What if there were a naturally lactose-free cooking substance with the richness and creaminess of butter, the high smoke point of seed oils, and one that also improves gut health and digestion?
This seemingly magical medium isn’t a pipe dream, and it isn’t a newfangled lab creation. It’s ghee.
While ghee is less familiar to casual cooks in the West, it’s foundational to Indian cuisine. But what is it, exactly? Simply put, it’s clarified butter made by simmering butter until the water evaporates and the milk solids separate from the butterfat. It is more concentrated than French-style clarified butter, and when created correctly, offers a high smoke point (485°F) and a rich and nutty flavor.
But the key word in that sentence is when. The process of creating truly transcendent ghee isn’t as easy as plopping just any butter in a pan and cranking up the heat.
Which is where 4th & Heart comes in. The California-based artisanal food company was launched in 2015 with a simple mission: to expand home cooks’ culinary horizons by modernizing ancient pantry staples.
The ingredients are meticulously sourced, with only grass-fed, pasture-raised dairy products used for the ghee. The slow, thoughtful techniques are equally precise—with the goal of teasing out optimal flavor, but also to ensure the ghee is still packed with vitamin A, and that all lactose is removed from the finished product. (Yes, 4th & Heart’s ghee is suitable for many people with dairy sensitivities.)
Max Dichter, CEO of 4th & Heart, wants to deliver the best product possible while also changing the narrative around ghee, which he finds limiting.
“The biggest misconception we see is that people assume ghee is only for cultural recipes and cooking, particularly Indian,” Dichter says. “But ghee is a 100% pure spreadable butterfat, and it elevates anything you’d make with regular butter.”
Changing the Narrative About Ghee
This determination to change the narrative is where Sur La Table, the national specialty retailer of cookware, beloved by novice and professional chefs for its dedication to quality and innovation, comes in. Together, they’re introducing a monthlong cooking series designed to showcase how 4th & Heart’s ghee can elevate classic recipes with its incredible flavor and versatility. Classes will be held at Sur La Table locations across the country now through the end of November.
“Our partnership with Sur La Table helps clarify (no pun intended) that ghee can be used in everyday dishes and as an everyday kitchen essential that delivers a richer, more flavorful, and better-for-you butter experience,” Dichter says.
For a sneak peek at ghee’s multifaceted culinary potential, check out 4th & Heart’s recipes for Fudgy Flourless Brownie Cookies, Roasted Honey Mustard Chicken and more.
Ghee can be substituted for butter or seed oil in both sweet and savory recipes, with similar textural results, but with a richer, nuttier flavor and a gut-friendly profile.
Chef Richard Temples, culinary operations manager at Sur La Table, is thrilled to share 4th & Heart’s ghee in the upcoming classes, and to use it at home.
“They’ve nailed the flavor game,” Temples says. “In addition to the original ghee, 4th & Heart offers garlic ghee, Himalayan sea salt ghee, and even a super unique vanilla. These are flavors people actually want to cook with. Plus, the texture is creamy and easy to work with, and it’s naturally lactose-free, so it fits into a lot of different diets.”
The Incredible Versatility of Ghee
Like many chefs, Temples appreciates both ghee’s flavor and its ability to take the heat.
“I love using ghee to sauté aromatics and finish sauces,” he says. “It adds a rich, nutty flavor and handles high heat like a champ. It’s also great in pastry doughs and pie crusts for that perfect flake.”
Ghee can be used in a range of sophisticated dishes, but its real strength may be its ability to make the everyday so much tastier.
“I use ghee for my eggs in the morning. I use it to sear steaks, sauté vegetables, and drizzle over popcorn,” Dichter says. “It’s a staple.”
And if you can’t roll up your sleeves and learn from the pros at one of Sur La Table’s locations, 4th & Heart has launched The Supper Club, a curated collection of their favorite recipes.
Learn more about 4th & Heart here and follow along on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news and recipes.
