Tips For Using Ghee For Perfectly Cooked Christmas Dinner

Ghee is a type of clarified butter that is cooked until the milk solids are caramelised in the butter fat, and then strained out. This creates a pleasing rich nutty and slightly sweet flavour and a lighter texture than butter. Removing the milk solids also means that ghee has a very high smoking point of around 465°F, making it suitable for high-heat cooking.

Here’s a look at how you can use this versatile product to enhance your Christmas cooking.

Ghee roast potatoes

Roast potatoes cooked in ghee will be crisp on the outside and fluffy and delicious on the inside, with a beautiful golden hue. Ghee will help them to roast evenly, and you can leave them in the oven until they are crisped to perfection without the risk of burning, thanks to the high smoke point.

To make, parboil the potatoes (Maris Pipers are excellent roasters) in salted water until slightly tender, then drain and set aside to dry for a few minutes. Meanwhile, heat a few tablespoons of ghee (more if you are making a large batch) in a roasting tin at 200°C or gas mark 7. 

Shake the potatoes lightly to roughen the surface, and carefully place them in the heated ghee. Use tongs to turn each potato to ensure it is fully coated in fat, and season with salt. You could also add a handful of chopped herbs for extra flavour. Roast for about 45 minutes or until crisp and golden, remembering to turn the potatoes halfway through.

Ghee basted turkey

Ghee is perfect for adding moisture to a large turkey and infusing it with flavour, for beautifully tender and tasty meat under a crispy skin. For enhanced deliciousness, melt the ghee with fresh chopped herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and sage. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and then rub the herb-infused ghee under the skin of the turkey breast.

Brush the remaining ghee over the exterior of the turkey skin, and place in the oven to roast for the specified time according to the weight of the meat. Check the turkey periodically and reapply the baste if necessary. For the latter cooking period, you may wish to loosely place foil over the turkey to help it retain moisture. 

Ghee mince pies

Ghee makes a lovely light alternative to butter when making pastries, producing a perfect crisp and flaky texture and a pleasant sweet flavour. It pairs well with typical Christmas dessert flavours such as cinnamon and nutmeg, and is a great ingredient for mince pies or adding to Christmas puddings.