Re: quick butter making question

[Guest guest]

In the NT cookbook the directions are to let the cream sit out for 8

hours to sour for making cultured butter. For making sweet butter the

directions are to use " fresh cream that has not been soured " . Does

that mean that it has to be so fresh that it has never been in the

fridge? Can it be out of the fridge but not let it sit until it is

sour but just room temp? Is it better to have cultured or sweet cream

according to WAP?

I've never been able to make butter from cream at room temperature. We always

stick the cream into the fridge for the night and churn the next day. Once it

gets to room temp I get a nice mushy mess, not really nice butter.

Belinda

[Guest guest]

Del,

It doesn't matter! If you're butter sours slightly in the fridge you will

have " slightly sour " butter, if it is not sour at all you will have regular

butter or " sweet " butter. If you want to know how sweet or sour the butter will

be just taste the cream. You can make the butter out of whatever cream you

want.

Enjoy!

Chris

[Guest guest]

Hi Del,

You shouldn't have any problems with refrigerated cream. I always let the

cream sit in the fridge before I make it, mainly because I don't have the

time to immediately skim the cream off the milk. I've been making sweet

butter for about a year now, and have never had a problem with refrigerated

cream - I usually don't even let it warm up, although it seems to take less

time to make when I do. I've never made the cultured butter, so I'm not sure

which is better from a WAP standpoint, although I plan to try it in the near

future.

Anne

>

> In the NT cookbook the directions are to let the cream sit out for 8

> hours to sour for making cultured butter. For making sweet butter the

> directions are to use " fresh cream that has not been soured " . Does

> that mean that it has to be so fresh that it has never been in the

> fridge? Can it be out of the fridge but not let it sit until it is

> sour but just room temp? Is it better to have cultured or sweet cream

> according to WAP?

>

> Thanks,

>

> Del

[Guest guest]

,

In a message dated 8/1/03 7:42:55 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

singlesourcepubs@... writes:

> Depending on the particular stage, it can take a very long time for

> the butter to separate. However, even when it takes, say, 20 minutes,

What do you use to make the butter? I get confused with hearing people

having trouble to make butter. I use a kitchen aid mixer with the whipping

attachment, and my butter comes out in 5 or 6 minutes no matter what.

> It is true that the butter does come out softer than store bought

> although will still hold whatever shape we form it into by hand.

I kind of like butter softer because you can eat it with a spoon... But, have

you tried just whipping it longer? From my experience, the longer you let it

go, the purer the butter comes out. It makes a noticeable difference for

just an extra minute or two. The butter accumulates on the whipper, in my

case, and the centrifugal force or something drives all the buttermilk out.

> Since we don't refrigerate it, it stays soft, gets yellower over

> time, and the flavor continues to develop. We store it in a silver

> covered butter dish set atop a marble counter, so it never gets

> particularly warm. However, it should be said that butter from a pint

> of cream never lasts more than a week in our household and usually a

> lot less.

Wow, I can't imagine how much butter I'll go through when I have more than

one person to feed. Butter from a pint of cream would never last more than a

day in my house... in fact, I can't even wait to make butter out of it, my

*cream* goes a quart in a day before I even break into the butter!

Chris

[Guest guest]

---

Agitated Cream turns to butter a bove 50F. when making ice cream

don't turn the crank before the mixture is below 50F or it will taste

kind of buttery(cream turned to buttter). Dennis

In , ChrisMasterjohn@a... wrote:

> Del,

>

> It doesn't matter! If you're butter sours slightly in the fridge

you will

> have " slightly sour " butter, if it is not sour at all you will have

regular

> butter or " sweet " butter. If you want to know how sweet or sour

the butter will

> be just taste the cream. You can make the butter out of whatever

cream you

> want.

>

> Enjoy!

>

> Chris

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

We make butter from raw cream after letting it sit on the counter for

at least 24 hours, that is, whipping it after the cream starts to

thicken and yellow a bit, and adding a little Celtic sea salt toward

the end. I would guess that there are different stages of cream

culture whereby one organism or another is dominant and that

distribution changes over time resulting in either a thick or a thin

butter depending on the point in time where the beating occurs.

Depending on the particular stage, it can take a very long time for

the butter to separate. However, even when it takes, say, 20 minutes,

our results have been really very good, particularly when we add some

sort of culture to it rather than relying on the native cultures of

the raw cream. Specifically, we've had good results (and faster

whipping times) by adding a tablespoon of yogurt to the fresh cream

before letting it sit. Nowadays, it is going particularly well since

we brought some creme fraiche back from France. Just a small amount

(which was all that survived our nibling) added to the cream imparts

the same lovely flavor to the butter as we had experienced in the

creme fraiche. My kind of souvenir.

