Vedic Cow Ghee Making Process (Bilona Method) – Step by Step Guide
If you love traditional food, you’ve definitely heard about Vedic cow ghee. It’s not just a cooking fat. It’s considered a superfood in Ayurveda, especially when made using the bilona method from A2 desi cow milk.
In this blog, I’ll walk you through the step-by-step Vedic cow ghee making process, from fresh milk to golden ghee. The language is simple, the steps are clear, and the structure is friendly for Yoast SEO & readability.
What Is Vedic Cow Ghee?
Vedic cow ghee is pure clarified butter made from the cultured curd of desi cow milk using the traditional bilona process.
In this method:
- First, milk is turned into curd.
- Then, curd is churned to make white butter (makkhan).
- Finally, that butter is slowly heated to make ghee.
This is different from direct cream ghee, where milk cream is boiled directly to make ghee. Vedic bilona ghee is more digestible, sattvic, and considered Ayurvedic.
Ingredients and Tools You Need
Before we start, let’s get everything ready.
Main Ingredient
- Fresh desi cow milk (A2 milk is ideal)
Starter & Add-ons
- Curd starter (previous day’s homemade curd or a good quality culture)
- Optional: A few moringa leaves, neem leaves, or betel leaves sometimes used in traditional farms for extra benefits (only if you know the method well)
Basic Tools
- Heavy-bottom stainless steel or iron pot
- Wooden ladle
- Clay or stainless steel pot for setting curd
- Wooden churner (bilona / mathani) or a hand blender (if at home)
- Ghee pot or glass jar for storage
- Fine strainer or muslin cloth
Step 1: Sourcing and Boiling Desi Cow Milk
The quality of your ghee always starts with the quality of milk.
1.1 Choose the Right Milk
- Use fresh desi cow milk, not mixed or toned milk.
- Milk from grass-fed cows is always better.
- Avoid milk powders or UHT milk.
1.2 Boil the Milk
- Pour the milk into a clean heavy-bottom pot.
- Heat it on a medium flame.
- Stir in between to avoid burning at the bottom.
- Once it rises and boils properly, switch off the gas.
1.3 Let the Milk Cool
- Let the boiled milk cool down until it becomes lukewarm.
- It should be warm enough to set curd, not too hot, and not cold.
👉 This lukewarm stage is very important. If it is too hot, curd bacteria may die. If it is too cold, curd will not set properly.
Step 2: Setting the Curd (Dahi)
Now we convert this milk into curd, which is the base of bilona ghee.
2.1 Add the Starter Culture
- Take 1–2 tablespoons of curd (for 1 liter of milk; increase as per quantity).
- Add the curd to the lukewarm milk.
- Mix gently with a clean spoon so that the culture spreads evenly.
2.2 Let the Curd Set
- Cover the pot with a lid or clean cloth.
- Keep it in a warm place for 8–10 hours or overnight.
- Do not move or shake the pot while the curd is setting.
After a few hours, you will see thick, well-set curd.
👉 Good ghee needs proper curd. If curd is watery or not set, the butter and ghee quality will drop.
Step 3: Fermenting the Curd (Optional but Powerful)
In many Vedic methods, the curd is allowed to ferment a little more. This makes it more sour and easier to churn, and also enhances digestibility.
- You can keep the curd for another 6–8 hours after it has set.
- The taste will turn slightly sour, which is ideal for ghee making.
This step is optional at home, but traditional farms often follow it for better Ayurvedic properties.
Step 4: Churning the Curd to Make Makkhan (Bilona Process)
This is the heart of the Vedic cow ghee making process.
4.1 Dilute the Curd
- Add cold water or room temperature water to the curd.
- Usually, 1 part water to 1 part curd is used.
- Mix it gently to make a liquid buttermilk-like texture.
4.2 Use a Wooden Churner (Mathani)
Traditionally, a wooden churner is used:
- Fix the churner in the pot.
- Start rotating it clockwise for a few minutes.
- Then rotate anti-clockwise.
- Continue changing directions.
This back-and-forth motion is called the bilona method.
If you are at home and don’t have a wooden churner, you can use:
- A hand blender on low speed, or
- A whisk (manual)
But the best results still come from traditional wooden churning.
4.3 Watch the Butter Separate
As you keep churning:
- White butter (makkhan) starts collecting on the top.
- A liquid part, called buttermilk (lassi), stays below.
Collect the butter gently by hand or with a spoon and keep it in another pot.
👉 Do not throw away the buttermilk. You can drink it, use it in recipes, or give it to animals. It is cooling and very healthy.
Step 5: Washing the Butter
This is a small but important step in the Vedic cow ghee making process.
