Anne Willan

Clarifying Butter

Appears in
top 1000La Varenne Pratique
La Varenne Pratique

By Anne Willan

Published 1989

  • About
Clarified butter is used primarily for sautéing. Butter is melted until it gradually separates into three layers: a thin topping of foam, a thick yellow middle layer, which is pure butterfat, and a milky-white bottom layer. Both the upper and lower layers contain water, milk proteins and carbohydrates, and must be removed.
  1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over very low heat until it is liquid. Skim the froth from the surface of the butter.

  2. Slowly pour the butter into a bowl, leaving behind the milky sediment. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate the melted butter until solid. Scrape off the thin top layer and pry away the clarified butter, leaving the sediment.