Wednesday, August 4, 2010

How to Make Butter



For someone who loves butter as much as I do, you'd think I would know more about it. Who knew people other than farmers could make butter? I honestly never thought about making butter until I saw an article in a local paper. But it looked so beautiful and fresh and mother-earth like that I had to try it.

It's an amazingly short process and so much fun to watch the cream do it's thing - thick, thicker, thickest!!

And if I was going to make my own butter, I had to make homemade buns to go with it. (I'll post the recipe for those next another time.)

Even store bought butter and fresh bread is my personal version of heaven. And the only thing I can say about the first bite of homemade rolls slathered in melting homemade butter is... Hallelujah.



Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream (whipping or heavier)
pinch or two of salt, optional


What to do:
1. Pour 2 cups of heavy cream into a food processor.
2. Put on high.
3. After about 2 minutes you will see that the cream has separated into butter milk and curds.
4. Pour off the liquid.
5. Add 1/8 cup of ice water.
6. Replace lid and turn pulse 4 times.
7. Pour out liquid.
8. Again add 1/8 cup ice water, replace lid and pulse 4 times.
9. Pour off any remaining liquid.
10.Place butter into strainer.
11. Gently press butter down with a spoon and stir it to get any excess liquid out.
12. Put in a bowl.
13. Add salt, if desired, and stir until well incorporated.
14. You can also add any flavourings desired - try chives, garlic, thyme, chillies, fruit zest etc.
Enjoy!

Notes:
By "rinsing" the curd with ice water, the butter may last up to 3 days.
I also recommend making only small batches to keep this delight at its freshest.
Wrap your freshly made butter in plastic wrap and roll into a log shape.
Refrigerate until firm.

56 comments:

  1. This is so awesome! I can not wait to try it. :o)

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  2. Wonderful post. WE used to do this when I was a kid, only we used a handheld electric blender. I haven't had it for years, and boy does this post bring back memories!

    I would think adding salt would extend the shelf life of this butter because salt is a preservative, but I suppose you could always freeze any that you don't plan to use right away.

    Thanks for the great photos.

    :)
    ButterYum

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  3. OMG what a great process. thank you so much for sharing this. I can't wait to try this.

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  4. Wow I had no idea this is all that went into butter. Good for you to make your own butter! Thanks for sharing this process.

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  5. oh wow, I never knew this - thanks!

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  6. One day, I'll be ambitious and make this.

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  7. Fantastic - never even THOUGHT about making my own butter! Thanks so much for this! (actually, my waistline is not all that happy about it, haha)

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  8. looks delicious but i was ondering about cost compared to store bought

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    1. I know this is a little late, but the answer can be found at your local grocery. A quart of heavy whipping cream will make about a pound of butter. The higher fat content the cream has, the more butter it will make. What might become more important is the time involved in making butter yourself.

      Good luck!
      sugar is smoking
      Easy Sweet Cream Home Butter

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  9. I have been making my own butter in my cuisenart for over a year now with grass fed cream from a local dairy. I always rinse my butter until clear and make 4oz logs wrapped in wax paper. I buy our cream 1/2 gallon at a time and keep the butter in the freezer. I will pull one out of the freezer when we need it and put it in a butter crock on the counter and have never had a problem with lasting longer than 3 days (although it is so good it rarely makes it that long!).

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  10. I mad e butter on Sunday with cream I skimmed off of milk I got from the cow I helped milk. It was all so fun. The butter was yummy too.

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  11. Is there any way to make butter without heavy cream, I am allergic to lots of dairy products, I use rice milk, and some other things. Thanks , Vicki.

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    Replies
    1. Sorry, but butter IS heavy cream. Literally. You can purchase margarine, or vegan margarine if the milk solid in it bothers you.

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    2. you could also make the butter and then cook it into either clarified butter or ghee. Ghee is free from any lactose and milk solids as well as casein which is what most people are allergic too. I use ghee on a daily basis it's so so good!

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    3. Could the butter be made from goat's milk? I know that many people that can't have cow's milk are able to drink goat's milk. Just a thought!

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    4. It can absolutely be made from Goats milk! I have a friend through 4H who uses Goats milk to make anything you can make out of Cows milk.( butter, cheese, Icecream etc....)

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  12. Hey, i just finished to make butter, great recipe. Thanks for share it.

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  13. All the liquid you are pouring off is buttermilk...save it & make pancakes!

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    Replies
    1. I use the butter milk to make home made bread ,works great ,,,,

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  14. Thanks for all the great coments!
    I'm not sure if you could make "butter" from a non-dairy source - imagine the fat content wouldn't lend itself to butter making!

    Sarah - thx for the tip!
    ceecee

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  15. I am not quite sure when last I read such a well written piece of blogging! I can see your mom's kitchen in my mind's eye and it takes me back to mine!
    Thank you for sharing this butter recipe, I have been wanting to make my own since forever!
    Cecilia

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  16. Raw goat's milk will do the same. It doesn't cause the ususal things associated with allergies from dairy products. I have 2 milk goats so I can make this anytime I want without the trip to the store to buy heavy whipping cream. Wanna'talk fresh! Thank the Lord!