5.1 Why Wash the Butter?
- Washing helps remove remaining buttermilk.
- This improves the shelf life of ghee.
- It also prevents sour smell later.
5.2 How to Wash
- Take the collected butter in a bowl.
- Add a little clean cold water.
- Gently press and wash the butter with your fingers.
- Remove the water.
- Repeat 1–2 times till the water runs mostly clear.
Now your white butter (makkhan) is ready for the final transformation into ghee.
Step 6: Heating the Butter to Make Ghee
Now we turn makkhan into liquid gold – ghee.
6.1 Melt the Butter
- Transfer the washed butter into a heavy-bottom pan.
- Keep the flame low to medium.
- The butter will start melting and turn into a clear liquid.
6.2 Slow Heating Is the Key
- Keep heating on low flame.
- Do not rush this part.
- You will see bubbles and foam forming on the top.
As it cooks:
- The water content evaporates.
- Milk solids settle at the bottom and start turning brown.
- The liquid on top becomes bright golden.
6.3 Watch for Color, Aroma, and Sound
You will know the ghee is ready when:
- It turns clear golden in colour.
- The crackling sound slows down or stops.
- The kitchen fills with a nutty, rich aroma.
At this stage:
- Switch off the flame.
- Do not overcook, or the ghee can burn and taste bitter.
Step 7: Cooling and Straining the Ghee
Now we clean up the final product.
7.1 Let It Cool Slightly
- Allow the ghee to cool for 10–15 minutes.
- It should still be warm, not fully solid.
7.2 Strain the Ghee
- Place a metal strainer or muslin cloth over a clean dry jar.
- Slowly pour the ghee through it.
- This removes the brown milk solids and any impurities.
You will get pure, clear, golden Vedic cow ghee in your jar.
Step 8: Storing Vedic Cow Ghee Properly
Storage also affects quality.
- Use a glass jar or steel container.
- Keep it tightly closed.
- Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight.
- Always use a clean, dry spoon to take ghee.
Properly made and stored bilona ghee can last for months and even improves with age.
Key Benefits of Vedic Bilona Cow Ghee
While this blog is about the process, it helps to know why this method is special.
- Made from cultured curd, not direct cream
- Easier to digest compared to normal ghee
- Considered sattvic in Ayurveda
- Supports agni (digestive fire) when used in moderation
- Can be used for cooking, tadka, rotis, kheer, and Ayurvedic remedies
- When sourced from happy, grass-fed desi cows, it supports sustainable farming
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Ghee Making
Even a small mistake can change the taste and quality. Here are some things to avoid:
- Using low-quality milk
- Adulterated or mixed milk gives weak ghee and poor aroma.
- Not cooling the milk properly before adding curd
- Too hot milk can kill the curd culture.
- Rushing the churning process
- Less churning = less butter = less ghee.
- High flame during heating
- This can burn the ghee and turn it bitter.
- Not straining properly
- Milk solids left in ghee can spoil faster.
Simple Step-by-Step Summary
If you want a quick recap of the Vedic cow ghee making process, here it is:
- Boil fresh desi cow milk and let it cool to lukewarm.
- Add curd culture and let it set for 8–10 hours.
- Optionally, ferment curd a bit more for better digestion.
- Dilute curd with water and churn with a wooden bilona.
- Collect white butter (makkhan) from the top.
- Wash the butter with cold water to remove buttermilk.
- Heat the butter slowly on low flame till it turns golden and aromatic.
- Let it cool slightly and then strain into a clean jar.
- Store properly in a cool, dry place.
That’s it. This is the traditional, Vedic bilona method for making cow ghee.
FAQ: Vedic Cow Ghee Making Process
1. Can I use a mixer grinder instead of a wooden churner?
Yes, you can use a mixer grinder in pulse mode or a hand blender. However, a wooden churner is better as it keeps the process gentle and aligned with tradition.
2. How much ghee will I get from 1 liter of milk?
It depends on the fat content of the milk.
- From 1 liter of good quality desi cow milk, you might get 60–80 ml of ghee (approx).
- Farm-level bilona ghee often uses 10–25 liters of milk for 1 liter of ghee.
3. Why is bilona Vedic ghee more expensive?
Because:
- It uses more milk per liter of ghee.
- The process is manual, slow, and labor-intensive.
- Quality desi cow milk itself is costly.
You pay for purity, process, and health benefits.
4. Can I make Vedic ghee at home on a small scale?
Absolutely yes.
You can:
- Use 2–5 liters of milk at home.
- Follow the same process: milk → curd → makkhan → ghee.
It will take time and patience, but the result is worth it.
