GHEE MAKING / METHOD OF MANUFACTURE OF GHEE

Recipe for ghee making

COUNTRY OR DESI METHOD

A large proportion of ghee produced in the country is still made by the desi method on a cottage scale. The curd is churned in an earthenware pot with a wooden churn, and the makkhan (desi butter) obtained is collected till a sufficient amount has been accumulated. Adequate souring takes place in the product before its conversion in to ghee. This product is then heated to evaporate the moisture. The scum is removed with the help of a perforated ladle. The source of fuel is usually cow dung cake or wood, which normally emits smoke.

Milk fat being susceptible for absorbing flavours, ghee thus prepared in this way normally possesses a smoky flavour. The container used in the preparation is usually an iron karahi. Ghee prepared in the northern part of the India will be usually having higher moisture content due to under heat treatment while that produced in the southern part is slightly over heated. The over heating and under heating depends upon the individual taste and preferences.

In developing countries like India, ghee making by traditional process as discussed above is an ancient art and it is still practised in majority of the rural areas. It is a recipe to success to convert the curd into makkhan and its final conversion into ghee for the enterprising rural folk.

CREAMERY BUTTER METHOD

This is the usual method adopted in almost all the organized dairies. Here unsalted creamery butter, otherwise known as ghee or white butter, is used as a raw material. The butter is heated in a ghee boiler provided with an agitator. There may be a provision for a movable, hollow, stainless steel tube centrally bored through the bottom of the pan for emptying the boiler contents when needed.

To start with the solid mass of butter is heated slowly till the entire lot of butter melts. Afterwards the temperature is raised to more than 90°C. The scum that gathers on the top surface of the liquefied butter is regularly removed by using a ladle. Initially there is a first effervescence along with a crackling sound but the intensity of effervescence decreases with decrease in moisture content in the liquid medium.

When the moisture content of the butter is drastically reduced, the temperature suddenly shoots up and the temperature of heating has to be controlled at this stage. The final stage of ghee preparation is indicated by the appearance of second effervescence, which is less pronounced than the first one along with browning of curd particles. This stage is further confirmed by appearance of characteristic ghee flavour. Now the final temperature of the liquid mass is increased to 110 – 120°C.

Higher temperature of heating produces a cooked flavour in the end product. Then the product obtained is cooled and sedimented, filtered through muslin cloth to remove the ghee residue followed by granulation and packaging. The merits for this method are saving in labour, physical exertion and exposure to uncomfortably high temperature and humidity during actual ghee making when compared to the direct cream method.

DIRECT CREAM METHOD

In this method, the cream obtained by usual separation of milk, is heated in a ghee boiler, which consists of a stainless steel jacketed pan provided with a manual stirrer. The cream meant for ghee making is taken in the ghee boiler and the heating in the beginning is a controlled one.

Later the steam pressure in the jacket is raised so that the liquid mass starts boiling with the removal of water vapour from the pan contents at a temperature of over 90°C. The temperature remains constant as long as the moisture is being driven out. The contents are constantly agitated through out the process of conversion of cream in to ghee to prevent scorching.

Usually there is a first profuse effervescence accompanied by a crackling sound in the preliminary stages of boiling but both gradually subside when the moisture content decreases. When almost all the moisture is evaporated, the temperature of the liquid medium suddenly spurts up and care has to be exercised at this stage to control the heating.

The end point is indicated by the appearance of second effervescence, which is subtler than the first one accompanied by the browning of curd particles. At this stage the typical ghee flavour emanates and this indicates that the final stage in the preparation of ghee. The final temperature of clarification consists of heating to 110 to 120°C. After cooling and sedimentation, the ghee is filtered through a filter cloth or muslin cloth to separate the ghee residue, the quantity of which is considerably higher when compared to desi method, creamery butter method and pre-stratification method.

The advantage claimed for this method is overall economy in labour when compared to other methods since one stage i.e. cream to butter is eliminated. The disadvantages cited include lower percentage of fat recovery in ghee due to greater fat loss in ghee residue.

PRE-STRATIFICATION METHOD

The disadvantage encountered in the desi method and creamery butter method can be obviated in this method, which relies on the different temperature of heating at different stages.

When butter is left undisturbed at a temperature of 80 – 85°C for 15 – 30 min, it stratifies in to three separate layers, viz. a top layer of floating denatured particles of curd, a middle layer of fat and a bottom layer of butter milk. This separation of three layers is called pre-stratification. The bottom layer which consists of buttermilk has 60-70% solids not fat and more than 80% of moisture originally present in butter. The bottom layer is carefully removed without disturbing the both top and middle layers. Afterwards the temperature of two remaining upper layers consisting of denatured curd and fat is raised to the regular clarifying temperature of 110 – 120°C.

The advantages claimed for this method include economy in fuel consumption as compared to direct clarification and production of ghee with a reduced acidity and better shelf life.
 
The three methods of ghee making can be compared as follows.

Follow the recipe carefully and convert the available cream or butter in to valuable, nutritive and more durable ghee in no time!