Does Ghee Need to Be Refrigerated? (Explained!)

For those unfamiliar with the term, ghee is a kind of clarified butter made out of buffalo’s or cow’s milk used primarily in India. And due to this description, it may seem that ghee, as classic butter, belongs to the fridge. But is that really the case?

Does ghee need to be refrigerated? No, ghee doesn’t need to be refrigerated. That’s because milk solids are removed from the ghee during the process used to prepare it, making it somehow shelf-stable. However, refrigerating it will still undoubtedly extend its lifespan.

This was just to put it very fast, though – if we actually want to understand this topic, we’re going to dive a bit deeper.

So without any further hesitation, let’s get into it!

Does ghee need to be refrigerated? 

Although ghee doesn’t need to be refrigerated precisely, putting it into the fridge will extend its lifespan. Why? To put it simply, it’s because ghee is prepared in a way no milk solids are left in there.

Due to that, ghee doesn’t spoil as fast as regular butter. However, it still isn’t an utterly shelf-stable product – refrigerating your ghee is especially recommended when talking about the homemade kind.

Does homemade ghee need to be refrigerated? 

We’ve touched this one a bit in the previous answer, so just quickly now – technically, not even homemade ghee needs to be refrigerated because milk solids are removed throughout the process.

But with that in mind, ghee is still a dairy product, and refrigerating will extend its lifespan; this is especially the case when talking about homemade ghee.

Does imitation ghee need to be refrigerated? 

Since a lot of things can be changed in the original recipe while making “fake ghee,” imitation ghee needs to be refrigerated to be entirely sure it won’t become dangerous to consume.

Does organic ghee need to be refrigerated? 

To put it simply, organic ghee doesn’t need to be refrigerated. However, putting it into the fridge will still increase its lifespan by a few months, so we would recommend you to do so.

Does bulletproof ghee need to be refrigerated? 

According to the manufacturers themselves, bulletproof ghee doesn’t need to be refrigerated. Instead, keeping it in the pantry (or somewhere away from the direct heat and sunlight) will do good.

Does organic valley ghee need to be refrigerated? 

As the manufacturers say, organic valley ghee doesn’t need to be refrigerated since it is free of proteins, sugar, and milk solids. Hence, you can keep it in your pantry or some other place free of direct sunlight.

How long does ghee last in the fridge? 

Coming up with an exact answer to this question is nearly impossible because it depends on many factors. However, generally speaking, it can be said that ghee lasts for something about a year in the fridge.

How to store ghee in the fridge? 

The best way to store ghee in the fridge is to put it into a jar or another sealable container. The sealable part is crucial, though, since storing ghee in an unopened container will result in oxygen getting into it and spoiling it.

Can unopened ghee be unrefrigerated? 

Yes, unopened ghee can be unrefrigerated because of the nature of the process used to prepare ghee. After that process is finished, ghee is free of milk solids, meaning it can be, unlike classic butter, stored just in the pantry or some similar place.

Does ghee need to be refrigerated after opening? 

And believe it or not, that goes even after the opening, so no, ghee doesn’t need to be refrigerated after opening. But with that being said, putting it into the fridge will surely extend its lifespan a bit, so think about doing so if you know you’re going to have to hold onto it for quite some time.

How to store ghee without refrigeration? 

As we have mentioned above a hundred times, ghee doesn’t require being in the fridge. Hence, the best way to store ghee without refrigeration is simply to put it into the pantry; however, make sure that the ghee is tightly sealed so that no oxygen can get to it.

How long can ghee stay unrefrigerated? 

Once again, this question is a bit tricky since it varies in each case. But roughly speaking, it can be said that ghee can stay unrefrigerated for about three to four months, so if you need to keep it for a longer time, think about putting it into the fridge.

Can ghee be stored at room temperature? 

Yes, ghee can be stored at room temperature because it doesn’t contain milk solids. That’s due to the process used to prepare it that makes ghee somehow shelf-stable.

But with that being said, keep in mind that to fully extend ghee’s lifespan, keeping it in the fridge is necessary. Hence, you should probably do so if you know you’re not going to use all of the ghee within a few weeks.

What happens if you leave ghee unrefrigerated? 

Since we have explained above that it actually doesn’t need to be in the fridge, nothing bad happens if you leave ghee unrefrigerated! Well, besides the fact that its lifespan will be shortened a bit, so if you want to maximize it, you should put it into the fridge nevertheless.

How do you know if ghee is bad? 

To know if ghee is bad, thoroughly check its smell and appearance – spoiled ghee has a significant, disgusting odor and its color also often changes to white. Therefore, if you notice anything of this kind with your ghee, you’d better toss it away as soon as possible.

Summary 

Unlike classic butter, ghee doesn’t contain any milk solids, proteins, or sugar. Thanks to that, ghee doesn’t require refrigeration, and it will stay good for four months even at room temperature!

But with that in mind, by putting it into the fridge, you will extend this lifespan at least by a bit since ghee can last for even as long as a year in the fridge.

Also Read:

• Does Coconut Water Need to Be Refrigerated?
• Does Vanilla Extract Need to Be Refrigerated?
• Do Cannolis Need to Be Refrigerated?
• Does Cheesecake Need to Be Refrigerated?
• Does Jelly Need to Be Refrigerated?

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Image credits – Canva