I am sure it all depends on the kind of cow, the climate they live

in, and the type of grass they eat, etc.

Now that we have a flavor and consistency that we like, we just set

aside a little of the cultured cream each time and refrigerate it

until it's time to add it to the next batch, and so on. I imagine

that this method could be used to preserve any culture that works

particularly well.

It is true that the butter does come out softer than store bought

although will still hold whatever shape we form it into by hand.

Since we don't refrigerate it, it stays soft, gets yellower over

time, and the flavor continues to develop. We store it in a silver

covered butter dish set atop a marble counter, so it never gets

particularly warm. However, it should be said that butter from a pint

of cream never lasts more than a week in our household and usually a

lot less.

We noticed that in France, many restaurants do not refrigerate their

butter as it comes to the table at room temperature and quite yellow,

and this validated our own practice. Spreads better too. This was by

no means a universal practice, but we were pleasantly surprised when

we encountered it.

The " buttermilk " is pretty nice too, a few sips at a time, although

it does get a little salty. By the time I reach the bottom of the jar

where most of the salt collects, it is fit only for cooking.

in Berkeley

[Guest guest]

Thanks to all that has responded to my butter making question. It

appears that I can't fail anyway I go with making butter! Some let it

sit out and some churn it straight from the fridge. I will be making

butter using my kitchenaid mixer. My cream is 9 days old and has been

in my fridge for 7 days. I will try both ways. I especially like the

idea of putting the yoghurt in the cream to culture it and also

adding a bit of creame fraiche!

I really don't like the sour smell and taste in my butter. The more I

think and prepare to make it, I think the practice of letting it sit

for 24 hours to culture is the very thing that will get me the sour

butter! Any thoughts?

I am still wondering which practice is better for us, if there is

a " better for us " method. It make be just preference!

Thanks again,

Del

[Guest guest]

>I really don't like the sour smell and taste in my butter. The more I

>think and prepare to make it, I think the practice of letting it sit

>for 24 hours to culture is the very thing that will get me the sour

>butter! Any thoughts?

My favorite butter is kefir butter -- I make kefir cream and then

if I don't use it up in a decent amount of time, I make butter out

of it.

You make kefir-cream by adding some kefir to the cream (kefiili

in my case), which makes something a lot like regular sour cream.

My co-workers (not NTers) love it. Anyway, it never seems to go

bad but if it doesn't get eaten up, you can run it through the blender

and it makes nice butter. Since kefiili isn't really sour, the butter

isn't sour either. But butter made from sour milk isn't really " sour "

in any case.

-- Heidi

[Guest guest]

Heidi, Thanks for that nice suggestion! As you know, thanks to you I

do make kefiili and will be adding the kefiili to my cream! How much

do I need to add to a pint or does it matter? Just add some!

I did make butter today and it was very easy. I used my kitchenAid

mixer set on 4 for a pint of raw dream and it took 15 minutes. I

saved the buttermilk. Don't know how long it will keep or what I can

do with it at this point. I am keeping the butter in the fridge.

Since I have gone gluten free and I like my eggs cooked in coconut

oil and olive oil...I don't know how to get this good butter in my

diet! I do use it on my veggies but need more ways to add it. Any

suggestions?

Thanks,

Del

>

> >I really don't like the sour smell and taste in my butter. The

more I

> >think and prepare to make it, I think the practice of letting it

sit

> >for 24 hours to culture is the very thing that will get me the

sour

> >butter! Any thoughts?

>

> My favorite butter is kefir butter -- I make kefir cream and then

> if I don't use it up in a decent amount of time, I make butter out

> of it.

>

> You make kefir-cream by adding some kefir to the cream (kefiili

> in my case), which makes something a lot like regular sour cream.

> My co-workers (not NTers) love it. Anyway, it never seems to go

> bad but if it doesn't get eaten up, you can run it through the

blender

> and it makes nice butter. Since kefiili isn't really sour, the

butter

> isn't sour either. But butter made from sour milk isn't

really " sour "

> in any case.

>

> -- Heidi

[Guest guest]

>Since I have gone gluten free and I like my eggs cooked in coconut

>oil and olive oil...I don't know how to get this good butter in my

>diet! I do use it on my veggies but need more ways to add it. Any

>suggestions?

>

>Thanks,

>Del

Well, I eat butter on crackers ... we are a GF house but not starch

free by any means. Trader Joe's has decent rice crackers --

they aren't NT but I don't eat all that many of them. I also

make bread and everyone else has that with butter and jam (I

just don't like bread -- too spongy!). I also make Chebe bread,

which is chewier and not so spongy and I like it, and they

have a cinnimon roll mix. It's NOT healthy -- it is tapioca flour

which is pure starch, but it doesn't have phytates or gluten and

makes a nice treat.

