# Homemade Butter???



## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

How do you make this? How much does it make? And, how long does it keep?


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## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

2 C Heavy Cream 1/4 t salt/optional Blend 10 min in cold blender, strain liquid - this is buttermilk. Salt if needed, press into small bowl w/spoon pour off liquid. Makes 1 1/3 c keeps 1 week


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## SHELBY (Mar 9, 2003)

_2 C Heavy Cream 1/4 t salt/optional Blend 10 min in cold blender, strain liquid - this is buttermilk. Salt if needed, press into small bowl w/spoon pour off liquid. Makes 1 1/3 c keeps 1 week_


We skim the cream off of our milk, (we milk a jersey) let it set out till it reaches 60 degrees, (we like fresh cream butter) and start chuning, 
After the butter breaks and comes together, we drain off the butermilk, and wash the butter a couple of times in cold water, then use a wooden cutting board (USED ONLY FOR BUTTER) and press out the water, then put into molds and freeze or refrigerate.


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## SHELBY (Mar 9, 2003)

boy did I have some goofs in there,

we use a wooden flat spoon to press the butter on the cutting board, you need to press it until you get all of the water out of it. buttermilk water in the butter is what causes it to go bad faster.


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## Terrabus (Jul 7, 2004)

I remember when I was a kid in school, we made butter in a jar. We put heavy cream and salt in a jar, then shook it until our little arms got tired, then passed it to the next person. I think it was decent, can't remember that far back with too much detail.


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## Cat (Jun 19, 2004)

Mom was making it one day and rather than not eat with the family waiting for the butter, she put it on the floor and rolled the jar under her foot while we ate! Evidently it worked ~ I was too young to remember!

It's weird, I'm the youngest of 6 kids and out of them all, I'm the only one interested in living on a farm or in the country, and yet I'm the one who was smallest and therefore remembers less and had less actual exposure to my parents when they were doing the real homesteading stuff! I remember going off grid, I remember them butchering and all that jazz, but because I had older siblings they did all of the work while I basically got to play 'chores'. So, while I remember my Mom doing a lot of canning and such, I never had to help and as a result never picked up or learned how to make things like butter!


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## veme (Dec 2, 2005)

Maybe this will help. It's from a while back 

http://grannymillerblog.blogspot.com/2007/05/making-butter.html


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## DJ in WA (Jan 28, 2005)

Can I throw in a few questions to this thread?

Wondering about churns. To churn, my wife now uses a dough mixing machine with hooks. Takes over half hour. We were wondering about getting an actual butter churn. New hand crank ones are $130 at Lehman's. Electric one is $280, but has a 2+ gallon jar, and we usually only have a couple quarts of cream.

We're thinking of getting some paddles for her machine instead of the hooks. But wondering if there's something special about churns. Also wondering if a hand crank is so much work we might end up not doing it. Pretty hard to crank? Any thoughts?


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## CarolynRenee (Jan 30, 2008)

A butter churn sounds nice, but not at that price.....I'm too cheap.

When I make butter, I just let the cream sit out in a container until it's room temp, then put it in a high sided bowl (or pan) and get out my trusty old electric egg beater & beat it on the highest setting. Ten or so minutes later of constant beating & the butter starts forming.

I then drain off the buttermilk (and save for drinking) run butter under cold water & press out the excess buttermilk with a wooden spoon until it runs clear. Not sure if this gets me the "most" butter out of the cream, but it works for me!


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## SHELBY (Mar 9, 2003)

wiseman trading has a hand crank churn for $110, you can always check Ebay for a used one, 

I've made butter with the paddle on my kitchenaid, but I don't like the results, I get a better yield with the churn and also the consistency of the butter is better. 

Taking 1/2 hour for cream to break into butter in the winter is awesome, Winter cream takes longer, Once that summer cream hits, it should only take about 15 minutes.

The other thing, I've noticed is if it gets too warm, you have to cool it back down, before it will break.


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

it will go faster if its at room temp

i used a blender at first

untill i got a used churn on ebay(actually lucked out i had a jar that fit one -bad motor, ebay had a motor with broken jar) Ive picked up another one since then for $20 bucks at another auction, so if you look you can find

but if you are doing small ammounts a blender works great

i drain through a tea towel in a colander and rinse over and over and drain, then I work in a big giant flattish bowl, I use a metal spoon with holes now, I have used the wooden paddles as well


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## Cat (Jun 19, 2004)

I just thought, someone makes butter molds on Keeping a Family Cow. 

http://familycow.proboards32.com/index.cgi?board=forsale&action=display&thread=1169322548


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## Helena (May 10, 2002)

I have used shaking fresh cream from goats milk..( saving it for a few days the milk..until you get enough cream to do this)...in a mason jar for a while and it will become butter. A soft butter and put into the frig...it will work for small amount but when making it will goats milk you usually don't get a lot of cream to work with anyways. Good Luck !!!


