Once melted, do not stir. Skim off any foam that comes to the surface.
For clarified butter, remove from the heat after the foaming ceases. Let stand a few minutes, allowing the milk solids to settle to the bottom. Carefully pour the liquid into a heatproof container, leaving the solids behind, or pour through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or flour sack towel.
For ghee, continue heating the butter over the lowest heat possible, keeping it below a simmer until golden and brown milk solids have settled at the bottom of the pan. This can take up to 1 hour. At this slow rate, the milk solids settle nicely. Pour or strain into a container as for clarified butter.
Both can be stored in an airtight container for 6 to 8 months in the refrigerator. When chilled, clarified butter and ghee become grainy. They should not be used as a spread, only in cooking.
⅔ cup dry white or red wine, hard cider, or chicken stock or broth
1 tablespoon lemon juice, white wine vinegar, or Cognac, or to taste
(4 teaspoons Dijon mustard)
(1 bay leaf)
Salt and black pepper to taste
(½ cup heavy cream)
1 ½ teaspoons butter
2 tablespoons minced herbs such as parsley, tarragon, thyme, or a combination
Minced fresh herbs
Sub-recipe steps
After pan-frying steaks, lamb chops, pork chops, or chicken pieces, transfer them to a platter and keep warm. Pour off most of the excess fat and set the pan over medium heat. Add: ½ cup minced onion or shallot
Cook, stirring, until softened but not browned. Increase the heat to medium-high and add: ⅔ cup dry white or red wine, hard cider, or chicken stock or broth
Stir with a wooden spoon to loosen and dissolve any browned bits, then bring to a boil and add: 1 tablespoon lemon juice, white wine vinegar, or Cognac, or to taste; (4 teaspoons Dijon mustard); (1 bay leaf); Salt and black pepper to taste
Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. If desired, add and cook until reduced by about half, 1 to 2 minutes: (½ cup heavy cream)
Take off the heat and swirl in bit by bit: 1 ½ teaspoons butter
Remove the bay leaf, if used, or, for a perfectly smooth sauce, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve. Stir in: 2 tablespoons minced herbs such as parsley, tarragon, thyme, or a combination
Spoon the sauce over the meat and garnish with: Minced fresh herbs
⅓ cup finely chopped onion, shallot, or green onion
⅓ cup finely chopped parsley
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
(1 tablespoon finely chopped oregano)
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Salt to taste
Sub-recipe steps
Whisk together thoroughly in a small bowl: ½ cup olive oil; ¼ cup red wine vinegar
Stir in: ⅓ cup finely chopped onion, shallot, or green onion; ⅓ cup finely chopped parsley; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; (1 tablespoon finely chopped oregano); ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste; ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste; Salt to taste
Cover and let stand for 2 hours to allow the flavors to develop. The sauce will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 days.
(Flavored butter)
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
Four 6- to 7-ounce venison steaks from the loin or leg
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, bacon drippings, or Clarified Butter
1 (Herb Pan Sauce, Wine and Sour Cherry Pan Sauce, or the pan sauce for Steak Diane or Steak au Poivre)
1 (Chimichurri)
(Flavored butter)
Let's Cook
Step 1.
Have ready: Four 6- to 7-ounce venison steaks from the loin or leg
Step 2.
Season on both sides with: 1 ½ teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper
Step 3.
Heat in a heavy skillet over high heat: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, bacon drippings, or Clarified Butter
Step 4.
Quickly brown the meat, 2 to 3 minutes each side or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 120° to 130°F for rare to medium-rare. Transfer to a plate. If desired, prepare: (Herb Pan Sauce, Wine and Sour Cherry Pan Sauce, or the pan sauce for Steak Diane or Steak au Poivre)
Step 5.
Or, you may serve the steaks with: (Chimichurri)
Step 6.
Or top each steak with a thin slice or dollop of a: (Flavored butter)
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