How To Make Ghee In A Slow Cooker From “The Book” and A Giveaway

By
Prerna Singh
-
Homemade ghee

Is it still allowed to wish someone a Happy New Year because “technically” the year is not exactly new anymore. But since we are still holding on to the first month of the year by its tail let me just go ahead and send you all my warm and loving new year wishes. Hope you had a fabulous 2012, kissed it a farewell with smile and wish you have a much much better 2013!

Organic butter

I can call my 2012 “eventful”! I know it wasn’t as eventful on the blog as you and I would have wanted it to be but it definitely was behind the scenes. There were some very interesting writing and photography gigs that I was offered which kept me busy, The Book being one of them. Then there were some hospital and emergency room visits that were not as pleasing as those gigs but they sure kept me busy as well. You did not get to hear about them on the blog because I just did not feel very comfortable talking about it. But then as they say, “all’s well if it ends well!”. So it all ended well and the doctors have given a green signal now. Waiting for that green signal was boring though so we thought we’d celebrate ourselves in the meantime and took off for some quiet and hassle free time with family in India. Spent a refreshing few weeks there and now we are back home. Back to the routine, back to work and back to the blog and you!

The Book

I spent a huge part of the past year writing my first cookbook- The Everything Indian Slow Cooker Cookbook. Developed many new recipes, modified some shared by friends (whom I cannot thank enough!) and tested countless number of them, several of which failed and which didn’t made it to the book. You can find 300 of my favorite Indian slow cooker recipes in the book. Probably the part of the book that I like most is the chapter named “Indian Slow Cooker Foundation Recipes”. In this chapter I have shared some very basic recipes like how to make rice in a slow cooker, how to make yogurt and curry paste in your slow cooker. And one of my favorites is making ghee using a slow cooker. This recipe will make your life so much easier that you will never go back to your store bought ghee again.

Butter

All you need is some good quality, organic butter and you are good to go!

Making ghee in a slowcooker

The slow cooker in this picture is a little big but if you have a 3 quart one then that would be perfect. Place 8 sticks of butter in the slow cooker. Set the slow cooker on low and cover with a lid propping it open just enough for the steam to escape. I use a chopstick or my mini spatula for that. Cook for 8-10 hours.

Making ghee in a slowcooker 2

In the end you will get 2 cups of clear golden ghee. Scum will be floating on the top; spoon it off and discard it. Burnt milk solids will stick to the walls of the slow cooker. Do not scrape the sides or bottom! Let the ghee come to room temperature and then filter it using a strainer or cloth.

Making ghee in a slowcooker 3

Store in airtight bottles and use it for cooking curries, making stir fries or just add a dollop on fresh warm bread or rice.

Making ghee in a slowcooker 4

I would love to giveaway a few copies of The Everything Indian Slow Cooker Cookbook for you to take a closer look. So please drop a line in the comments section below if you’d like to participate in the giveaway (or even if you do not!). On Feb 10th I will randomly choose three lucky winners who will receive a copy of my cookbook.
Looking forward to seeing what you think about it!

We have winners! And their names are….
Ramona
Dena Testa Bray
Megan@What’sMeganMaking
Congratulations people! Please drop me an email with your addresses so that I can send your copy of Everything Indian Slow Cooker Cookbook.

Entry to this giveaway is closed. 

Prerna Singh
http://www.indiansimmer.com

181 Comments

  2. I tried this recipe and the ghee was totally burned. It was black – there wasn’t just a dark layer around the edges. I was warned by an old room mate who made her own, that if you use too new of a slow cooker, the low setting isn’t as low as they used to be, and to try to find a very old fashioned slow cooker. (like from the 60’s or 70’s) But stupidly, I went out and got a newer one and this is what happened. It was a costly mistake. Do you think that cooking the butter for more like 2 or 3 hours in this type of cooker, would be sufficient in stead of the 8? I have read other recipes that call for only 2 o 3 hours. What would be the difference or do you have any suggestions?
    Thank you!

