Although butter has been around since the days of the ancient Egyptians, when you think of making butter, chances are you're envisioning the wooden butter churns of the pioneers and an overworked farm woman ripping off the paddle. It was like that for a long time, but over time those labor-intensive battles faded away, replaced by big glass jars with mechanical paddles (think egg beater) that made the process easier. But by the end of the 19th century, commercial dairies were distributing affordable packaged butter, and the age-old chore of churning butter at home faded away. Until now.
With a growing trend toward urban housing, artisanal food, and DIY in general, home churned butter is on the rise. Hand crank mixers are available and you can even produce a passable butter by putting heavy cream in a jar and churning like the dickens for longer than that is fun but for those of us who like a bit of modern convenience on our farm , preserves and preserves. Free butter can be made at home without the need to bulge your biceps. Break out the mixer and let's get started!
A pint of heavy cream (preferably organic), a bit of salt, and some serious stirring through a stand mixer are all it takes to make fresh butter, with no commercial additives.
Pour a pint of cream into the mixing bowl and mix on medium-high speed using the whisk attachment. Use a splash guard, if available.
In a short time, the cream will reach the state of whipped cream. Keep going!
After five or six minutes, the cream will begin to graze and look crumbly.
Once fully agitated, the fat and liquid will separate, usually in a somewhat dramatic time as the liquid is released.
Pour out the liquid. That dairy stuff is buttermilk which can be used as one would use commercially purchased buttermilk. Perhaps to make shortbread cookies to spread your homemade butter on?
Return drained butter to mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth.
Using a spatula, work the butter into a ball and transfer it to a bowl of ice water. Knead gently to remove the rest of the butter. The water will turn greyish. This will prolong the shelf life of the butter and prevent the development of a "sour milk" smell. If you plan to use the butter immediately, you can skip this step.
Pour out the water and repeat, if necessary, until the water drains.
Return the butter to the mixer, add 1/4 teaspoon salt, and mix one minute to combine. In this step, you can also customize your homemade butter by adding herbs, spices, or sweeteners.
All ready! Your homemade butter can be formed into a log and wrapped in plastic wrap or parchment paper or packaged in recycled butter pots, jars, or containers for storage. Store in refrigerator for up to two weeks.
