Homemade Butter

I admit it, some days, trying to make everything homemade that I can, drives me crazy. For example: I was in the shower the other morning, deciding what to make the kids for breakfast. Pancakes was about the only choice, because I was out of oat groats to flake for cereal. And of course by the time I get out of the shower all the kids are awake (7:30 am). I come to the kitchen with all four of them trailing behind me. Realizing on the way there that I don't have butter, syrup or flour ready to go. I sigh, evidently loud enough for Luke to hear and he asks why I did that. I tell him that I need to make butter, syrup and mill the wheat before I can make the pancakes. He sighs loudly. I ask him what's the matter. He shakes his head and tells the rest of the kids that they are going to starve to death because it's going to take Mommy a long time to make breakfast. He's silent for a moment and then looks at me and says he has a good idea. He then asks if they can eat chocolate chips while they wait. That kid tries every chance he gets to eat chocolate. Being the good Mother that I am, I tell him no, he'll have to wait. His response, "if we die it's not my fault, because I had a good idea for food".  So, after making butter, syrup and flour (an hour later) they are eating pancakes and nobody died. One crisis averted for the day.
So, on to the butter. If you have never made butter, you really should try it at least once. Even if it's not something you would do all the time, it would be worth the little bit of effort for a special dinner. And honestly, it'll bring a smile to your face when your looking at your finished product and the thought crosses your mind, "I just made butter".  This is super easy and all you need is cream, a mixer, a strainer, and two bowls.

Homemade Butter
6 cups of heavy cream
a little bit of salt (I don't add any, because I have bought unsalted for a while now)

This will make just a little over a pound of butter.

Pour cream into your mixer with the whip attachment.  Mix for about 15 - 20 minutes.

Your cream will come to the stiff peak stage. Keep whipping.

 



Then it will break down and become soupy with small lumps. Your almost there at this stage.

 

 

The lumps become more defined and you will start to see it separate from the "buttermilk" which will be at the bottom. 

 

When you can really see the the separation of butter and buttermilk, your finished whipping.

 

You need to strain the butter from the milk. Save the buttermilk for pancakes, biscuits or whatever you would use buttermilk for. This isn't the cultured buttermilk from the store with lumps. But I haven't had an issue using it in any of my recipes that call for buttermilk. If you rinse it in cold water the butter will last for about two weeks. Honestly, I'm not really sure how to tell if butter is spoiled or not. I go though so much of it that I have never had that happen.

 

 

This is the buttermilk.

 

After rinsing it, knead it a little to make sure all the water has been removed. Then form into whatever shape you want. I usually measure out two cups and wrap that in plastic.

 

Stand back and smile to yourself, because you just made butter.

 

 

 

 Enjoy!!

Christine