  3. I put it on late last night on low and woke up hours later to very burnt ghee! It’s pure black bits and very dark brown liquid. I did put a chopstick in to vent it as well.

  8. Wow! Thank you for this recipe. I just found out yesterday that my dairy free kids can have the ghee. I would much rather make my own.

    I would love to win your book…I’m always looking for new slow cooker recipes to keep us out of that boring food rut.

  12. Hi

    This did not work for me. My ghee was burnt. Only difference that I did is I used slow cooker liner. I did not check in the middle. What went wrong? Can the burnt ghee still be used in Indian sweets?

    • Could you explain what it looked like? Because there will be a burnt layer all around the walls which you need to discard and strain liquid ghee. Slow cooker liner shouldn’t make a difference. Also there should be an opening for the steam to escape.

  14. I noticed this weekend that Trader Joe’s started carrying small jars of Clarified Butter (Ghee) for almost $4/jar so this recipe came at the right moment and save me some money. And to possibly win the book is a bonus.

  15. I made melted, clarified butter in a slow cooker, It took a few minutes, How is this different from ghee that is heated for eight hours? Is the lactose still removed? There were solids at the bottom but they were loose. I they wouldn’t strain out but I could scoop the butter oil out with a ladle.

  18. Oh my, if this really works (and I’m pretty sure that you wouldn’t post it if it didn’t) I’m going to be so grateful! I have had a few stove-top ghee disasters and let me tell ya’ they were neither pretty nor inexpensive as experiments in the kitchen go.

    I will report back!

  22. Wow, what a year! THank you so much. We enjoy exploring Indian cooking through your blog, as we do not have a good restaurant here.

  25. Have been following your blog for a little while now and I really enjoy the simplicity and the authentic recipes / stories that go along. Congratuations on your book, and thank you for the give away

  27. I’ve been a huge fan of your blog, the photography and the recipes, so similar to what my mom makes 🙂 I wish you great success with the book!

  28. Visiting your blog has always filled me with warmth especially during these “special days”. I look forward to laying my hands on the book and it is definitely making to my shelf.

  29. Congratulations on your cook book. I’m a silent reader and subcriber of your blog. I love your photograpyhy and your child hood stories. It reminds my own childhood and my mom’s cooking which i miss a lot here.

  31. The portion of butter to ghee is not what I had heard, which is 26 qt milk = 1 qt ghee.
    The slow cooker is one of the best appliances in my kitchen. I prepare it the night before (usually at the same time as I prepare that night’s dinner) and refrigerate. In the morning, I set it to cook for dinner. As it finishes, I prepare side dishes (steamed veg, salad, pickle dish, etc) and dinner is on the table quickly.

  32. The only Indian food I can think of making in a slow cooker is something to do with beans or dal or rajma. Till you wrote this post on making ghee, it never even occurred to me that you can make ghee in a slow cooker. I would love to have a copy to explore how to use my slow cooker to prepare more Indian dishes.

  36. I love my slow cooker and I love, love, LOVE my mom’s homemade indian food. So much so that I never attempt to make indian food at home. I’m an engineer, so I’m good with recipes. Never did I imagine you could make ghee in a slow cooker. I always remembered it as a stovetop labor of love my mom did every couple of months to replenish our stock. I can’t imagine what I could actually indian food I could re-create following your book! Fingers crossed I can win it. I’ll still be a frequent visitor of this blog though. Those kachoris looked downright scrumptious!!

  37. HiPrerna, I have to admit I juts stumbled across your blog a while back. I got married and moved to the US about two years ago and thats when I started paying attention to cooking. I was way too “busy” before with a corporate job. Although I still have a demanding job, I have realized how relaxing and therapeutic cooking can be. Being a Pakistani, I can definitely relate to Indian food and enjoy cooking it. I would love love to receive your book and start on the exciting journey of trying out your recipes. Keep up the good work and please pick me!!! (randomly, of course!)

