Plain-language guides to help you choose, judge and keep good ghee. They cover food quality and tradition, not medical advice.
A ghee laboratory report is a set of measurements for one batch. Moisture and free fatty acids show how well the ghee will keep, the peroxide value shows how fresh it is, and the Reichert-Meissl and Polenske values help show whether it is real butterfat or has been mixed with other fats.
Cow ghee is usually golden yellow with a light, grainy texture, buffalo ghee is typically whiter and creamier because buffalo milk is richer in fat, and yak ghee comes from the milk of yaks kept by herders at high Himalayan altitudes in small, seasonal quantities.
Bilona ghee is made the traditional way: milk is set into curd, the curd is churned into butter, and the butter is slowly simmered into ghee. Industrial ghee is usually made by separating cream from milk and heating it directly, which is faster and cheaper but skips the curd stage that gives bilona ghee its cultured aroma.
Store ghee in a clean, dry, airtight jar, keep it away from heat, light and moisture, and always use a dry spoon. Ghee does not need a refrigerator, but a cool, dark cupboard keeps it fresh longer.