# [BUTTER] making butter, greenhorn needs help



## leigha (May 5, 2003)

I've never tried to make butter, just got interested in it a few days ago. I know I need to start with cream. Can I use "heavy cream" as in the grocery store kind, or do I need to start with fresh cow's milk, which I don't have but could get? Also, I've looked at the small butter churns on ebay and Lehman's, could I make butter with a plastic pitcher and a plunger and of course some elbow grease just as well? Any suggestions on making butter, churns, molds would be great. I have three little ones around my feet, so I may not be able to check back until this afternoon's naptime. Thanks ahead of time.


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## goatlady (May 31, 2002)

Don't think you can use store-bought cream as it all had additives in it. My friend uses a glass gallon jug and just rolls it back and fourth on the table ot the floor. Some folks use a blender.


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## Sherri C (Jun 21, 2002)

I make butter all the time using store-bought whipping cream and my electric mixer. Just whip the cream like you're going to make whipped cream but then keep on going. Eventually you'll see a thin white liquid start to separate out, that's the buttermilk. Take a spatula and scrape together all the lumps of butter and then pour off the buttermilk. Rinse the butter with cold water to get out any remaining buttermilk, add a bit of salt, and you're ready to go!


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## Carol K (May 10, 2002)

I agree with Sherri, you can use heavy cream. I also make it in my mixer, just keep an eye on it when it starts to turn to butter. Have the cream at room temperature, when it starts to clump together slow the mixer down and rinse several times in very cold water, salt if you want and use or freeze. Its really easy. Don't buy any special gadgets to make butter though, you don;t need any of them.

Carol K


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## westbrook (May 10, 2002)

Whipping cream or Heavy Cream from the store is what you will want to use. If you could get fresh goat or cow cream perfect! but store bought cream is fine. Let it sit out on the counter to warm up. Depending on the temperature in your house if could be 4-12 hours. Cold cream will whip!

If you have a blender, place warm cream in the blender and turn it on the lowest setting you have. In about 3-5 minutes it will have formed a ball (thumping noise in the blender is the tail tell sign)

If you have a jar with a lid on it, you can place the cream in that, making sure the lid is on tight. Begin shaking the jar, and shake and shake and shake. You will start to see little butter clumps form, keep shaking!

Butter is not yellow so don't be disappointed.

Now to the washing of the butter.....

pour the liquid off of the butter, but save it as this is 'buttermilk' and can be used in any recipe that calls for butter milk...or drink it!

If you have a wooden bowl and wooden spoon that is perfect, if not any bowl will work. You will use 'cold' water and pour it over the butter, begin working the butter with the back of the spoon agains the bowl. The idea is to get out all of the buttermilk from the butter. You will rinse the butter again with cold water, smash to get out the liquid and rinse some more until the water pours off clear. This will also help the butter from going rancid so quickly.

Molding the butter can be in any shape you desire. Use Candy molds for individual butter pats.

Add any herbs you desire to make herbed butter.

refrigerate.

This is where a Butter Bell comes in handy to preserve your butter.


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## leigha (May 5, 2003)

Tbanks so much to everyone who replied. I knew y'all could help me out. I'm going to try making herb or other flavored butters for some family Christmas gifts. Thanks again.


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## Mullers Lane Farm (Feb 27, 2003)

westbrook said:


> Butter is not yellow so don't be disappointed.


I agree with everything you said westbrook, especially about washing the butter, make sure the liquid runs clear before storing your butter! (we use a butter bell also)

One disagreement is about the color of butter. Now weâve only made butter from fresh cow cream and not store bought. When we used the cream from Holstein milk, the butter was white, but butter made from our Jersey cow is the brightest of yellow! I can safely and most assuredly say the color of the butter will depend on the animal you got your cream from!


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## westbrook (May 10, 2002)

I wish I had a cow! yellow butter? is there a reason that the Jesery makes yellow and the Holstein makes white butter? I think that is so interesting!

I have goats and the butter is white, I have also used heavy whipping cream from the store when I ran out of goat cream. 

Thanks for setting me straight! I think that is so cool! have I mentioned yet I wish I had a cow?


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## frontiergal (Oct 3, 2002)

Ok I'm confused. (this is nothing new) :haha: When my mom made homemade whip cream she always whipped the cream in a bowl and and had the bowl sitting in another bowl of ice to keep the cream as cold as possible,this was I thought to make it whip faster. Is that not correct?I remember mom telling me as a child not to whip it to much or it would turn to butter. So do we whip it cold or at room temp.? Also the rinsing thing, how long does this take to get all the butter milk out? Thanks, Heidi


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## Mullers Lane Farm (Feb 27, 2003)

westbrook said:


> I wish I had a cow! yellow butter? is there a reason that the Jesery makes yellow and the Holstein makes white butter


DH & I have wondered this ourselves. When he was growing up they had a Holstein and he swears they had yellow butter then also. We have noticed that the butter is a lighter color in the summer when Dolly is mostly on a grass/alfalfa pasture + grain. In the winter when sheâs getting alfalfa hay with her grain the butter is more yellow. I will bet it has to do with the protein level in her hay. Also a Jersey has a higher butterfat content than a Holstein so that may be a contributing factor. I would venture to say the majority of dairies that supply the country are Holstein based. 



westbrook said:


> ? have I mentioned yet I wish I had a cow?


Ummm, I think Iâve heard that before.


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## Mullers Lane Farm (Feb 27, 2003)

frontiergal said:


> When my mom made homemade whip cream she always whipped the cream in a bowl and and had the bowl sitting in another bowl of ice to keep the cream as cold as possible,this was I thought to make it whip faster.


Probably because if the cream is warm (50-60ÂºF) and you whip it too long, the cream will break and youâll get butter.


frontiergal said:


> So do we whip it cold or at room temp.?


It depends on how long you want to wait for it to become butter. Room temp will get you there quicker. Over the weekend when we were portraying in a 1840âs cabin at the local historical park, we brought 2 quarts of fresh cream that we were churning with a crock dash. We left the cream on the counter overnight at the house but it was so cold in the cabin we churned for almost 2 hours and then practically had to stick the churn in the fireplace for it to come. Be careful though, if it's too warm it will take longer also.



frontiergal said:


> Also the rinsing thing, how long does this take to get all the butter milk out?


Can't say an exact time, just until the the water you press out runs clear. If you don't do this, your butter will sour quickly.


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## swamptiger (Oct 15, 2002)

When I was growing up on the farm, my mother would always make butter in a quart jar while sitting in the evening. She would take cream warm right from the seperator, and just keep shaking the jar until she had butter. Then, she would take the buttermilk, and make pancakes with it in the morning....ummm.. :worship:


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## kickford (Mar 11, 2003)

what is the average amount of butter one could expect to get from a quart of cream? I realize it would vary with fat content but what amount approx?


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