You’ve heard about the virtues of coconut oil over and over again and just last week we were extolling them again. You know its got a ton of saturated fat, may strengthen mineral absorption and is associated with improved blood sugar and insulin control. The rich flavor of coconut that goes along with it is just another added bonus for most of us. We know, however, there are some of you out there who love everything about coconut oil except the flavor.

If you don’t always want to feel like you’re heading off to the tropics when you cook with coconut oil, but you still want the health benefits, try making “coconut ghee.” Reader Jeanmarie mentioned that this was her favorite fat to use in pretty much every cooking situation, so we couldn’t help but try it ourselves. Coconut ghee is a blend of coconut oil and clarified butter (butter with the milk solids and water removed).

Why remove the milk solids and water from butter? Separating the milk solids from the butterfat almost entirely removes the carbohydrates (lactose) as well as a protein that some people are sensitive to, casein. Evaporating out the water means the flavor of the butter is less diluted. Additionally, removing the milk solids and water also gives butter a higher smoke point, which means you can use ghee for sautéing, stir frying, or deep frying at high heats (375-485 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on purity).

Combining ghee with coconut oil is like having the best of both worlds. You get the nutty flavor of butter and the subtle sweetness of coconut oil to create one delicious saturated fat.

You’ll want to start with some unsalted butter. If you splurge a little and buy some higher-quality butter it will probably still be cheaper than buying already-made ghee, which can be quite expensive. In a small pot melt the butter over medium heat.

When it is bubbling and melted, turn the heat to medium-low and as white foam rises to the top skim it off carefully with a spoon.

Depending on how meticulous you are, this process can take at least 15-20 minutes.

During this time the butter will become a little darker and take on a richer flavor. You might also notice some darker clumps of milk protein sinking to the bottom. Next, if you really want to clarify the butter, pour the liquid through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or a paper towel.

This will catch any last remaining milk solids and leave you with pure, golden ghee.

Using 1/2 pound of butter will give you about a cup of ghee. If you mix this with 1/2 cup of coconut oil, the ghee will have a very faint flavor of coconut. If you add a little less coconut oil, the coconut flavor will pretty much disappear.

As Jeanmarie says, “keep stirring or shaking the mixture of ghee and coconut oil in a jar so it stays blended as it cools and solidifies.”

Kept in a covered jar, coconut ghee will keep for months at room temperature without spoiling. It can be used in pretty much any cooking situation.

And how does the reader who inspired this post describe their coconut ghee?

“Neutral but yummy.”

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

Will you be trying this? Do you have your own homemade fat making recipes? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comment board!

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