When you hear 'Bilona ghee', you may picture an old-fashioned way of making ghee at home. And that is not far from the idea behind it. Unlike methods that begin by separating cream from milk, the traditional Bilona process takes milk through curd and butter before it becomes ghee.
So, what exactly is Bilona ghee, and how is it made?
What Is Bilona Ghee?
Bilona ghee is made by turning milk into curd, churning the curd to separate butter and then heating that butter to make ghee.
In simple terms:
Milk → Curd → Butter → Ghee
The important thing to remember is that Bilona describes the method, not the breed of cow. Bilona ghee is therefore not automatically A2, Gir or desi cow ghee. Those terms refer to different aspects of the milk or product.
How Is Bilona Ghee Made?
The process starts with milk. The milk is heated, cooled and cultured until it sets into curd.
The curd is then churned to separate the butter from the buttermilk. Traditionally, this was done using a wooden churner, although the equipment used today can vary.
The butter is then heated. As it cooks, moisture evaporates and the milk solids separate from the fat. The clear ghee is then filtered and stored.
This is what gives the traditional Bilona method its distinct character: the butter is made from curd first, rather than directly from separated cream.
FSSAI defines ghee as clarified fat derived from milk, curd, desi butter or cream, so the starting material and method can vary while still producing ghee that meets the required standard.
Read more: What Colour and Texture Say About Ghee Quality
Does Bilona Ghee Taste Different?
The process can influence the aroma and flavour of ghee. A 2025 study comparing different ghee-making processes found that curd-butter processing produced differences in volatile compounds associated with flavour and aroma, while the overall fatty-acid composition was not significantly changed by the processing method in that study.
That helps explain why Bilona ghee can have a distinctive aroma and taste. But the Bilona method itself should not be treated as a guarantee of extra health benefits.
Is Bilona Ghee Better Than Regular Ghee?
Bilona and other ghee-making methods follow different processes. What makes Bilona special is the traditional curd-to-butter-to-ghee journey.
The quality of the milk, cleanliness, processing, storage and final product all matter when choosing ghee. FSSAI standards specify at least 99.5% milk fat and a maximum 0.5% moisture for ghee.
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FAQs
Is Bilona ghee made from curd?
Yes. In the traditional Bilona method, milk is first converted into curd, which is churned into butter before the butter is clarified into ghee.
Is Bilona ghee the same as A2 ghee?
No. Bilona refers to the preparation method, while A2 refers to a type of beta-casein associated with milk.
Is Bilona ghee healthier than regular ghee?
There is not enough evidence to say that the Bilona method automatically makes ghee healthier. Its main difference is the traditional preparation process, which can also influence flavour and aroma.
What is the Bilona method of making ghee?
The traditional method follows a simple route: milk is turned into curd, curd is churned into butter, and the butter is heated and clarified into ghee.