  38. Hello Prerna. Congratulations on publishing your Everything Indian Slow Cooker Cookbook. I’m going to try your Ghee recipe this weekend, and would love to be among the lucky ones who win a copy of your book. Thanks for sharing your great recipes, photography and writing on Indian Simmer !

  40. Great idea for a book! Indian food is a favorite in my Anglo-American household and any way to make getting delicious food on the table quicker and easier sounds fantastic. When will it be available to to buy? Congratulations, great recipes, beautiful blog 🙂

  41. This is right up my alley, LOVE indian cuisine, LOVE my slow cooker.. that is ever since my time has been crunched; which is a shame because I really love cooking. Any who… I have the worst luck in contests so where can I purchase this lovely compilation?

  45. Prerna this post has evoked so many memories! My grandma kitchen smelling of desi ghee, me trying to peak over the counter to see what she was making. Everybody has a slightly different way of making ghee- my nani passed her method to my mum -I am hoping that one day she will teach it to me too. Some poeple may think it’s just ghee but in my home, my parent’s home .. Ghee was used to start the day’s cooking and it was used to finish with too. While reading the post I was transported back to my nani’s kitchen taking in all the wonderful aroma!

    Congratulations on the book too!

  54. My Aunt has given me the best Indian spices and I’m trying to find the most amazing recipes to help me use them! I’m happy to say that I’ve used your recipes several times over the past few weeks and I’ve never been disappointed.

  57. I learned something today – I’d always wondered what ghee is, now I know it is basically clarified butter *or* drawn butter like you use for dipping lobster. Thank you for the slow cooker/crock pot variation.

  58. This is so cool. I have tried making ghee with butter but always manage to burn it (even with the gas cooktop). I will definitely try this. Congratulations on the book.

  59. Congrats on your book. Indian slow cooker book would be something really new to me and it would help me so much with cooking . Hope to win this giveaway.

  60. What an unique cookbook! I have always loved your recipes but being a busy working mom of a toddler with another one on the way, I would love to cook more indian food in the slowcooker. Right now I use it only for stews and soup. Would love to win this giveaway!

  61. You have an amazing blog with wonderful pictures. Congrats on your book! I would be delighted to have a copy of your book.

  62. I would LOVE a copy of this book! I use my slow cooker all the time and try to adapt Indian recipes for it. Your book would help me so much because I will now have recipes ready for the slow cooker that I know will be amazing!

  69. Hi Prerna, All these pictures of ghee are looking gorgeous and I am craving to have a dollop too:) Wonderful and appetizing dishes at galore in your cookbook and congratulations to you. Would love to have this book.

    Have a wonderful week. Look forward to your next post. Take care !
    Regards, Sonia

  71. Congrats on your book…Photographs look beautiful..I am not that lucky but if by chance the stars shine I would like to win that book…So ove to enter the giveaway..:)

  72. congrats on your book and blog. Slow cooked Indian food sounds divine. Would love to win a copy of your book. Thank you.

  74. I would love to be entered! I’ve been dying to master Indian cooking at home and this would be the perfect combo with the slow cooker I got for Christmas! Please and thank you!!!U#@O#IU

  75. Perena- Please, please, please enter me! I adore your recipes and follow you on facebook. I even have indiansimmer.com as my favorite website on my elite yelp profile. Your chicken tikka masala recipe made me a hit with my fiance now husband and was hands down a HUGE success at the Tucson food swap. I adore books, your recipes, and Indian food. I would cherish this book! Congratualtions on going from blog to book. I bet it feels amazing. Thanks! Christy

  78. I’ve never tried anything in a slow cooker except for Irish lamb stew. Ghee sounds interesting and hassle free. Would love to win an autographed copy of this awesome cookbook. Best wishes Prerna!

  79. I never win anything,but this is one book I would really like to get my hands on:-) Good Luck Prerna. You are an inspiration to cook
    Thanks
    Sonia

  82. This post is awesome! I never knew one could make ghee in a slow cooker. I have always used a traditional kadhai. My fondest memories are of my mom making ghee with green elaichi in it and the sweet aroma of the ghee wafting through the kitchen.

