# molding butter? anyone do it?



## cathleenc

I'm making 3-4 lbs of butter each week right now, thanks to the plentiful cream of our new cow, Biscuit. I keep eyeballing those neat antique butter molds on ebay and etsy and other places...

anyone ever use an antique butter mold to mold their homemade butter? Is it worth the effort? Does it add much time/work to the process? Would you use and antique or try to find a more contemporary mold?

I've been looking at both the round moulds that hold at least 1/4 lb or the rectangular molds that hold a 1/2 lb or pound.

thanks,
Cathy


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## linn

Cathy, I have several butter molds. If the molds are made of wood, you would probably need to soak your antique butter mold in mild bleach water for a few minutes and then scald to make sure to get rid of all of the old rancid fats collected in the wood.

I have learned to soak my butter molds in ice water before putting the butter in the mold. I get much better results that way. You have to shake out the excess moisture, but the butter does not stick to a cold mold as bad as it does to one that is room temp.


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## cathleenc

Linn, thanks!

can I ask more questions? I see three basic types of molds and keep vascilatting between each of them. I need to make a decision! lol.

a) utilitarian rectangular type. these look highly functional and if I could find one with a decent pattern on the type that was doubled (pattern on each half) so I could mold up 1 lb blocks and then cut them in half for use/storage I'd have bought it immediately! Hoeggers sells new ones, plain jane variety, for a very reasonable price.

b) semi-utilitarian round type with plunger: the larger ones look pretty darn practical - I'd love to find a reasonably priced 1/2 lb version with a decent pattern. I can find what I like either smaller or larger....

c) special occasion: oval, no plunger, scalloped edges. Oh, these are so pretty! there is an european one on ebay where the mold 'unhinges' so that you can remove the butter more easily, another really well priced one that does not. 

so my questions: If I want to mold up butter, 3-4 lbs per churning, which type of mold should I go for? how long do I have to chill the butter-filled mold before I can eject it and remold? that is the biggest issue. If refilling is going to take half a day then I quit before I even start! lol

thanks for the great tip about how to remove old rancid oils!
Cathy


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## linn

I like my round butter mold with the plunger best. I have two glass molds and three wooden molds. I use the round 1/2 lb. wooden one more than any of the others because I have a round butter dish.
I chill my mold in ice water while I am working with the butter. When I am ready to mold the butter, I shake the water off the mold, pack it with butter and eject on a piece of waxed paper. I wrap my molded butter in waxed paper and store it in Zip Lock bags.


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## cathleenc

Linn, thank you so much! off to start bidding on ebay!


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## janzlake40

cathleenc said:


> I'm making 3-4 lbs of butter each week right now, thanks to the plentiful cream of our new cow, Biscuit. I keep eyeballing those neat antique butter molds on ebay and etsy and other places...
> 
> anyone ever use an antique butter mold to mold their homemade butter? Is it worth the effort? Does it add much time/work to the process? Would you use and antique or try to find a more contemporary mold?
> 
> I've been looking at both the round moulds that hold at least 1/4 lb or the rectangular molds that hold a 1/2 lb or pound.
> 
> thanks,
> Cathy


Cathy, It is worth it if for no other reason than to realize the work and pride of our ancestors must have had, not to mention the taste of the homemade butter.
Janice


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## janzlake40

linn said:


> I like my round butter mold with the plunger best. I have two glass molds and three wooden molds. I use the round 1/2 lb. wooden one more than any of the others because I have a round butter dish.
> I chill my mold in ice water while I am working with the butter. When I am ready to mold the butter, I shake the water off the mold, pack it with butter and eject on a piece of waxed paper. I wrap my molded butter in waxed paper and store it in Zip Lock bags.


Thats a great idea. No wonder I have a difficult time removing the butter from the mold, I've been setting the butter in the mold in the frig


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