Ghee is a staple in every Indian kitchen. It is added to everything – to lentils and curries, to roti’s, naan and parathas (flatbread), and the flavorful varieties of rice and biryanis. None of these would be as delicious without the addition of ghee. Enjoy this homemade Instant Pot Ghee recipe, made with grass-fed unsalted butter. Make it in your favorite Instant Pot for perfect and consistent results. You can also make it on a stovetop saucepan.
What is Ghee?
I love this description of Ghee from R.K. Narayan who was asked to write an excerpt to explain what Ghee is – “Ghee is, no doubt, clarified butter, but it is also something more, in the same way that wine is more than the juice of a squeezed grape. The origin of ghee is, no doubt, butter, but ghee is like a genius born to a dull parent… A perfectly boiled ghee is considered fit for the gods. Ghee is a litmus test of integrity: One could measure the morals of a shopkeeper or the fine qualities of a host by the purity of ghee offered.”
So perfectly put, the essence of Ghee for the Indians! Oh..and now all over the world!
Ghee is primarily saturated fat, and good fat. It is popular for its high-smoke point and nutty, toasty flavor! Buying good quality (read organic grass-fed) ghee is quite expensive. But it is significantly cheaper to make it at home from grass-fed butter.
Benefits of Ghee
I am not going to list all the benefits of Ghee. There are many sites that do that. However I want to mention some that stand out for me and have made me consistently include it in my everyday cooking.
- Omega-3s (monounsaturated fats) are healthy forms of fat that can be found in ghee.
- Ghee is rich in butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid which is linked to an immune response that can reduce inflammation and help improve the digestive system. These also help decrease levels of unhealthy cholesterol.
- Ghee is rich in fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
- There are other benefits such as improving energy level and strengthening the immune system.
- Ghee is lactose free and can be consumed even if you are dairy intolerant (check with your physician)
How to make Homemade Ghee from Butter?
Ghee is made by boiling butter until the milk solids separate and caramelize. The milk solids are removed and the ghee can be stored at room temperature and does not spoil. When you make this ghee, your house with fill up with the aroma and you will want to slather it on a paratha right away…Yum!
I use Kerrygold butter to make Ghee as it is made from grass-fed cow’s milk. I created a video to show the best way to make ghee in the instant pot in less than 20 minutes. You can use a cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer to strain the ghee. Then store it in glass or steel jars. Ghee is ready to be used.
Here are some of my favorite recipes where I use ghee –
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A staple in every kitchen in India and gaining popularity worldwide for it's health and nutritional benefits. Make it organic at home in less than 20 minutes.
Add the butter to the instant pot steel insert. Start the instant pot in Saute Mode (Normal). Butter will start melting.
At about 7-9 minutes, the melted butter should be bubbling vigorously and milk solids should start to separate. Change the setting to Saute (Low). If it is not bubbling vigorously, then keep it for another minute.
- Initially the milk solids (white foam) will float on the top, but they will settle down to the bottom of the insert and caramelize.
Turn off instant pot at about 16 mins. The milk solids should be brown and settle down. If they are not, then change up to Saute(Normal) for 1-2 minutes. Some froth might be there on the top.
Leave it in the instant pot for about 10 minutes, and it will continue to cook. We want the milk solids on the bottom to turn golden brown, but not blacken. Remove the steel insert from the pot if they darken sooner. (see the pictures for guidance)
Strain the ghee using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a dry glass or steel jar. Let the ghee cool completely before closing the lid. It will solidify depending on the room temperature.
Store ghee at room temperature, away from sunlight. It will stay fresh. You can also store in a refrigerator, but it is not required.
- I have provided cooking time, however I strongly recommend that you look for the visual cues. Cooking time could vary due to the quality and temperature of the butter.
- Stovetop Variation: Follow the same steps. Initially start cooking at high flame until the butter melts, then reduce the flame to medium-low. Stop cooking when the milk solids settle down and start to turn brown.
- Equipment: This recipe was created in a 6qt Instant Pot DUO60 Multi-use Pressure Cooker.
- Instant Pot Mini: I have not tried this, however I hear that making ghee takes longer in a Mini. Hence keep on Saute (Normal) for about 10 minutes before you change to low setting, but always watching it after 7 minutes so it does not burn.
Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi how long would you recommend I put it on for when I’m making a large batch of ghee such as 96 oz?
Hey Payal – As we are cooking ghee on Saute mode, it takes as long as the quantity being made. It is hard for me to give the exact time for the quantity, however I would say go by the visual cues for the changing color of ghee. You might also want to cook on Saute (Normal) mode only for large quantity.
Thank you Meeta 😊
Hi Meeta. Finally i tried making ghee using kerry gold unsalted butter 16oz. I religiously followed all the steps mentioned including timing. But did not get aroma of ghee and it still smells like butter. Color of ghee looks good. But milk solids did not turn golden brown.i have 6qt duo plus IP.
what went wrong here?
Tia.
Hey Priya – I know we have been talking on Facebook already, just want to reply here as well.
I have same issue. Any guess where is it gone wrong?
Hey Jay – I would suggest to just cook the ghee for longer. You can also do it on Saute (Normal) mode. Every instant pot can heat a bit differently, so it is best to see the visual cues. When we tried to find the issue that Priya was facing, it was also that the ghee does look different than the one brought from the indian grocery store and probably the aroma is lesser than the one cooked from scratch.
Hi Meeta. I am going to try making this. And this will be my first time ever making ghee at home..i have one question. After turning off IP and waiting for 6-8 mins should i immediately transfer to a container or can i wait until it is completely cool down and then transfer to container.
Thank you so much.
Hey Priya – Sorry I missed responding earlier. You can wait until the ghee cools down. You could also transfer to the container, just don’t put the lid on until it cools completely. I just made ghee and have the wonderful aroma all around the house 🙂
Hi Meeta. Can’t wait to try this as this will be my first attempt of making ghee. I have kirkland unsalted butter from Costco. Is this good to use? Also how many grams of ghee(approximate) can be made from 16oz of butter.
Tia.
Hey Priya – Yes, you can use unsalted butter from Costco to make ghee. 16oz butter will yield about 13oz of ghee, but could vary as I measured once with kerrygold butter.
can’t wait to give this a try…there is definitely a difference in the flavor of ghee or butter…thanks for sharing
Hey Therese – I hope you enjoy homemade ghee. It is very flavorful and nutritious 🙂