    The book looks exciting and I would love to win a copy!

  87. Congrats on your book! Want to clarify if 8-10 hours of cooking time for ghee is a typing error or if its a different way of making ghee? My mom used to take about 10 minutes to make it

  90. Thanks for the tutorial on making ghee – the slow cooker will definitely be a help and thank you also for the opportunity to possible win your wonderful new book:)
    Lois

  92. I’m so excited! I love using my slow cooker and love Indian food having grown up in the UK! And this easy recipe for ghee is exciting since it can be hard to find where I currently live!
    Looking forward to reading more recipes 🙂

  94. I was eager to get a new recipe from you! And spot on this one is!!! I just received my slowcooker bought on ebay, and couldn’t find any interesting recipe to start using it. And there you are!
    Thank you so much for the time you spend sharing your experiences.
    Hope to read you soon,
    Loulou

  99. Hey Prerna, Good to see you back!
    I love Ghee no other way than homemade. Slow cooker is novel to me. I can now imagine the amount of work that must have gone into making this book a reality. Hearty Congratulations!

  103. I wish I could get this cookbook. Would love to try out new things from it. The pics are stunning and getting so much ghee using slow cooker is a great idea.

  104. I would absolutely love love love to have this cookbook. I am using my slow cooker more and there is not anything that I love more than Indian food. Thank you!

  106. Gorgeous photographs Prerna and Congratulations on the cookbook. The section of “Foundation Recipes” sound very promising for all kinds of cooks 🙂

    I would love to win a copy.

    Siri

  109. Congratulations, Prerna! I’ve always meant to make my own ghee, but have never tried. Great tutorial! How long will it last in the fridge? I would love to get my hands on your new book, so please put my name in for the giveaway.

  112. Congrats on the Book…..and who wouldnt love to win something :), but here is my question…8-10 hours really..is so much time needed, the way we prepare ghee at home wont even take more than 1/2 hour or so.

    What is the difference in the slow cooker method and the stove method and does it effect the final taste.

  114. Many Congratulations on the book. Hope we see many more! Thank you for such a great giveaway! I would be happy & lucky if I get a copy 🙂
    The ghee looks perfect.
    I have acquired a new slow cooker a few months ago and have tried very little with it.
    I am VERY interested in making yogurt in my slow cooker.

  118. Congratulations Prerna on your first cookbook.
    I would not only like to win this book (signed by you) but also start using the slow cooker, its something that I am very new to. What caught my attention was making yogurt and curry paste in it,I am so curious to find out how to do it. I hope I get picked as one of the lucky winners, till then keeping my fingers crossed 🙂

  120. Just got bak from vacation too! Feeling homesick and missing my mom’s cooking already, though your blog does help me explore more home cooking. Excellent post on ghee, if i had known earlier…wouldnt have bothered to pack 2 jars of the desi variety.
    Happy New Year to you too. 🙂

  123. Prerna, congrats on the cookbook! I’m so happy for you 🙂 I wish you all the best & much more yummy successes to come!

    I haven’t used a slow cooker much, but I do actually own a good one & you have inspired me to start using it more! I never thought of making ghee in a SC & didn’t know it was even possible. What an intriguing idea!

    I also find the aroma of ghee to be very intoxicating so the idea of having the heavenly scent of ghee wafting througout my house for 10+ hours is all the reason I need to try making ghee in a SC!

    I would love to win a copy as well 🙂

  124. Lovely idea, got a spiced roast cooking away in mine at the moment, and tend to turn to the trusty pressure cooker for dal and pulses. Would be fascinated to see what else you do with the slow cooker!

  125. Hi Prerna. Congrats on publishing your book. Would love to be read your book. I am sure there are many recipes that are awesome. Cannot wait to try them out.

