Butter vs Oil in Cooking

When to Use Each

Butter offers unparalleled flavor and richness, making it ideal for baking, sauces, and finishing dishes. Oils, particularly refined ones, are better for high-heat cooking like searing and frying because they lack the milk solids that burn easily in butter.

The Magic of Brown Butter

Cooking butter until its milk solids toast creates brown butter (beurre noisette), adding a deep, nutty complexity to both savory and sweet dishes.

Clarified Butter and Ghee

By removing the water and milk solids from butter, you get clarified butter or ghee. This process raises the smoke point significantly, combining the flavor of butter with the high-heat capabilities of a refined oil.