Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Ghee wiz

During my last trip to Trader Joe's, I noticed something bright yellow in a jar next to the spices.
The label said "buffalo ghee," but I had no idea what it was, so I passed it by and
merrily tossed a half dozen jars of "Everything but the bagel" seasoning into my cart.
Heaven forbid I should run out.

A few days later, I received a package in the mail (thanks again, Anne!) and lo and behold,
one of the treats I found inside was a jar of bright yellow Trader Joe's Seasoned Buffalo Ghee.
I still had no idea what it was, but google suggested I could use it in place of butter or oil.

What the heck...might as well try it on my next grilled cheese sandwich, I thought.
Three weeks and probably 12 grilled cheese sandwiches later, I'm here to respectfully suggest that
you cast aside all methods of making grilled cheese sandwiches in favor of this one:

1. Spread Trader Joe's Seasoned Buffalo Ghee on the outsides of two pieces of good bread.
2. Put your favorite cheese in the middle
3. Grill sandwich over medium-low heat, turning over every couple of minutes.

The bread becomes beautifully golden brown at about the same time that the cheese melts,
unlike butter or olive oil which, in my experience, burns long before the cheese melts
and sets off the smoke detectors. I've tried the mayonnaise method, which doesn't burn,
but what's the point of a grilled sandwich if it doesn't taste buttery?

 
Fearing that I might run out of my stash of seasoned buffalo ghee 
before my next trip to Trader Joe's, I picked up a jar of plain cow ghee 
at the Walmart. It produced similar golden, crispy, delicious results,
but the "turmeric and other spices" in the TJ's brand is to die for.
And if I keep eating grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner every night, I probably will.


But who can resist eating sandwiches for dinner when there's bread fresh out of the oven?



Retirement is definitely bringing out my domestic side. 


19 comments:

  1. I've read of ghee quite often lately. It sounds wonderful and I'll have to try it. I was at Trader Joe's last week, but was interested in a couple of other specific items and didn't see the ghee. I haven't made your artisan bread for a long time and that looks like the best part of the sandwich, although melted cheese is hard to beat, too. Have you ever put tomato on a grilled cheese? If I ever get a good tomato it's about my favorite way to use it. I got an Instant Pot and have been reading a lot of recipes for it. One of them is for making ghee.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like tomato on my grilled chesese, as well! And sometimes some bacon.

      Delete
    2. Come summer when my tomato plants will be thriving (yeah, right), I'll definitely be adding them to my sandwiches.

      Delete
    3. In the meantime try some sliced onion on a grilled cheese sandwich, and in summer, onion and tomato. YUM!

      Delete
  2. I know that ghee is a clarified butter (milk solids removed) and has a higher burning point than regular butter.
    That being said, I probably would not have picked up the seasoned ghee on first pass either.

    Tumeric is in some mustard and pickle recipes and works well for my tummy (reflux issues here). Its the other spices that have to be investigated. Oddly enough I can handle hot peppers, but some other common spices can set me up for a day or two of misery.

    I bet if you added some protein to that cheese sandwich (thin sliced sandwich meat or bacon/Canadian bacon) and changing the cheeses around / mix the cheeses, you can have eat a sandwich each day without repeating yourself unless you want to :)

    M in NC

    ReplyDelete
  3. What time are you serving lunch? Looks yummy.
    Lynda in Michigan

    ReplyDelete
  4. That sandwich looks scrumptious!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yummy bread!!!! Although I wouldn't trust that ''ghee'' as far as I can throw it, especially from a buffalo... at least it's not buffalo goo.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I may have to check this stuff out. Thanks for enlightening me.

    ReplyDelete
  7. No fair! Lunch is SO many hours away and I'm salivating already! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. When summer comes and you can get a real tomato from a roadside stand, add it and paper thin slices of a sweet yellow onion and you'll have a whole new level of YUM. I'll have to look for that tumeric/spices ghee at TJs! Your sandwich looks amazing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Now I see that Cee Cee and I are of like mind!

      Delete
  9. Yummmmm!!! I don't think I have ever seen the buffalo ghee at TJ's, but it's super easy to make your own ghee in an "emergency." Lots of tutorials online so I'll spare you, but it's essentially just clarified butter. I am going to have to look for TJ's buffalo ghee to try it out...definitely curious about the spices they put in it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Here are the label ingredients: buffalo milk, black mustard seed, turmeric, fennel seed, whole cumin, coriander, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom.

      Delete
  10. What a great tip. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  11. So how was the Walmart brand for taste?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was good - but bland compared to TJ's.

      Delete
  12. An American in Tokyo1/31/18, 5:03 PM

    OMIGOD THAT GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH LOOKS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD!!!
    (I might be a bit hungry from my diet right now...ha ha! Trying to stay away from carbs!)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I saw a jar of that at Sprouts and wondered what it was. I am definitely going to have to try it!! I thought it was something disgusting because ghee seems like a sound someone would make right before an unexpected elimination from one body area or the other. But now it’s more like Whee!!

    ReplyDelete