Making Butter

 

I ran into an unbeatable deal this week and just had to take advantage of it. These quarts of heavy cream are usually around $6 each. So I jumped at the chance to get such a deal. And got quite the fanfare at the checkout line when they asked what I needed all that cream for. And the eyebrows raised when I told them: I am making BUTTER.

Making butter is so simple. But not very cost effective if you are buying cream at the original prices. I use my stand mixer, but you can use a food processor or even elbow grease if you are up for the workout. Its as simple as making whipped cream. Just pour it in your stand mixer 1 qt at a time, then beat on high until your cream starts to become aerated and form soft peaks. 

Then you simply wait. It will become whipped cream, unsweetened of course but the same consistency. If you keep whipping the cream...

It will take on an amazing transformation. The color gets more yellow and the molecules start to separate.  Soon you will hear a change in your machine. A sloshing sound...

 This is the buttermilk separating from the solid butterfat. Lower the speed of your mixer and continue blending until the butterfat forms a ball around and in your whisk. 

 Now you must strain the buttermilk from the butter. Do this over a bowl because you want to save the buttermilk. Use it in baking or feed it to your chickens. 

 

 Knead the butter over the strainer/cheesecloth. I just wrap it in the cheesecloth and squeeze. You want to remove as much of that buttermilk as you can to prevent the butter from going rancid. Give your butter ball a good rinse under cold water, dry, and pack in a tub or bowl. 

I made 2lbs of butter out of  two and 1/2 quarts of heavy cream. That's about 4 cups or 8 sticks of grocery store butter. You can add salt during the kneading process if you wish. Or try honey or herbs. Use your butter on bread, when baking or cooking. Its a little sweeter and richer and doesn't contain all of the preservatives of store bought butter.

Plus, I got a full quart of lovely whole fat buttermilk! With small globules of rich butter like my mother told me she drank as a child.