Clarified butter is milk fat
rendered from
butter to separate the milk solids and water from the
butterfat. Typically, it is produced by melting butter and allowing the components to separate by
density. The water evaporates, some solids float to the surface and are skimmed off, and the remainder of the milk solids sink to the bottom and are left behind when the butter fat (which would then be on top) is poured off.