  129. I haven’t been following your blog for very long, but how exciting to see that you had been working on and have written a book! Congratulations! This recipe for ghee does sound like it would make my life both easier and tastier; I’d love to read all about the delicious Indian dishes that could be just a few hours away. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed.

  130. Congratulations on your cookbook! I love the idea of cooking with a slow cooker- its as good as one pot meal… I am also excited too see that the book is available in Canada… I am going to order one, but i’ll wait for the contest to be over and see if I get lucky (although I never win in these random draws)

    hope the new year is fabulous for you and your family!

  136. Congrats on your book, my dear friend. What a lovely way to start the new year – knowing that a huge project is complete and behind you. x s

  139. It sounds like an awesome cookbook! I’ve been living by myself for 6 years and have been very hesitant to start trying to cook home made meals as it was something that my mother took care of when I lived in India. This cookbook will be a good step in getting started in making my own meals as I already own a slow cooker.

  145. I am just about to buy my first slow cooker today. I am debating between 2 and am just about to pull the trigger. Add that to the fact that I LOVE LOVE LOVE Indian food. This book would be my foray into slow cooking so I am quite excited at the prospect of it being Indian food.

    Congrats on completing the book!

  146. Happy New Year And CONGRATULATIONS on your new Cookbook!! Such a great Idea and I am sure it was a lot of work to develop Indian Cuisine to suit the Slow Cooking method. I would love to have your cookbook. Thanks so much in advance.

  148. Happy New Year! And congratulations – 2012 was certainly a busy one for you, and I am pleased to hear that healthwise, all is well. I can’t wait to see your book, so proud of you!

  149. Wow.. that’s really cool!! I have a few “Everything” cookbooks and I love them. I would love to see what you came up with for the Indian slow cooker. Congratulations on an amazing achievement!! Wishing you loads more success (an no more visits to the emergency room).

    Happy New Year as well. 🙂

  151. I cannot thank you enough for this post. Yes, I would absolutely LOVE a copy of your book, but also, I have always been somewhat hesitant to make ghee at home for fear of burning the butter. Problem solved with this method…thanks again!

  152. Congrats on your cookbook – such an achievement. I’d love to be in with a chance to wish a copy please. I’ve not commented but i’ve avidly read all your posts. Indian food is such a big deal in the UK – we’re blessed with so many great restaurants but i’d love to learn how to cook it at home. Other food cultures always seem so much more exciting than my own. I adore pie but sometimes even that gets on my nerves at times!
    Sophie
    x

  157. Congratulations on creating your first cookbook! Thank you for sharing so many wonderful recipes with us. I would love a chance to win a copy of your book. Thanks!

  159. Ah would love to win this, I have a slow cooker but never get around to using it. This would be the perfect opportunity.

    BTW, your photography is like food porn. Everything looks so delicious! 🙂

  160. I’d love a chance to win! I love Indian food, and my husband doesn’t cook but swears he would make something in a slow cooker. This sounds like the perfect way to make him eat his words. 🙂

  161. I make Ghee every six month. It is the same as clarified butter. I cook 1 kg butter on the stovetop on the lowest fire. I skim the foam all the time and the butter becomes very clear and a little bit more yelloish.It does not have to be strained. Put it in a jar or plastic box . It keeps in refrigarator fo ever.

  162. I’ve always wondered about cooking Indian food in a slow cooker, and your book sounds totally awesome! I would love to win it! 🙂

  164. Wow…Making ghee in the slow cooker, who would have thought of that. I’ve tried a few slow cooker recipes on my blog, and would love to win a copy of your cookbook.
    -Denny(www.ohtastensee.com)

  165. This is amazing! Didn’t realise that a slow cooker could be handy for making ghee!! Now I am absolutely inquisitive to know whats been penned down in the book about slow cooking techniques! Me in UK too..may I have one as a give away too:)

  167. may be it’s time i order a slow cooker! brilliant post, Prerna! the perfect golden ghee on the first pic just stole my heart 🙂
    are people from the UK eligible for the giveaway? 😉

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