If you're looking for an easy way to dive into a new homesteading skill, churning your own homemade butter is a great idea. The experience yields a lot more a batch of rich, creamy butter to use in your favorite recipes. It's a great way to get started learning a skill that was practiced by our ancestors, and savor moments in the kitchen. Plus, making homemade butter is a lot of fun for the kids.
It is easy to make homemade butter in your own kitchen, and it's a skill you can use for years to come. To begin, assemble your tools. A simple and high-quality butter churn, part of our starter butter making kit, makes the job easy. The first step is to give everything a thorough cleaning in hot soapy water. It is ok to put the glass jar in the dishwasher on the top shelf.
Rinse all parts in hot water, including the jar, butter churn, butter keeper crock, and 2 paddles, and dry them well. Assemble the jar, lid, and handle, and you're ready to make homemade butter!
Believe it or not, homemade butter only has two ingredients. These are whipping cream, or heavy cream, and salt. You don't even have to use the salt if you don't want to, it is up to your personal taste.
Purchase whipping cream or heavy cream from any grocery store, or visit your local dairy. Take your homesteading one step further and make organic butter by using organic cream. Our homemade butter recipe is:
This recipe makes 1/2 cup of fresh butter. Before you begin, take the cream from the refrigerator and let it stand for two hours to become room temperature.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3nAICBXYkE&ab_channel=Roots%26Harvest
Now it is time to start making butter, and here is where the magic happens. First, unscrew lid and paddle from butter churner. Slowly pour the cream into the jar, replace the lid and paddle, and screw on the lid with handle on the right. Next, turn the handle in a clockwise direction to start the churning process. After a few minutes, the cream will start to turn foamy, and after about 5 to 6 minutes, the cream will start to noticeably thicken.
In the next few minutes of churning, the cream will become very thick. After about 10 minutes, you might find it becomes difficult to keep churning, but keep going! It may become very challenging to keep churning, and then suddenly it will become easy. This is because your churning efforts have turned the cream to butter. It will be a lovely pale yellow color, and you will notice the butter has separated from the buttermilk.
Separate the butter and the buttermilk by pouring out the buttermilk. Hold the butter back with one of the Beechwood Butter Paddles, and pat it back and forth inside the jar to remove any of the remaining buttermilk. You may discard the buttermilk, or better yet, use it in a recipe or drink it.
Rinse the butter under cold, running water and continue to pat it gently until all the remaining buttermilk is removed. Lift the butter with the paddles and mold it into shape. Place the butter in the Butter Keeper Crock, where it will stay soft, sweet, and spreadable on your countertop for up to 30 days.
Have you ever made homemade butter in your kitchen? Or, do you have memories of making it with your grandmother? For more tips on homesteading skills you can learn today, check out the Roots and Harvest homesteading blog.
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