Clarified butter has a higher smoke point than regular butter, and is therefore preferred in some cooking applications, such as sautéing. Drawn butter is usually a synonym of clarified butter, but sometimes used to mean simply melted butter. This term is encountered most commonly when it is served as an accompaniment to lobster, crab or shrimp. Ghee is a type of clarified butter important in Indian cuisine. Clarified butter infused with ginger, garlic, and several spices, (known as Niter kibbeh in Amharic and Tesmi in Tigrinya) is prominent in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine (particularly in the highlands).

Names and uses in different countries

• In England, clarified butter is used in the process of potting, whereby foods such as shrimp and hare are conserved in pots of butter.
• In Brazil, it is known as "manteiga de garrafa" (bottle butter) and is featured mostly in cuisine from the Northeast.
• In Iran, it is known as "yellow oil" and is used in place of other oils.
• In India, it is known as "ghee".
• In Egypt, it is known as "samnah". It replaces oil in frying and sautéing due to a perceived superior flavor.