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## Mountain Mick (Sep 10, 2005)

Hi Here is that link to the butter chum.

http://www.wisementrading.com/butterchurns.htm

And yes just make sure you work all the extra water out as there is nothing like sour butter, and make sure you salt it, that up to you I love salted butter on fresh toast.


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## wstevenl (Mar 26, 2008)

I've used a kitchenaid and an off-brand stand mixer twice now. The method I like best so far is to use whisk attachments until the butter starts to separate and you can pour off the first of the buttermilk then use the dough hooks after that (adding cold water and pouring it off after the water looks milky). The hooks actually kneed the butter and push the buttermilk out! The butter is SO much more yellow than when I did it a couple of times with the jar method.


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## Queen Bee (Apr 7, 2004)

I also used my Kitchenaide mixer. I used organic (purchased) cream, added a pinch of salt and mixed it. It was pretty much the same recipe that Shelby has. It only took a few min. and I rinsed it until the water was clear and placed it in a little crock I had. It last about four days.. When I made it, I put some on a cracker and handed it to dh (he was watching tv) and he looked at it, smelled it and took a bit. And said: "It tastes just like butter, what is it"?  I made some a few weeks later and add herb. I want to make some with honey! QB


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## michiganfarmer (Oct 15, 2005)

Dont let your cream sour for a week, LOL the butter does not taste good.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Queen Bee said:


> I want to make some with honey! QB


You won't regret it! I use 50/50 butter & honey (fresh from our hives!)


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## tiffnzacsmom (Jan 26, 2006)

I use my food processor to make it and I add in the honey, my dad actually made me save him some to take to work since no one believed him that I made butter and whipped cream for Thanksgiving dinner.


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## Shawn (Apr 2, 2008)

Here is a question to add to the mix. I have an ice cream churn... Could I use this to make butter?

I did the old shake the jar project as a child in school. Turned out ok for a 5th grade science project.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Yes, Shawn (don't use the ice around the container though!) Any way that you can 'beat' the cream will make butter


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## prairiegirl (Nov 2, 2004)

Can I ask another butter question?

I've always added the salt at the end when all the water is removed. Is that how you all do it? 

Thanks

prairiegirl


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

We don't add salt anymore but we've added salt to the prewashed butter and to the butter after it has been washed, before we package.


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## awayfrmitall (Apr 7, 2008)

Ok I'm in need of some help. Been trying for at least the past hour using the "jar method". My arms are gonna fall off...

1st it went to whipped cream texture.. then got "sloshy" with whipped cream looking solid in the middle.. so I added a marble to help mix it up.. kept going and it went back to whipped cream stage... been like that for a good 40 minutes... 

It is not cold so I know that's not my problem.. is it too hot???

Help please...


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## MariaAZ (Jun 5, 2007)

I use the same method Queen Bee uses, with my trusty handheld mixer. I don't add salt as I find sweet butter a lot more flexible for cooking (we seldom use butter on bread). I don't rinse it or squeeze out any more buttermilk than what I can work out with the mixer, but I also don't make much and it tends to go fast. The only time butter gets churned around here is when we slow down on drinking coffee and I worry about the heavy cream we use going bad.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

awayfrmitall said:


> Ok I'm in need of some help. Been trying for at least the past hour using the "jar method". My arms are gonna fall off...
> 
> 1st it went to whipped cream texture.. then got "sloshy" with whipped cream looking solid in the middle.. so I added a marble to help mix it up.. kept going and it went back to whipped cream stage... been like that for a good 40 minutes...
> 
> ...


Away,
I haven't used this method before.

It wouldn't hurt to take the temp of this. It should be 55-60 F

If it's too warm, add a bit of ice water or stick the jar in a cold water bath to cool it off.


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## prairiegirl (Nov 2, 2004)

I've only used this method for a very small amount. I agree with MullersLaneFarm.
I know I'm always surprised at the temp when I actually insert a thermometer.

prairiegirl


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

hi, i need a little help. We have a hand crank jar churn, on Saturday it was heritage day at the farmers market. We put whipping cream in it and had the kids turn it for a demo. At one point they tell me it went lumpy. I assume it broke to butter. It was hot and they just kept turning and having everyone give it a try. It went back together and stayed that way. I stuck it in the fridge when we got home. It went solid. I took it out today and let it warm up hoping it would separate. No luck. I churned it or half an hour. then I put it in a bowl and used my mixer for half an hour, still no butter. It is a nice thick cream. Will it break again or should I just get out some fruit and have some fruit and cream. I have another question. Why do you wash the butter? If you are pressing out the buttermilk, washing it seems counterproductive? obviously not but I am curious.
Thanks for any advice, Ann


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## michiganfarmer (Oct 15, 2005)

prairiegirl said:


> Can I ask another butter question?
> 
> I've always added the salt at the end when all the water is removed. Is that how you all do it?
> 
> ...


that is how I do it


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## michiganfarmer (Oct 15, 2005)

Ross said:


> hi, i need a little help. We have a hand crank jar churn, on Saturday it was heritage day at the farmers market. We put whipping cream in it and had the kids turn it for a demo. At one point they tell me it went lumpy. I assume it broke to butter. It was hot and they just kept turning and having everyone give it a try. It went back together and stayed that way. I stuck it in the fridge when we got home. It went solid. I took it out today and let it warm up hoping it would separate. No luck. I churned it or half an hour. then I put it in a bowl and used my mixer for half an hour, still no butter. It is a nice thick cream. Will it break again or should I just get out some fruit and have some fruit and cream.


