Sautéing and browning
Potatoes, vegetables, mushrooms: ghee melts in the pan and helps them brown without spitting like butter.
Golden potatoes with sage →More than
clarified butter.
Ghee starts with butter, but it does not stop at clarification: once the water and milk solids have been separated, the process continues with a toasting stage that defines its aroma. Here is what changes, from the jar to the pan.
01 · What it is The fat of butter,
The fat of butter,
with an extra aroma.
Butter is mostly fat, but it also contains water and a small amount of non-fat milk components. Ghee is made by separating them and filtering them out: what remains is almost pure fat, golden in colour.
Unlike plain clarified butter, ghee stays on the heat long enough to lightly toast the milk solids before filtering. For Cibo Ghee BIO there is only one ingredient: organic clarified butter from Italian milk.
The Ghee BIO product page →
In the jar Soft at room temperature,
Soft at room temperature,
liquid in the pan.
Ghee is soft and can have a slightly grainy texture: scoop it out with a spoon and spread it. With heat it melts in a few seconds.
02 · The three steps Clarify, toast,
Clarify, toast,
filter.
Three distinct stages, each with its own job. How we carry them out, from milk to jar, is explained on the production page.
Origin and production →-
Clarification
The butter melts and the water evaporates. Proteins and other non-fat milk components separate from the fat: some rise to the surface as foam, some settle at the bottom.
-
Toasting
Heating continues and the remaining milk solids slowly turn golden. This forms the aromatic compounds that give ghee its toasted, nutty aroma. It is a traditional stage of ghee; for Ghee BIO it is one of the steps in the process.
-
Filtration
The hot ghee passes through a filter that holds back the toasted residue. What reaches the jar is a clear fat that sets as it cools.
03 · In the kitchen What changes
What changes
in the pan.
- Texture
- Soft and slightly grainy at room temperature, liquid as soon as it warms.
- Aroma
- Toasted and nutty, from the toasting.
- Ghee BIO smoke point
- 250 °C
What the smoke point allows
The smoke point of Ghee BIO is 250 °C: a wide margin over the temperatures of pan cooking and home frying, between 160 and 175 °C. It should never be reached: adjust the heat and do not let the fat smoke.
Meat and breaded foods
For roasts in a casserole and for cutlets: match the heat to the thickness and let them brown gently.
Breaded cutlet in ghee →Frying
At home, frying is usually done between 160 and 175 °C: the smoke point of Ghee BIO, 250 °C, leaves a good margin. Always check the temperature.
Chips fried in ghee →Dressing
A knob melted over pasta or freshly cooked vegetables, with a few sage leaves.
Pasta with ghee and sage →Breakfast
Bread browned in the pan, fried eggs, emulsified coffee.
French toast with ghee →From the recipe collection
04 · Getting started Three habits
Three habits
to get started.
- A little at a time. A teaspoon for one egg, a tablespoon for a pan of vegetables: add more if needed.
- A dry spoon. Take the ghee out with a clean, dry spoon and close the jar.
- Controlled heat. Melt it over a medium heat, spread it across the base of the pan and adjust the heat to what you are cooking, without letting it smoke.
Ghee in general
What is ghee?
It is the fat of butter, separated from the water and the non-fat components of milk. The butter is heated until the water evaporates and the milk solids separate; after a brief toasting the residue is filtered out, leaving a golden fat that is firm at room temperature.
How is it different from butter and from clarified butter?
Butter contains up to 16% water and a small amount of milk proteins and sugars; ghee has almost none. Clarified butter is also almost pure milk fat, but ghee has its own aroma and texture: cooking continues until the remaining solids turn golden, before they are filtered out.
What is the toasting for?
While the butter stays on the heat, the remaining milk solids turn golden and develop the aromatic compounds typical of ghee, with nutty, toasted notes. It is a traditional stage in making ghee, not something exclusive to Cibo. For Ghee BIO it is one of the three steps, before filtration.
Why is it solid in the jar and liquid in the pan?
Milk fat is made up of components that melt at different temperatures. At room temperature some of it crystallises: the ghee is soft and may have a slight grain, which is completely normal. With heat it melts in a few seconds.
How do you use it?
When you cook in a pan, in place of butter or oil: to sauté vegetables and potatoes, brown bread and eggs, toss pasta, cook meat and breaded foods. A little is enough; add more if needed.
Can you fry in ghee?
Yes. Ghee BIO has a smoke point of 250 °C, while at home frying is usually done between 160 and 175 °C. Check the temperature with a thermometer, do not leave the pan unattended and never let the fat smoke.
Cibo Ghee BIO
How should Ghee BIO be stored?
In a cool, dry place, before and after opening, as stated on the label. Take it out with a clean, dry spoon, close the jar tightly and refer to the date shown on the pack.
Where does the milk in Ghee BIO come from?
From the Parma and Reggio Emilia areas: it is Italian organic milk, the same milk used to make Parmigiano Reggiano. The cows are fed organic feed and can graze freely when the weather allows.
Does ghee contain milk? Is it suitable for people with an allergy?
Ghee is made from milk, which is the allergen indicated on the label, and it is not suitable for people with a milk allergy. Processing greatly reduces proteins and lactose, but does not remove them: if you have an intolerance, ask your doctor for advice.
Where can I buy it?
Ghee BIO 500 g has a product page on Amazon in Italy, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium: open ‘View on Amazon’ and choose the delivery country. Up-to-date availability and price are shown on Amazon. For shops, distribution and industry, write to Family Foods.