Earlier this week I made homemade clarified butter or ghee. It’s an alternative fat that you can cook things in and with, but it has a higher smoke point than just regular butter. I’ve been wanting to try ghee for a while, ever since I found out about it and how good it is for you. However, if you try to buy it in store it’s $18 for a small jar. Definitely not worth it in my opinion.
Then my mom found a crockpot recipe for it and sent it to me. Stick 32 oz of grass fed butter into a crockpot and cook it on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-6. Let me tell you, my kitchen smelled like browned butter while it was cooking. I LOVE brown butter. The nutty taste and smell just adds a depth of flavor that makes everything better.
I had no idea making homemade ghee was so easy. It’s a bit of a mess, only because I chose a ladle that was too big for the mouth of the jar when I was straining it through my cheesecloth. Luckily, I had put a paper plate underneath so cleanup was easy. If I had done some more research I might have been able to find a recipe online, but the fact my mom had one in one of her cookbooks meant people had been making ghee for a little while. Which makes sense. A lot of things were made at home before grocery stores and big box stores came along.
I’ve recently been looking into homemade things because of all the toxic stuff big companies put in their products. I don’t want endocrine disrupting anything on my skin or in my body if I can help it. There are some things that take time to make: bread, tinctures, salves, vinegars. But if you’ve got the time and patience it’s relatively easy. Homemade bread is one of the most delightful things I’ve ever made. Herbal tinctures are set it and leave it for 6-8 weeks once it’s in the preferred alcohol. Salves are only as long as it takes for the cocoa butter, coconut butter, or beeswax to melt and infuse. Vinegars are put your desired herb in your desired vinegar and let infuse in the sun or in the cupboard.
I know people like to relax on days off or go out on adventures. But if you’re concerned about what they’re putting in our products and food, I would encourage you to do some research about homemade stuff. Most things aren’t horribly time consuming and you don’t need a degree in chemistry to infuse herbs in beeswax or oils and vinegars. There’s a ton of homemade stuff on Pinterest and the best part is you know exactly what’s going into whatever it is you’re making. They also make great homemade gifts! I made an entire box for each couple in my family with homemade things they can use. Homemade “Vicks”, mint extract, chili oil, and a loaf of my cardamom and honey cake.