# Goats milk and making butter



## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

We have dairy goats and I'm wanting to make butter. I tried just putting the whole milk in the blender and I ran the blender for close to an hour and all I did was get cream on the top I think.
I can't afford a separator. So, I was wondering, does anyone make butter with goat's milk that doesn't have a separator? And if so, how do you do it?
Thanks


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

I can't get enough cream off the milk to make butter. I'd love to have a separator and I'm always watching for a good buy on one. That's the only way I know of to get enough cream to use. 

Some have said they put the milk in a cake pan and skim a thin layer of cream off it. I tried that and it didn't work for me.


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## Jan in CO (May 10, 2002)

Use the widest mouth container you have to let the milk sit, after cooling and straining, of course, and in the fridge. I use wide mouth jars, but some use low pans or bowls. The next day, spoon off the little bit of cream into another jar. I use a wide mouth pint jar. I only get a little bit of butter at a time, but put it in the freezer to accumulate enough to use. I don't use a blender, just roll the cream back and forth in the jar until it makes butter. Use cream that is about 60 degrees or so, and it takes about an hour. Good luck, Jan


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

I read yesterday that freezing goat's milk makes it becomes "un-homongenized" because the water freezes first and so the cream rises to the top. Has anyone tried this and does it work?


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## Julia (Jan 29, 2003)

6e said:


> I read yesterday that freezing goat's milk makes it becomes "un-homongenized" because the water freezes first and so the cream rises to the top. Has anyone tried this and does it work?


Nope. What it does (most of the time, anyway) is precipitate out some of protein in tiny curds. Not good.


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## BlueHeronFarm (Feb 9, 2007)

We just unfroze 4 litres to feed to kids.

It most definitely separates -- we shake it back up to get it to look more like milk again.

But I think Julia is right - it seemed to make tiny wee curds. I wondered if it didn't make butter - but could not get myself to try it. It just looks nasty.

...the baby goats do not seem to mind...


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## Rockytopsis (Dec 29, 2007)

I remember reading on another forum that a lady made butter in small batches by getting the goat milk real cold then putting it in the blender. She said it took about 20 minutes for the first butter to show up and she left it in the blender poured off the liquid and added a little more milk. I have never tried it this way but as soon as I get some milk ( waiting and waiting ) I am going to try.


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

I'm beginning to think I'm going to have to break down and see if I can't find a used cream separator. sigh
I really really want to be able to make butter out of this stuff so I guess I'm going to have to make some sacrifices. LOL


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## CarolynRenee (Jan 30, 2008)

I've tried to make butter from our goats milk. Tried what other poster mentioned: keep milk in fridge in wide mouth jar then skim off cream. I saved it in an empty plastic container in the freezer until I had enough to make butter. 

I let the container of cream sit & get to room temp. & tried like heak to get it to become butter. It never even got to the "whipping cream" stage.

I think I am also going to have to get a cream separator. Several years ago we bought a Plava Cream Separator, manual crank, and it was A) either a piece of junk or B) we didn't know how to work it, even after reviewing instructions over & over & over. It eventually went in the garbage after we had milk get into the gears, clogged up & we were never able to really get it clean.

I've been looking on line for separators, but can't seem to want butter enough to spend over $400 for it. But then again, that may be for the best as my behind does not need any additional butter or ice cream (although I guess I'm getting it regardless in the whole milk we drink).


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## Julia (Jan 29, 2003)

CarolynRenee said:


> I let the container of cream sit & get to room temp. & tried like heak to get it to become butter. It never even got to the "whipping cream" stage.


Skimming cream off the milk and freezing it does work, but during the course of a lactation, the cream changes and can become harder (or easier) to churn. It would be the same whether or not you used a cream separator. 

It makes cream easier to churn into butter if you culture it first. A live culture buttermilk form the store is fine for this---but it must be live culture. Culturing also adds a lot of great flavor.

Now, even with a herd of Nubians, I never got much cream to skim except during late lactation. There is this misconception that milk is high fat, but the reality is only a very small percentage of milk is cream, so don't get discouraged if getting enough to churn takes quite a while....


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## Raftercat5 (Apr 14, 2005)

If you're serious about making butter with goat's milk, you really do need a cream separator. You'll have to pay the price, and they're not cheap, unless you get a used one. The only people that would sell theirs are people who no longer have the goats (or cows). Good luck. I get over a lb. of butter from 2 gallons of milk. I have Nubians. You can adjust a screw to make the cream thicker or thinner. Thick cream whips into butter really quickly just using an electric mixer. I use my Kitchen Aid with a wire whisk attachment, but I'm sure a standard mixer's beaters would work too. You don't need to buy a butter churn. Now those are expensive, and all they are is a glass jar with a thing that churns. 
- Kathy


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## Bricore (Sep 8, 2007)

I myself take the cream off the top (after it sits for a while), freeze it and keep adding until I have enough (which with my one goat last year it took a while.) Once I get enough I let it SIT OUT and get to room temp... I learned this after doing it the other way..lol... Long story and I have to get my children off the bus but if you would like to see my post on it (it's nothing fancy, ok..) you can click here
http://bricoreandfamily.blogspot.com/search?q=butter
It's the one around June 22 I believe.

Best of luck to you!

Dora Renee' Wilkerson

p.s.
I also have a post where I bought just creamer and did it with a mixer on there too.


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