# Ghee (clarified butter) at room temperature



## cave76 (Jul 20, 2013)

I make ghee because I cook Indian food often/occasionally and also use it for other cooking.
What I know is I'm told to keep it in the 'fridge' for safety. Now, the dilemma -----if it's cold I can barely scoop out spoonfuls of it to use it's so hard. 

I can, of course, melt it a little in the microwave----- but-----can I say I'm lazy? and wondering if heating in the MW over and over is o.k. (I put the ghee in pint jars for the 'fridge.)

So. I would like 'personal experiences' about keeping it on the countertop. I won't hold you responsible for my ruined ghee----- just want to know.

If the consensus is NO------ I guess I'll have to get those little sauce plastic cups and put a couple of tablespoons in each them and freeze or refrigerate them.

Did I say I'm lazy?


----------



## Dawgluver (Jul 20, 2013)

We've had discussions about keeping regular butter on the counter vs. refrigerating.  The consensus has been that many keep butter on the counter, as our mothers and grandmothers did, for up to 2 weeks I believe.  I'm currently leaving my butter on the counter, makes it so much easier for toast, etc.  I think it would work for ghee as well, just my thoughts, especially since the milk solids are gone.   And as I recall, many cultures that use ghee don't have access to refrigeration.


----------



## Addie (Jul 20, 2013)

I have a Butter Bell. The word for Butter is in French on the side. The following is a picture of what one looks like. Mine is very pretty. It holds one stick of butter. You put the soft butter in the top half, a small amount of ice water in the bottom half and change the water every day. You put the top half in upside down into the water. Butter stays fresh and soft.


----------



## Andy M. (Jul 20, 2013)

Ghee is OK at room temp. but not forever. Removal of all the non-fat stuff in butter allows the butter fat to last longer without going rancid.


----------



## Somebunny (Jul 20, 2013)

If you keep the ghee in an airtight container it should last a month without being refrigerated.


----------



## taxlady (Jul 20, 2013)

They keep it at room temperature in India.


----------



## cave76 (Jul 20, 2013)

Thanks to all------ after I sent my question it occurred to me that I keep reg. butter on the counter all the time! Duh. Haven't gotten sick yet!
I guess never putting a 'dirty' spoon back in the ghee would also help---- no added bacteria to the ghee.


----------



## Oldvine (Jul 20, 2013)

I like you solution.  It works at our house.


----------



## Kylie1969 (Jul 21, 2013)

We have always kept our butter in the fridge 

Ghee, if made fresh should be used within a couple weeks and can be kept out of the fridge

I personally would keep it in the fridge though, my personal opinion

It solidifies in the cold and liquefies in the heat


----------



## MrsLMB (Jul 21, 2013)

You could always cool it down and put it in a ziploc bag.  Lay it flat in the fridge then just break off what you need when you are ready to use it.  It will stay cold and it will be easy to use.


----------



## cave76 (Jul 21, 2013)

MrsLMB----- that sounds like a good idea! Thanks. Maybe even freeze it in a dedicated ice cube tray and then take them out and put in ziplocks to put in the freezer? I like how all our ideas generate other ideas.


----------



## Kayelle (Jul 31, 2013)

Yesterday I bought a jar of clarified butter (ghee) at Trader Joe's. Evidently it's a new item there, and the jar says "Does not require refrigeration, store in a cool dry place." 

I've never used ghee before, but I'm looking forward to cooking with it and the smoke point being so much lower. 
It sure was tasty on my English Muffin this morning.


----------



## Andy M. (Jul 31, 2013)

... I'm looking forward to cooking with it and the smoke point being so much lower...[/QUOTE]


Smoke point is higher for the ghee.


----------



## Kayelle (Jul 31, 2013)

Duh...guess I said it wrong.  You can use higher heat, right?


----------



## Addie (Jul 31, 2013)

Kayelle said:


> Duh...guess I said it wrong. You can use higher heat, right?


 
Yeah. But I knew what you meant.


----------



## Andy M. (Jul 31, 2013)

Kayelle said:


> Duh...guess I said it wrong.  You can use higher heat, right?




Right!  A higher smoke point means it takes a higher temp to make the oil smoke.  Oil's smoking means it's breaking down and will begin to negatively impact the flavor of the food.


----------



## CharlieD (Aug 1, 2013)

I thought ghee is not supposed to get hard. Or am I wrong?


----------



## taxlady (Aug 1, 2013)

CharlieD said:


> I thought ghee is not supposed to get hard. Or am I wrong?


It depends on the temperature.


----------



## CharlieD (Aug 1, 2013)

Even in refrigerator it should still be farily soft, kind of like margarine.


----------



## taxlady (Aug 1, 2013)

CharlieD said:


> Even in refrigerator it should still be farily soft, kind of like margarine.


Unless I'm remembering wrong, it gets even harder than butter in my fridge. Well, clarified butter does. I've never worked with actual ghee.


