Making Your Own Butter

I learned the coolest thing a couple of weeks ago.  How to make my own BUTTER! I'm a butter lover and so this was really an enlightening and joyous occasion for me! I caught a Rachael Ray episode which hosted the amazing Jacque Pepin teaching how to make homemade butter. You can watch him yourself here: Jacque Pepin Teaching the Basics.

But for a quick look at what I learned...Here you go!

 I use a full quart of Heavy Cream

a teaspoon of salt

and my food processor.

Put the cream and salt in your processor and turn it on. It should run for about 10-12 min.

 You won't need to stop the machine. I did just to show the stages it goes through as it magically changes from cream to butter.

It will start to resemble whipped cream.

 Then you'll see the texture turn to a more curdled appearance.

 Still going.... At this point you'll see two different consistencies, part buttermilk and the rest, BUTTER!!

Prepare the next step with a bowl, a mesh strainer, some paper towel, and plastic wrap. 

Using the strainer over the bowl, separate the butter from the buttermilk. 

 

 Dry of the butter as best as you can with the paper towel.

I suggest drying the whole amount a couple of times, then each portioned amount again before wrapping for storage. 

 Place 1/2 cup portions onto individual sheets of plastic wrap.

Look at how creamy and fluffy it is! It really is divine to taste. 

 Roll plastic wrap over and over until you reach the end and the butter is covered entirely.

 Grab the sides of the wrap and flip the butter to close off the ends.

For the $3.58 I spent on 1 quart of cream, I got from this batch: 1 & 1/2 cups of butter (1/2 cup more than the 1 lb. boxes from the store), 

and a little over 1 cup of buttermilk. I collect the buttermilk into a mason jar and use it for biscuits, pancakes, french toast egg/milk mixture, syrups, caramel, etc. Just about anything that buttermilk would make tastier!

I also get the joy of making something from scratch, and the pure delight of eating the fluffiest, creamiest, yummiest butter I've ever had!

The butter and buttermilk, at this point, is NOT pasteurized. I recommend keeping them both refrigerated. They should keep for about two weeks.