Also ... melt butter and add pressed garlic, and use it to dip

crab meat! or add a bit to fish when you are baking it -- it

really comes out better. Or melt it on a steak (that's how

they have it in Europe).

I don't measure how much kefiili to add to the cream, but

I think it is about half a cup per quart. I'm not sure the

amount really matters much, it always seems to work!

-- Heidi

[Guest guest]

Thanks for those suggestions. I cooked my eggs in the new butter that

I just made and they were better than any eggs that I have had! I

also added some coconut oil.

I have been starch free for a couple of months now. In the last

couple of weeks, I added some rice cakes and have been enjoying them.

I put butter on one with some cheese and tomato slices on top and

broiled it. Nice change.

I already do use butter with salmon. Salmon is about all the fish I

eat but will stretch and try the crab meat with butter and garlic.

I use butter also with steak, but it is few and far between when I

have steak.

I think I need to learn how to make gluten free crackers. I don't

think I am willing to eat any gluten until I find out if it has

harmed my tummy.

Thanks for the ratio of kefiili to cream! Doing that today!

Del

>

> >Since I have gone gluten free and I like my eggs cooked in coconut

> >oil and olive oil...I don't know how to get this good butter in my

> >diet! I do use it on my veggies but need more ways to add it. Any

> >suggestions?

> >

> >Thanks,

> >Del

>

> Well, I eat butter on crackers ... we are a GF house but not starch

> free by any means. Trader Joe's has decent rice crackers --

> they aren't NT but I don't eat all that many of them. I also

> make bread and everyone else has that with butter and jam (I

> just don't like bread -- too spongy!). I also make Chebe bread,

> which is chewier and not so spongy and I like it, and they

> have a cinnimon roll mix. It's NOT healthy -- it is tapioca flour

> which is pure starch, but it doesn't have phytates or gluten and

> makes a nice treat.

>

> Also ... melt butter and add pressed garlic, and use it to dip

> crab meat! or add a bit to fish when you are baking it -- it

> really comes out better. Or melt it on a steak (that's how

> they have it in Europe).

>

> I don't measure how much kefiili to add to the cream, but

> I think it is about half a cup per quart. I'm not sure the

> amount really matters much, it always seems to work!

>

> -- Heidi

[Guest guest]

,

> We need to get a better sort of food processor (I guess the deep bowl

> in the KitchenAid would also make a difference); but still haven't

> seen anything we like for not just butter but other purposes like

> pate'. (Must be easy to clean!)

Kitchen Aid is easy to clean, easier than the handheld beater I have if

there's a difference.

Meanwhile, the egg beater seems to

> work, is super easy to clean, and propped up in the sink and held by

> a makeshift sling leaves the hands free. Funky huh?

> The moment the butter starts to separate, the liquid just starts

> spattering all over the sink, so I guess if we had an enclosed

> processor we could whip it longer. But, as it is, the texture is

> pretty nice.

>

With the Kitchen Aid I just hang a dishtowel over it and it catches all the

splatter.

Chris

[Guest guest]

>What do you use to make the butter? I get confused with hearing

>people having trouble to make butter. I use a kitchen aid mixer

>with the whipping

>attachment, and my butter comes out in 5 or 6 minutes no matter what.

We just use a standalone electric egg beater. Our whipping time used

to vary enormously with the different culturing times and yogurts and

so on we tried, but now using what I guess is a piima culture, our

time is about 5-10 minutes--the only variable is the degree of

culturing of the cream, and of course, the seasonal variations of the

cream. I don't know why it used to take so long sometimes, but we

seem to be over that hump now.

We need to get a better sort of food processor (I guess the deep bowl

in the KitchenAid would also make a difference); but still haven't

seen anything we like for not just butter but other purposes like

pate'. (Must be easy to clean!) Meanwhile, the egg beater seems to

work, is super easy to clean, and propped up in the sink and held by

a makeshift sling leaves the hands free. Funky huh?

The moment the butter starts to separate, the liquid just starts

spattering all over the sink, so I guess if we had an enclosed

processor we could whip it longer. But, as it is, the texture is

pretty nice.

We have a hard time reserving some raw cream for butter ourselves,

especially with all these nice summer and tropical fruits and berries

in the markets lately. In addition, we have to deal with a

particularly surly Whole Foods dairy manager who is often reluctant

to put our brand of choice on the shelves! (If there's none on the

shelf...ask!) The distributor is also difficult (distributes lots of

other brands) and doesn't return calls to small stores). What a mess.

So, when we see it, we stock up. I am hopeful that we'll be adding

another store in Berkeley soon.

in Berkeley

P.S. Dean on small farms and dairies:

http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?

pagename=policy_record_economy_agriculture