Want to try making your own butter from raw, unpasteurized milk? Don't hesitate to do it! In fact, the thick, thick product that you often refer to as butter comes from a layer of cream that floats on the surface of raw milk. Once taken with a spoon and poured into a special container, determine if the butter needs to be cultured which will make the taste slightly sour. Before beating, cook the butter for a few hours first. Then, separate the dense layer of butter from the liquid buttermilk underneath using a sieve, and wash the butter well before kneading and storing.
Ingredients
- 2 liters of butter
- 1/2 to 1 tbsp. (7 to 15 ml) buttermilk, if the butter will be cultured
For: 113 grams of butter
Step
Part 1 of 3: Taking Cream and Ripening It
Step 1. Store raw milk in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours
Pour raw milk into a wide-mouthed container with a lid. Then, put the container in the refrigerator and let it rest for 1 to 2 days before turning the milk in it into butter. Give the cream time to float to the surface of the container!
- You can easily find raw milk in various health stores, supermarkets, or markets.
- It's best to use a wide-mouthed container so you can pick up the cream that floats on the surface more easily.
Step 2. Sterilize the 1 liter container, lid of the container, and the spoon that will be used to take the cream
Are you ready to grab the cream that floats on the surface of the milk? Previously, first soak the 1 liter container, the lid of the container, and a small spoon in a pot of water. Then, boil the water to heat and sterilize all the equipment for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn off the stove and remove the utensil you sterilized.
If you wish, you can also sterilize the containers, lids, and spoons that will be used in the dishwasher
Step 3. Use a spoon to scoop out the cream that floats on the surface of the milk
Remove the raw milk from the refrigerator, then dip a sterilized spoon to remove the layer of cream that has formed, then transfer the cream to a measuring cup. Repeat this process until there is no cream left.
No matter what type of milk you use, try to collect about 200 to 400 ml of cream
Step 4. Add the remaining buttermilk or liquid if you want to culture the butter
To make butter with a slightly sour taste, add 1/2 tbsp. (7 ml) buttermilk into every 240 ml of cream you get.
- Skip this step if you want a classic-tasting butter.
- For example, if you manage to get 480 ml of cream, add 1 tbsp. buttermilk to culture the resulting butter.
Step 5. Transfer the cream to a container
Slowly pour the cream into the container you previously sterilized, then close the container tightly.
Don't worry if the container is still warm. Pouring cold cream into a still warm container will help lower the temperature of the cream
Step 6. Cook the cream for 5 to 12 hours
Place the container in the cooler, then pour enough warm water to cover half of the container. Leave the cream until the temperature reaches 24°C.
- Use a kitchen thermometer or hold the container to make sure the cream has warmed up.
- If buttermilk is not added, the cream will need to cook for about 12 hours. Meanwhile, cultured cream only needs to ripen for about 5 hours.
Step 7. Cool the container of cream in ice water for 5 to 10 minutes
First, fill half the bowl with water and ice cubes, then immerse the container of cream in it. Leave the container until the cream is cool to the touch. Set aside a bowl of iced water to use at a later stage.
- At this stage, the temperature of the cream should be in the range of 10 to 15°C.
- The cream should be refrigerated to make it easier to beat or turn into butter.
Part 2 of 3: Whisk and Sift the Butter
Step 1. Beat the container of cream for 5 to 12 minutes
Make sure the container is completely closed, then shake vigorously until you feel the weight increase. You should be able to start to see the presence of lumps of butter on the sides of the container.
If you want, you can also use a hand mixer. Pour the cream into a bowl, then process the cream on low speed first. Slowly increase the speed of the mixer until the butter separates from the buttermilk
Step 2. Place the muslin cloth over a small slotted sieve, then place the strainer over the bowl
Before separating the butter from the buttermilk, first place a small slotted colander lined with muslin in a bowl.
- The muslin cloth is used to filter even the smallest butter.
- If you're having trouble finding muslin to sift through the butter, try using several stacks of rags to sift through the cheese.
Step 3. Pour the butter and buttermilk onto the cloth
Open the container and pour the liquid and solid butter formed in it into a bowl through a cloth-lined sieve. Instead, the buttermilk will flow into the bowl and the solid butter content will remain on the sieve.
Leftover buttermilk can be made into ricotta cheese or a variety of cakes, cookies and pancakes
Step 4. Wash the butter left on the sieve with ice water
Pull all corners of the fabric up until a bag of butter forms, then submerge the bag in the bowl of ice water you set aside in the previous method. Remove and soak the bag continuously for about 30 seconds to wash the butter inside.
Supposedly, the color of the water will turn cloudy because it mixes with the milk content that comes out of the butter
Step 5. Wash the butter again in a new bowl of ice water
Once the color turns cloudy, replace the contents of the bowl with new iced water. Keep washing the butter until the water turns cloudy again, then change the contents of the bowl again.
Keep washing the butter until the color of the water is clear again. This means that you have to remove all of the milk that has the potential to make the butter go rancid
Part 3 of 3: Kneading and Storing Butter
Step 1. Knead the butter with a wooden spoon
Unwrap the muslin and put the melted butter in a small bowl. Then, knead the butter in a circular motion around the bottom and edges of the bowl using a wooden spoon.
Step 2. Drain and knead the butter until no liquid remains
As you knead, the butter should release the liquid that has pooled at the bottom of the bowl. Tilt the bowl to get rid of the liquid!
Keep kneading the butter until no liquid is pooling at the bottom of the bowl
Step 3. Add flavorings (optional)
If you want to make the butter salty or add another unique flavor, add 1/2 tsp. (2 grams) salt, herbs, or other flavors to taste. Then, taste the butter and adjust the amount of seasoning to your desired taste. Try adding one of the following flavoring options:
- Chives
- Grated orange, lemon, or lime rind
- Rosemary or thyme leaves
- Garlic or ginger
- Parsley
- Honey
Step 4. Store butter in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks
Transfer the butter to a small container with a special lid. Then, store the container in the refrigerator, and use up the butter for up to 3 weeks.
- If desired, the butter can also be frozen for 6 to 12 months.
- If the liquid content in the butter is not completely drained, the shelf life of the butter will only last for a maximum of 1 week.
