You Should Know why A2 Cow Ghee is so Expensive!!

The traditional method of making ghee using a bilona is more time- consuming and labor-intensive than the mechanized cream method. It involves hand-churning the milk using a wooden beater called a bologna, which separates the cream from the milk and then boiling it until the water evaporates and the milk solids separate from the fat. This process requires skilled labor, specialized equipment, and happy cows, which are typically of South Asian cow breeds.

The resulting ghee is more expensive than factory-made ghee because it is produced in smaller quantities and requires more time and effort. Additionally, the traditional bilona method produces a higher quality and more flavorful ghee compared to the cream method, which uses large-scale commercial equipment to churn the cream. The clarified butter made using the bilona method has a distinct nutty and concentrated flavor that is prized in South Asian cuisine.

Moreover, ghee made using the bilona method can be stored for a longer time without spoiling and has a higher smoke point than butter. These properties make it a preferred cooking fat for high-temperature cooking, as well as a staple ingredient in many South Asian dishes such as chapati, lentils, and rice.

Despite the higher cost, there are many people willing to pay the price for bilona-made ghee because of its superior taste and quality. It is also considered a healthier alternative to butter as it is free from milk solids and contains healthy fats and essential nutrients.

Good quality ghee requires a carefully selected pod, which must be chosen by its sound. A good pod rings like a bell, while a low-quality one has invisible flaws that make it sound flat. The perfect pod is essential because the entire process from raw milk to ghee takes place inside it. After heating the milk from morning to night and letting it cool until the next day, a starter is added to jumpstart the curdling process at approximately 45 degrees Celsius. The ghee is left to culture, fermenting the milk, allowing it to develop complex flavors not commonly found in other types of butter. To agitate the curd, the bologna is twisted back and forth. It only takes around two hours to make a bologna by hand from shisham wood, but one must be in the right place to buy it. In use, the wood absorbs oil from the key, preserving the tool and extending its life.

It takes about an hour of continuous churning to separate the butter from the buttermilk board. The result of all that churning is cultured butter, which is then heated up again to turn it into ghee. Boiling the butter clarifies it, which means the liquid separates from the milk solids. The longer the ghee cooks, the nuttier the aroma and the deeper its golden color. The sweet spot is usually around one to two hours. What's left in the pot is bilona ready to be shipped out and eaten.

This method of making ghee has been passed down through generations, but in 2020, the business was taken online. In 2022, the global ghee market peaked at 49.2 billion dollars, and some estimates expect that number to hit 73.5 billion dollars by 2028. Demand for this product continues to grow, even though it can cost around three times as much as the industrial version. That's because this ghee comes from indigenous cows, all of which are South Asian breeds, popularly known as their sea cows. Each sea cow produces about 10 to 12 liters of milk a day, which is half as much as industrial cows, and nothing can happen if a calf isn't around.

But People say the quality of their milk makes up for the lower yields. It takes over 20 liters of milk to make just one liter of ghee. So when demand is high, people also buy milk from other farmers in the village to keep up. Ghee made using these methods from the milk of indigenous cows is often marketed as A2 desi ghee. A2 refers to a specific type of protein found in milk, beta-casein. While milk from Western dairy cows contains both A1 and A2 beta-casein, milk from sea cows only contains the A2 protein. Research has found that A2 milk is easier for people with lactose intolerance to digest. Customers have noticed the difference nationwide, but the village is a long way from courier services. Despite the logistical challenges, People enjoys the work.