Ghee is pure butterfat made by slowly simmering butter until all of the water evaporates and the milk solids caramelize. The solids are then carefully strained away, leaving a rich, golden cooking fat with a naturally nutty flavor.

Because the lactose and casein are almost entirely removed during the process, many people who don't tolerate butter find they can enjoy ghee comfortably (though those with severe dairy allergies should consult their healthcare provider).

Butter contains butterfat, water, and milk solids. It's perishable and has a relatively low smoke point.

Clarified butter has the milk solids removed but still contains some moisture, making it less shelf-stable.

Ghee is simmered much longer until all of the moisture has evaporated and the milk solids have caramelized. The result is a rich, shelf-stable cooking fat with a high smoke point (around 485°F).

We believe traditional fats deserve a place back in the kitchen.

Because ghee is predominantly saturated fat, it's remarkably stable when heated, making it ideal for sautéing, roasting, baking, and frying. It also lends incredible flavor to everything from vegetables and eggs to baked goods.

Beyond its versatility, ghee naturally contains butyrate—a short-chain fatty acid that supports gut health—as well as vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Many of the beneficial compounds found in herbs are fat-soluble, making ghee an excellent traditional medium for herbal extraction.

For thousands of years, Ayurveda has prepared herbal ghees (called ghritas) because ghee helps carry both nourishment and botanical constituents throughout the body. Our infused varieties honor this tradition while celebrating the flavors and plants we love most.

Not technically.

Ghee is made from butter, so it is still a dairy product. However, nearly all of the lactose and casein are removed during the cooking process. Many people who cannot tolerate butter find they digest ghee comfortably, though everyone's body is different.

No.

Properly made ghee is naturally shelf-stable because all of the water has been removed during cooking. Store it in a cool pantry with the lid tightly sealed, and always use a clean, dry spoon to prevent moisture from entering the jar.

Refrigeration won't hurt it, but it isn't necessary.

An unopened jar will keep for many months at room temperature.

Once opened, we recommend enjoying it within 3 months for the freshest flavor, though properly stored ghee often lasts much longer.

As with any natural food, trust your senses. If it smells fresh and buttery, it's usually perfectly good.

Absolutely.

With a smoke point of approximately 485°F, ghee is one of the most heat-stable cooking fats available. It's wonderful for roasting vegetables, frying eggs, searing meat, sautéing, baking, and just about anything else you do in the kitchen.

This is not the case with the sweet ghees, as the honey will burn at high temperatures. Save your sweet ghees for topical use, blending into warm drinks, or low-temperature baking.

Imagine butter - but deeper.

Slow cooking allows the milk solids to caramelize before they're removed, creating a rich, nutty flavor with subtle caramel notes. It adds incredible depth without overpowering your food.

Simply put: ingredients and process.

We begin with organic, pasture-raised butter and slowly cook every batch for several hours before carefully filtering it by hand. This process reduces the butter by roughly 20%, meaning it takes significantly more butter—and considerably more time—to produce each jar of finished ghee.

Unlike many commercial brands, our ghee is fully cooked until all moisture has evaporated, resulting in exceptional flavor, true shelf stability, and the quality we believe is worth sharing.

We proudly use organic, pasture-raised butter from Rumiano Cheese in Northern California.

Their cows graze on pasture for at least 300 days each year and are certified through the American Humane program. Healthy animals, healthy soil, and thoughtful farming produce exceptional butter—and exceptional ghee.

For us, great food begins with how it's grown.

Pasture-raised cows spend their lives grazing on grass, which supports animal welfare, healthier soils, and a nutrient-rich butter. Choosing pasture-raised is one way we align our products with our values of stewardship, nourishment, and respect for the land.

Tender Hearth exists to reconnect people with traditional foods made slowly and intentionally.

Every jar is handcrafted in small batches using organic, pasture-raised butter, then cooked low and slow until it becomes true ghee—not simply clarified butter. Whether we're making our classic ghee or one of our herbal infusions, our goal is the same: create nourishing foods that honor both tradition and the farms they come from.

Because every jar is handcrafted in small batches, we typically ship orders within 2–5 business days. As a one-woman business, there are occasional delays due to production or ingredient availability, but we always work to get your order on its way as quickly as possible. Thank you for your patience and support of small-batch craftsmanship.

If you're unhappy with your order for any reason, please reach out—we genuinely want to make it right. Depending on the situation, we'll happily issue a refund or send a replacement. We may ask for photos of the product, but we do not require returns.

If your order arrives damaged, please email us within 14 days of delivery at aleya@tenderhearth.com with your order number and photos of the damage. We'll gladly refund the full order, including shipping, or send a replacement.

Orders may be cancelled for a full refund before they have shipped. Once an order has been processed and handed off to the carrier, we're unable to cancel or refund it.

If a package is returned to us because it was refused or could not be delivered, we'll refund the cost of the products, but shipping charges are non-refundable.

Please double-check your shipping address before placing your order. If an order ships to an incorrect address provided at checkout, we're unfortunately unable to replace it at no cost, and a new order will need to be placed.