We’ve been trying to make a couple of loaves of fresh bread each weekend to hold us through the week. I can’t remember the last time we actually purchased store bought bread and I couldn’t be happier about it! Sandwich bread, breakfast bread…whatever it is, it’s always good!
Now, nothing makes fresh bread better than a little butter! I’ve been wanting to try my hand at making our own butter for a long time now and I finally got around to it! Re-inspired by Jamie, I thought it was high time to get moving! So, how do you make butter?
Pour your heavy cream into a bowl and whip it until it breaks (it will get fluffy, then chunky, then really chunky and dry looking, then it will look like it’s starting to sweat…this took 13 minutes with my hand mixer)
Strain it over a bowl (after I let it sit for a few minutes, I pushed out the remaining liquid with the back of my spoon)
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| What are you straining out? Buttermilk!!! Now I have to find something to use this in… |
After you strain it, rinse it in cold water for a few minutes and then “push out” any remaining liquid. I just used my hands to knead it over the sink 🙂 Once you’ve gotten out any remaining liquid, you have butter!!! Put it in a container of your choice in the fridge and use it up!
Making butter is not a complicated process, it just takes a while…and a little elbow grease. I can’t wait to keep trying out different combinations…keeping it plain, adding herbs, salt or honey…the possibilities are endless! And, the most exciting part for me, is knowing exactly what’s going into one more thing on my plate! Now if I could just find some really good, local milk…or find the space for my own cow…
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I use my food processor. Even easier. I just push the button and wait a few minutes for the consistency to change, then rinse it. Voila!
We attempted making butter, but we used milk. LOL We got fluffed up milk.
What kind of cream did you use? We were trying to go over the cost to make good butter ourselves vs. buying it. Right now we spend $5.00 per pound of organic butter. But if a quart is around two pounds, is it possible to make two pounds of butter for $6.00? How much butter milk was left over?
Your butter came out beautiful! We’ll need to give it another shot. 🙂
I used a pint of Organic Valley Heavy Whipping Cream (it was left over from a baking project) and only got…oh…maybe a 1/2 cup of buttermilk, so very little “waste” when talking just about the butter. I’m not sure how that breaks down monetarily, with liquid ounces and weighted pounds, but it’s definitely worth checking out! 🙂
Oooo…can’t wait to try this, as I just made my first loaf of bread over the weekend. It looks so simple! I wonder…couldn’t you turn around and use the buttermilk to make bread? Will have to try that.
Ha! Yes, could turn around and make bread with the buttermilk! I have a wonderful recipe for buttermilk biscuits that I might try later this week 🙂
Between the fact that like you, we’ve begun in earnest to bake our own bread and that we’re both working hard at raising our own food (restaurants not helping!), I think our families have a lot in common. While we’ve not taken that amazing step of making our own butter yet, we are (for the first time ever) thinking very seriously about Nigerian goats. They are pet sized goats that give 8 oz of milk daily. If we try this, we’ll have a chance at raw milk, cheese and butter! We’ll see. Love the butter!
Jody, we definitely have lots in common (it’s too bad we don’t live closer, we could have homesteading parties)! We have thought about Nigerian and Pygmy goats as well but have decided to hold off for now. I’m not sure we could give the space they need and still grow enough food. It’s definitely still on our list, just not sure when it’ll happen 🙂 I can’t wait to see what you decide!!! OH, I LOVE goats!
Beautiful butter! A little honey and salt mixed in is so, so good 🙂 The buttermilk is great for pancakes, cookies, quiche, rolls…and the chickens love it, too.
-Jaime
Ooohhh…thanks of reminding me about the chickens liking it! If I don’t use it in time, I’ll just give it to them 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration, Jaime!
That is amazingly simple and it looks great. I suspect may neighbours may not enjoy mooing.
Haha…yeah, that’s what I was thinking.