Clarified butter

Okay kiddo, let me explain what clarified butter is! You know how we sometimes melt butter in a pan to cook our food? Well, when we melt butter, we see some white chunks float on top of it, right? Those are milk solids, which can burn easily and also make the butter spoil faster.

To make clarified butter, we melt regular butter in a pan and keep heating it over low heat. As the butter melts, we scoop off the milk solids that rise to the top with a spoon. Then, we strain the yellow liquid that remains through a cheesecloth to remove any leftover bits. What we get is a clear, golden liquid that is called clarified butter.

Clarified butter is great for cooking as it has a higher smoke point than regular butter, which means it can tolerate higher temperatures without burning. It also has a longer shelf life and a nutty, rich flavor that's perfect for lots of dishes like popcorn, pancakes, or sautéed vegetables.