----------



## cave76 (Aug 1, 2013)

"Even in refrigerator it should still be farily soft, kind of like margarine."

Mine isn't. Wonder what the difference is.


----------



## Andy M. (Aug 1, 2013)

cave76 said:


> "Even in refrigerator it should still be farily soft, kind of like margarine."
> 
> Mine isn't. Wonder what the difference is.



I disagree.  Iwould expect ghee to be as hard as butter in the refrigerator.


----------



## cave76 (Aug 1, 2013)

LOL

Are  you agreeing or disagreeing with me (cave76)  or the first person who said that ghee should be fairly soft? 

My ghee is hard in the fridge--- really almost rock hard.

The joys of talking on the Internet


----------



## Andy M. (Aug 1, 2013)

cave76 said:


> LOL
> 
> Are  you agreeing or disagreeing with me (cave76)  or the first person who said that ghee should be fairly soft?
> 
> ...



I was disagreeing with Charlie and agreeing with you.


----------



## LPBeier (Aug 1, 2013)

My Ghee, whether I make it myself or buy it from the market, goes into the fridge and is very hard.  If it is on the counter, it will soften a bit, but I keep it refrigerated and take out what I need with a knife.

I use a lot of Ghee because it takes out most of the lactose and casein that bothers TB and I.  It is great for scampi, asparagus, pasta with garlic butter, etc.  Much better than margarine.  There are times though that I can't use it in place of butter, like baking - here I use a non-soy or dairy margarine.

I admit I haven't read all of this thread so if I have contradicted anyone, my apologies.  I am just going by what I do and know.


----------



## JMediger (Aug 1, 2013)

cave76 said:


> MrsLMB----- that sounds like a good idea! Thanks. Maybe even freeze it in a dedicated ice cube tray and then take them out and put in ziplocks to put in the freezer? I like how all our ideas generate other ideas.



I love the ice cube tray for so many things.  If you find you need a certain amount more consistantly, you can measure that amount into the individual spots, let it harden and keep it in a larger mason jar in your fridge.  

Personally, I'd keep it on the counter.  The recipes I've seen make several pints so pull out what you need.

Sorry to hijack your thread with a question but ... what is the difference between clarified butter and ghee?


----------



## taxlady (Aug 1, 2013)

JMediger said:


> I love the ice cube tray for so many things.  If you find you need a certain amount more consistantly, you can measure that amount into the individual spots, let it harden and keep it in a larger mason jar in your fridge.
> 
> Personally, I'd keep it on the counter.  The recipes I've seen make several pints so pull out what you need.
> 
> Sorry to hijack your thread with a question but ... what is the difference between clarified butter and ghee?


Ghee is cooked much longer than what we usually call clarified butter. It is cooked long enough that the solids caramelize and change the flavour of the butter oil. Ghee is a form of clarified butter.

Ghee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


----------



## JMediger (Aug 2, 2013)

Thank you!


----------



## CharlieD (Aug 4, 2013)

I guess either I am wrong or Russian equivalent is different. will gave to ask my mother .


----------



## Kitchen Barbarian (Aug 28, 2013)

Ghee will keep on the counter for months.  However if it is going to be awhile between uses I will stick it in the fridge until I need it again.  I keep mine in a microwave safe container so I can melt it if I need to.  It will harden somewhat even at room temp, unless you keep your kitchen very very warm indeed.

I should say, properly made ghee.  It must be slow-cooked until all the solids brown and drop to the bottom, then strained to leave all the solids behind.


----------



## cave76 (Aug 28, 2013)

Update from me, the original poster.

I've been keeping my ghee out on the counter now (the rest is frozen). No mold, as there was in a first jar I kept out----- I don't know why that jar developed some mold/suspicious spots on it.

It's been fine.


----------



## taxlady (Aug 28, 2013)

cave76 said:


> Update from me, the original poster.
> 
> I've been keeping my ghee out on the counter now (the rest is frozen). No mold, as there was in a first jar I kept out----- I don't know why that jar developed some mold/suspicious spots on it.
> 
> It's been fine.


There was probably some contamination in the first jar, maybe something off a spoon you dipped into the jar.


----------



## radhuni (Oct 3, 2013)

If the ghee is properly smoked or heated it will remain good for years without refrigeration , we keep ghee like this way in our hot and humid climate. 

Older ghee is better in taste and it also used in Ayurvedic remedies.


----------



## taxlady (Oct 3, 2013)

radhuni said:


> If the ghee is properly smoked or heated it will remain good for years without refrigeration , we keep ghee like this way in our hot and humid climate.
> 
> Older ghee is better in taste and it also used in Ayurvedic remedies.


That's what I thought. I was hoping you would chime in.


----------



## radhuni (Oct 3, 2013)

taxlady said:


> That's what I thought. I was hoping you would chime in.



For the first time I came across the phrase, now I know what does it mean, thank you.


----------