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  17. I wonder if it would be possible to make the large batch and freeze it into smaller portions. That way you could just take some out of the freezer when you need it. I have got to try this!

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  18. I remember doing this in Kindergarten, except we used buttermilk I think. Either way - fun. How much does this recipe yield and have you used it in any of your baking?

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    1. I am wondering if you are recalling correctly?( using buttermilk in kindergarten to make butter). Buttermilk is the product of making butter from cream. Buttermilk doesn't have the cream content so it is impossible to make cream out of it.

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  19. My 14 year old son and I just made butter with his great grandmothers hand butter churn...he thought it took way too long and didn't understand why anyone would eat butter if this was how it was made! The food processor might revive his interest:)

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  20. I tried to make this today and after the two minutes it was not separated; I even let it go longer and still nothing. I basically ended up with blan whipped cream:(

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    1. I'm so sorry that it didn't work...not sure why but possibilities include:
      - not giving it long enough time to separate
      - I've heard ultra pasturized milk will not work's
      - speed too low
      That all I can think of..anyone else have an idea why it wouldn't work?

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    2. I've had this happen too when I've tried it! Does the cream need to be cold or room temperature? I've only done it with cold cream, and end up with whipped cream every time.

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    3. It does NOT have to be at room temp but some readers have found it is a shorter process if it is.

      It does go through the whipped cream stage - just keep going! After the whipped stage it should curdle and move to the butter stage!

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    4. The temperature has alot to do with how it truns out if it is to warm it dosn't set and if its to cold almost the same results

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    5. Made some yesterday, used cold ultra pasturized heavy whipping cream and it turned out perfect, try whipping it longer, it's worth the effort ��

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  21. I have made this many times and it definitely lasts longer than 3 days. I have kept it 2 weeks or longer. Always tastes fresh. Just be sure to rinse until water is clear. I do add salt to it.

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    1. You are right, I think it will last up to 3 weeks if salt is used...it rarely lasts that long though as it is sooo good!

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  22. It will make butter lots faster if the cream is brought to room temperature first.

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  23. I make mine in a blender using cold milk for 5 minutes. One time I left the blender going too long and the motor heated up and and I couldn't get anything out of it then. If I time it, 5 minutes is perfect.

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  24. Wow-
    I am trying this! Thanks!
    Teresa
    xoxo

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  25. I know this may sound silly, but do you pour the ice in with the water?

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    Replies
    1. No. Just the very cold water. Ps not a silly question!

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  26. My daughter's Kindergarten class made butter, when we visited a farm last fall. It was SO yummy! Thanks for sharing at Simple Supper Tuesday.

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  27. Reminds me of grandma. She would skim the cream off the top of milk and then beat it fork! Best butter ever! Thank you for the post!

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  28. I'd love to try this, but where can you get cream that's just cream, with no additives? We always have whipping cream around the house for coffee or adding to recipes, but there's more than just cream in the ingredients list.

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  29. As a professional chef and homesteader, I can assure you that homemade butter will last WAY MORE than 3 days. If you buy pasteurized cream, with a typical shelf life of over 3 WEEKS, remove the excess water throughout this process....don't add water, and add a pinch of salt. Salt itself works to preserve, that's why commercially made salted butter lasts longer than unsalted. Provided you keep it cold and clean, you can keep it for at least two weeks! Unless your like me and it gets eaten fast! :)

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    1. Great to know that, I was wondering about the 3 day limit

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  30. Save the buttermilk and use it too!

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  31. i put my mixer blades and a glass bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes and then pour the heavy cream into it and then whip it on high till it goes past whipped cream and it becomes light airy delicious whipped butter i fold in some kosher salt and then store it in ceramic crocks.. it lasts for 2 weeks spreads beautifully and tastes amazing melted over pasta or on fresh rolls...

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  32. Can you use heavy cream that has been frozen or does it have to be fresh?

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    1. I haven't tried it with frozen but I think it will work better with fresh.

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  33. Awesome. It took about five minutes. I used coffee filters to squeeze out the water from the final butter and it was much less messy than had I used a strainer.

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  34. way back in the day, waay back, milk came in glass bottles and the cream was floating on top. My mom aways skimmed off the cream and put it in a clean quart Miracle Whip jar. This she placed on the back of the stove until she had the jar 3/4 full. Then my brother and I had the job of "churning". The lid went on tightly, then we had to shake and shake and shake. We'd take turns, shake till our arms got tired, then switched off. After the cream finally clumped together, my mom would place a piece of cheesecloth in a strainer and pour in the contents. She would then press out the excess water, place the "butter" in another bowl, rinse with cold water, then added salt mixed well and refrigerated. This lasted for about a week, at which time we would start the process all over again. Finally after many years, she was given a blender and butter was then made in a matter of minutes.
    Thanks for letting me reminisce about my much younger days.

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    1. What a great memory! Thank you so much for sharing!

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  35. Amazingly easy and the best butter I ever had! Thanks!

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