Growing up, my single mother worked tirelessly to cook delicious meals for our family. Despite her busy schedule, she always managed to whip up something tasty. Meanwhile, I was under the impression that Country Crock was indeed real butter. Fast forward to adulthood, when my husband introduced me to the real deal – pure, unadulterated butter. This life-changing experience marked the beginning of my journey towards self-sufficiency and a deeper appreciation for wholesome food.
The quest for better quality ingredients soon had me exploring the world of homemade cooking, starting with the humble art of churning butter. Initially, I was content with store-bought butter, but as my children grew older, I sought out fun activities to do together. That’s when I stumbled upon making homemade butter – a simple yet mesmerizing process that left us all in awe. The thrill of watching liquid transform into solid gold was addictive!
Since then, I’ve mastered various methods for crafting this golden delight, and even my students in home economics class can’t get enough of it – although, I must admit, I leave the manual labor to others!
What is Butter?
Butter is a staple in many cuisines, but its origins are rooted in simplicity. Essentially, butter is the result of heavy whipping cream that’s been churned for an extended period, with the most time-consuming step requiring around 11 minutes of manual shaking. This process involves multiple stages before transforming the cream into the creamy spread we all know and love. The beauty of making your own butter lies in the added bonus of producing buttermilk as a byproduct.
This natural pairing is often overlooked, yet it offers a world of possibilities for creative uses in the kitchen. With that in mind, here are a few different approaches to crafting both butter and buttermilk from scratch.
Different Ways of Making Homemade Butter:
Hand-Shaken
As I embark on making hand-shaken butter, I start by pouring whipping cream into a mason jar, securing the lid tightly to begin the process. While it’s true this part takes some time, the good news is that you can multitask – I checked in on my daughters who were tidying their room and even caught up on a TV show. After about five minutes of continuous shaking, alternating arms as one gets fatigued, the cream reaches a lightly whipped stage.
As evident from the accompanying photo, I might have (or not) taken a sneak peek to confirm it tastes divine – indeed, it does! One thing to note is that you may start wondering if the mixture is still being agitated due to the perceived lack of movement. Fear not, for it’s still in motion! As we reach the seven-minute mark… My daughter happened to stroll into the room from her cleaning session and expressed interest in helping.
I happily handed over the mason jar, allowing her to contribute for another two minutes before passing it back to me. When she returned the jar, I could sense that we were nearing completion – the mixture would now shake uniformly throughout, a sure sign of progress. After eleven minutes… By ten minutes, I knew we were getting close. The sound of the liquid sloshing against the butter is quite satisfying!
I decided to shake it just a bit longer as I walked from the living room to the dining room to capture this photo and separate out the buttermilk from the butter. There you have it – one fun, engaging way to make butter that kids (yes, even teens!) will love. The end result is a sweet, light flavor unlike store-bought varieties. It’s a true win-win!
Food Processor
Kitchen Aid Mixer
As a firm believer in the value of a Kitchen Aid mixer, I strongly advocate for its presence in every homestead kitchen. While making butter by hand is certainly a rewarding process, having this trusty appliance at your disposal can greatly simplify and streamline the process. Moreover, it’s an essential tool for whipping up other essentials like homemade bread. Having said that, let’s shift our focus to the task at hand – the actual method of making butter using this iconic mixer.
In my experience, this technique took just as long as the manual ‘shake-and-stir’ approach, possibly due to the fact that I chose to stop and scrape down the machine periodically. One notable difference between this method and others is the option to add a pinch of salt to taste – a feature that I found particularly appealing when my daughter insisted that our freshly churned butter needed a dash of seasoning.
The ability to tailor the flavor to your liking is, in itself, a significant benefit of using this mixer-based approach.
Butter Churner
While I haven’t had the opportunity to personally test this method, I’m excited about the prospect of trying it out. What draws me to this recipe is its attention to detail and willingness to walk the reader through the process. The instruction to let the whipping cream sit beforehand and showcase the thickness that can be achieved before churning it into butter is particularly intriguing.
Furthermore, the inclusion of a video tutorial provides an added layer of guidance for those looking to make their own butter at home.
Whatever You Decide
Making homemade butter for the first time is an experience I highly recommend, as it has a profound effect on one’s perspective. Once you’ve savored the rich flavor of high-quality butter, you’ll be hooked. The best part? You’ll also gain access to the delicious byproduct of buttermilk, which can be used to create a variety of tasty treats like Buttermilk Waffles, Pancakes, or even Buttermilk Pie!
