Making your own butter might seem like a hassle. But this easy butter recipe doesn’t require a butter churn or hours of your time — and it might even help you to save money.
Last month, the Deseret News reported that there is expected to be a butter shortage until December. Farmers explained that both the shortage and the rise in prices result from how expensive it was to feed cattle this year, as well as staffing shortages.
According to Taste of Home, the price of butter has risen 24% this year. The demand for butter is outpacing supply and farmers are trying to respond to the demand by creating more butter, but milk and cream are also low, making it difficult to respond to the demand.
When you go to the grocery store, you have another option — consider buying heavy cream to make your own butter. But be warned: making your own butter means that it doesn’t last as long as the store-bought kind. It lasts on my counter for usually 5-6 days and in my fridge for up to 10-11 days.
But depending on your local grocery store’s pricing, it might be a little cheaper to buy the heavy cream instead. And then from there, it’s a simple process because the only ingredient you need is the heavy cream.
Using a mason jar
- Take however much cream you want (a quart of cream equals about a pound of butter). Set it out for 30-40 minutes.
- Fill a mason jar with cream until it’s about halfway full and shake the jar for several minutes until you see and hear the butter fat separated from the liquid.
- Strain the liquid from the solids using a cheese cloth. Store the liquid in another jar and put it in the fridge. That is buttermilk.
- Put the remaining solid butter in a strainer and rinse it off until the water runs clear with cold water.
- Put the butter in a cheese cloth and let the excess moisture drain out. If you would like to mix in salt or herbs, now is the time to do it. Then, store your butter in a butter bell or an airtight container.
Using a stand mixer
The stand mixer method of making butter is the simplest.
- Take however much cream you want (a quart of cream equals about a pound of butter). Set it out for 30-40 minutes.
- Use the whisk attachment and start on the slowest speed. Gradually increase the speed until you see butter form and stick to your whisk attachment. There will also be liquid in the mixing bowl.
- Take that liquid and put it in a jar in your fridge. That is buttermilk.
- It’s now time to rinse your butter. I do this process five times. Take ice water and put it in the bowl with the butter. Rinse it by turning on the mixer for a few seconds. Drain the liquid. Repeat this process using new water each time until your water runs clear.
- Put the butter in a cheese cloth and let the excess moisture drain out. If you would like to mix in salt or herbs, now is the time to do it. Then, store your butter in a butter bell or an airtight container.