heated until water boils off, solids brown, then strained |
| Keeping | Needs refrigeration, keeps weeks | Keeps for months at room temperature in a sealed jar |
| Smoke point | Lower, about 150 degrees C, solids burn first | Higher, about 200 degrees C or more |
| Flavour | Fresh, creamy, mild | Nutty, rich, cooked flavour from browned solids |
| Colour | Pale yellow | Golden yellow, clear when melted |
| Lactose and casein | Present in small amounts | Almost none, removed with the solids |
| Main use | Spreading, baking, sauces, light frying | Frying, tempering, sweets, and cooking where high heat is used |
Scientific explanation
Definition
Butter is the fat-rich product made by churning cream until the fat globules join into a mass, which is then worked to remove buttermilk.
Ghee, also called clarified butter, is butter heated until its water evaporates and its milk solids separate and brown, after which the clear fat is strained off.
Working principle
Churning works because the beating breaks the membranes around the fat globules, so the fat sticks together and the watery buttermilk drains away.
Clarifying works because water boils at 100 degrees C and fat does not, so heating drives the water off. The milk solids sink, brown in the heat, and are strained out, leaving pure fat that microbes cannot spoil because there is no water left for them.
Apparatus
A churn or a butter churner, and a butter worker for kneading the butter.
A heavy pan and a heat source for ghee, a strainer and a clean cloth, and a dry jar for storage.
Measurement procedure
For butter, churn the cream until butter grains form, drain the buttermilk, wash the grains, and work the butter until it is smooth.
For ghee, melt the butter in a pan, simmer it gently until the bubbling stops and the solids turn golden brown, then strain the clear fat into a dry jar and let it set.
Factors affecting readings
The temperature of the cream decides the churning: too cold and it churns slowly, too warm and the butter is soft and greasy.
For ghee, the heat decides the flavour: gentle heat gives a light flavour, stronger heat gives a deeper nutty flavour, and too much heat burns the solids and spoils the batch.
Formulas and calculations
The books give no formula for this pair. The fat content is measured, not calculated.
Worked example from weights: starting with 1 kg of butter at 80 percent fat, the fat weighs 0.80 kg. After clarifying, about 0.80 kg of ghee remains, because the water and solids, about 0.20 kg, are lost. The yield of ghee from butter is therefore about 80 percent by weight.
Industrial applications
- Butter: spreading on bread, baking cakes and pastries, and finishing sauces.
- Butter: light frying and sauteing where its fresh flavour matters.
- Ghee: frying and tempering spices at high heat, where butter would burn.
- Ghee: sweets such as laddu and halwa, and rich curries.
- Both: cooking fat for daily meals, with the choice made on heat and flavour.
Advantages and limitations
- Butter advantage: fresh creamy flavour, and it spreads and creams well in baking.
- Butter limitation: spoils without refrigeration and burns at moderate heat.
- Ghee advantage: keeps for months without a fridge and fries at high heat without burning.
- Ghee limitation: a strong nutty flavour that does not suit every dish, and it is almost pure fat.
FAQ
Is ghee the same as butter?
No. Ghee is butter with the water and milk solids removed by heating and straining. It is almost pure milk fat.
Why does ghee keep without a fridge?
Microbes need water to grow. Ghee has almost no water left, so it does not spoil the way butter does.
Can people with lactose intolerance use ghee?
Most can, because the lactose is removed with the milk solids. A tiny trace may remain, so people with severe dairy allergy should still be careful.
Why does butter burn but ghee does not?
Butter holds milk solids that burn at about 150 degrees C. Ghee has those solids strained out, so it can be heated much hotter.
Can I use ghee instead of butter in baking?
Yes, but the flavour will be nuttier and the texture slightly different, because ghee has no water to make steam in the dough.
References and further reading
- A. K. M. Humayun Kober, Milk and Dairy Foods: Nutrition, Processing and Healthy Aging, CRC Press, 2024, Ch. 6, Butter, p. 151, and Ch. 7, Ghee: Clarified Butter, p. 175 (Google Books page read)
- Srinivasan and Anantakrishnan, Milk Products of India, ICAR, 1964, chapter GHEE: CLARIFIED BUTTER, p. 26 (Google Books page read)
- FTN books on disk: Fat Rich Dairy Products Technology, Traditional Dairy Products (agrimoon dairy series).