 I have never seen this happen. I would use it for somethng els, and start a differetn batch with fresh cream.


> I have another question. Why do you wash the butter? If you are pressing out the buttermilk, washing it seems counterproductive? obviously not but I am curious.
> Thanks for any advice, Ann


 Buttermilk sours, and gives the butter a sour taste. You cant press out enough buttermilk to keep the butter form souring. The idea of washing it is to get more buttermilk out of the butter that can be removed by pressing alone


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## sewtlm (Mar 22, 2006)

My bread machine has a butter function.:clap:

Just cover the pan with lid/ glad press n seal, select function and hit start. Runs for ~20 minutes and sometimes I run twice. 1quart sweet cream = 2 1/2 cups butter

I also have an old daisy churn which takes more cream to function well. 

I have used a ice cream machine and that work OK too. If the day is really hot you can put cold water (60 degree F) around to keep it cooler.


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## countrysunshine (Jul 3, 2008)

This thread has been interesting to read. I personally hate butter. I hate how it tastes and how it smells and I have since I was a small child. But, the absolute worst ever was homemade butter. My stepfather insisted that the cream set out overnight and start to curdle before we began. And, I suspect we did not wash it well enough. It always smelled rancid to me.

The good thing about my hate of butter is I like my toast w/out it and that is definitely healthier. Of course that darn jam probably ruins that!

My DIL loves butter. My kids will eat it but don't really care for it in baked goods (like choc chip cookies). I might try making it again as an adult and see if I do any better. But, I doubt that I'll like it. The only dairy item I really like is ice cream!


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

My family likes sweet cream butter. If I only have a quart of cream, I just use my blender on slow speed to start the butter. If I have more than one quart of cream, I use my Kitchenaid mixer. It has a shield for the bowl; but I still throw a light dish towel over the top to keep splashing at a minimum. After the butter has gathered, I drain it and wash it through several rinses of clear water. I then salt the butter and work it with a rubber spatula against the sides a crockery bowl to get out as much water as possible.
I then press the butter with an old fashioned butter mold and wrap with parchment paper and freeze in a Zip-Lock bag.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Ross said:


> At one point they tell me it went lumpy. I assume it broke to butter.


sounds like it!



> It was hot and they just kept turning and having everyone give it a try. It went back together and stayed that way. I stuck it in the fridge when we got home. It went solid. I took it out today and let it warm up hoping it would separate.


I hate it when our butter does this. Essentially what happened is you emulisfied the buttermilk and fat globules. The best you'll get is to warm it at room temp and use it as a very, very soft butter.



> Why do you wash the butter? If you are pressing out the buttermilk, washing it seems counterproductive?


The buttermilk will sour the butter shortening it's life.

Besides .... if you don't press out the extra liquid, you'll get soggy toast!


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Sometimes the 'whipping cream' that you buy in the store has additives in it. Not just cream.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

a BUMP! for chickenista


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

I made butter today!!! It was soooo easy. And I got a full quart of cream from my gallon of milk!!!!!
I used a baster to syphon off the cream into a quart jar and then halved it and shook. It didn't take long at all!! And it didn't break into little bits.. it was one hunk of yellow butter in the jar. I poured off the buttermilk and then ran ice cold water into the jar and shook until water ran clear, then stuck my hand in the jar and squeezed and kneaded until the water ran clear again...
Hopefully that is good??
Yeah.. I am so thrilled to ahve fresh milk and butter again!! I was buying my butter from the Amish folks before.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Yay! Congratulations on your butter. I have been making it too, the last week or two. I bumped this thread and reread it, and went ahead and tried it. Now I am making all my christmas cookies with homemade butter. 

DH was very skeptical (as usual) that it would even work. He was totally amazed. LOL.

Even the teenagers are into shaking the jar. I like to use a half-gallon jar and do a quart at a time. It makes about a pound, depending on which cow's milk I use.

Very yummy. Store-bought 'pales' by comparison. Literally! This is the closest thing to sunshine that I have seen in the last week or so...

http://


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

When DH got home and I showed him the bright yellow butter and then I opened the fridge to see the two 1/2 gal jars still full of milk I all but burst into tears with joy.
I am soo glad to be free of the grocery store and to have good, fresh milk, butter, yogurt, ice cream and (future) cheese that I just can't stand it!


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