Confession: I’ve been making butter in mason jars.
Who does that, right?
Me!
I’ve kept this secret for a few weeks. I can’t stop making small batches of butter. Cinnamon sugar, salted, unsalted, strawberry, and honey butter. Each ball of butter more delicious than the last. I’m sick. I know.
The obsession started when I read one of Meagan’s blog posts which linked to a how to make butter at home tutorial (that is now missing). I *had* to try it. No way could it be this easy. WHY am I just finding this out now? Who conspired to keep this tidbit away from me? A pox on thee. Jerk.
I cook often and wish I could share my creations on my blog more often but if you haven’t noticed my food photography is horrendous. Improving is a goal of mine but I can only do so much in a day and when I’ve got a hungry family to feed pulling out my camera is far from my mind.
BUT I do have time to stand in my kitchen like a deranged butter addicted lunatic shaking a mason jar like there’s no tomorrow. The kids don’t interrupt out of sheer fear I suspect (what on earth is mom doing?) and I get a decent work out at the same time (wear a sports bra).
Start with some room temperature heavy cream. I like to use local cream when possible. In Vermont we would buy it in the prettiest and chubbiest glass bottles.
The cream thickens fairly quickly.
Boom. Whipped cream.
Oh, I’ve also been making whipped cream this way. *Insert shameful looking emoticon* You can judge me but I’ve lost five pounds this month so I’m not doing too shabby.
Maybe eating large amounts of homemade whipped cream and butter IS good for me.
Shake it like a Polaroid picture ladies. Shake until you feel completely ridiculous. Open the lid. Your cream is whipping. Whipping good (let’s see how many cheesy song references I can make).
This is not a pretty picture but I wanted you to see what the mixture looks like when the butter forms.
Separate the butter from the buttermilk. Save your buttermilk for future use. I saved mine in a jar for pancakes. It kept for a little over a week.
Carefully rinse the milk solids from your butter ball under cold water until there is no milky reside left.
How pretty is that? Well, It’d be prettier if I wasn’t awful at this food photography thing but you get the idea.
Mix in some salt. Or not. Or mix in some cinnamon and brown sugar. Maybe some vanilla beans? Or some garlic and dill for a steak butter? The possibilities are endless.
Form your butter into a ball or log then cover in plastic wrap. I think it keeps for a week or two but can’t tell you for sure because it gets consumed pretty much immediately.
@SewSoDef
Shake it like a polaroid piksha!! I’m dancing in my office chair.
I am going to try this. I’m actually really excited. Thank you for the tip on wearing a sports bra, I will definitely need it. 5-7 minutes? Holy cow. <—— Lazybones
Ashley recently posted… My Brother’s Wedding
Yes but leave it out for a half hour or so (as long as your house isn’t super hot at the time) because it all happens way faster that way. Which is so bizarre because when one makes whipped cream the advice is usually to chill the bowl and cream but anyway happens so much faster that way. AND you can take breaks. I wouldn’t say it’s 7 minutes. Try it. You’ll love it.
@Asilentstorm_
How have I never done this before? I’m going to make some butter this week for sure!
Nicole recently posted… Boozy Berry Sauce
Strawberry butter!!
@lotsospermies
Just saw Kristi’s (Tweeting Mama) tweet. Can’t wait to try this! Boom!!!
Pamela Gold recently posted… I can’t keep the thoughts in my head
How did it turn out?
Veronica recently posted… Sleeping Beauty.
That looks absolutely delicious!!
Oh, it is! Imagine on freshly baked bread? MMMM
Veronica recently posted… Remember when I declared winter over? Look. Snow.
It might get a bit more difficult in very hot weather – we did it in a HOT room once and the butter wouldn’t separate from the buttermilk. We had to cool it down for success.
Good to know. Thanks for sharing : )
Veronica recently posted… Remember when I declared winter over? Look. Snow.
I am going to try this!
Rhonda recently posted… What we did on our Summer Vacation Spring Break
Good luck. Have fun!
Veronica recently posted… Remember when I declared winter over? Look. Snow.
Wait a sec – are you telling me if I shake heavy cream long enough it will magically turn into butter? That’s it?
That is it. Isn’t it ridiculous that we didnt know this sooner? I wouldve stopped buying butter ages ago. I like making it myself.
Veronica recently posted… Remember when I declared winter over? Look. Snow.
I need to try this immediately!!!!!
Fine but then dont whine when you dont lost weight this week lol
Veronica recently posted… Remember when I declared winter over? Look. Snow.
True story: on thanksgiving I attempted to make my own whipped cream. I didnt have a clue what I was doing. Like…. Zero clue. We ended up eating dessert with no whipped cream, but we had the most amazing butter ever for the rest of the meal!!!!
Beth @ Me as a Mommy recently posted… Do you practice natural medicine?
hahah when you heard something rattling around in there were you all OMG WTF?!?!
Veronica recently posted… Remember when I declared winter over? Look. Snow.
Yum!! Just found this recipe for the next time we BBQ hamburgers or hot dogs: http://www.food.com/recipe/very-low-carb-hamburger-bun-229625
Thanks.
You lost five pounds from shaking all those mason jars! A recipe that involves burning as many calories as you consume sounds like a miracle! Heavy Cream is going on the grocery list! Visiting from SITS!
Kristi recently posted… First Lemonade Stand
Hope you liked it and nice to meet you : )
Veronica recently posted… Sleeping Beauty.
Ever since I learned to do this, it’s the only way I make butter. It’s also the only way I ever have butter, ie: I don’t buy butter anymore – just heavy cream
I love it! And I also blogged about it here:
http://naturesnurtureblog.com/2012/01/29/i-made-butter-and-so-can-you/
Ditto on the sports bra LOL! And the cheesy song references
Sarah @ Nature’s Nurture recently posted… Dandelions: Friend or Foe? Part 2 (Flowers)
I admire your dedication! Thanks so much for stopping by : )
Veronica recently posted… Sleeping Beauty.
@cumauxiliodei
This is nice. We, meaning my husband and the older kids, made butter using Mason Jars one time. My husband wanted to show the children how butter was made. I think that it was inspired by one Thomas the Tank Engine episode – the one where Thomas ran so fast that the milk was shaken and turned to butter. I think we colored the butter green since it was around St. Patrick’s Day that it was made.
But we have to do this again – I think the children got tired of shaking the bottle then.
)
Imelda recently posted… LET THE SUNSHINE IN
That is such a sweet memory. Thanks for sharing.
Veronica recently posted… Sleeping Beauty.
My Mom did this as an experiment with me when I was young. We actually added a few marbles into the cream as we shook it to help stir things up in there!
Awesome tip! Thank you : )
Veronica recently posted… Sleeping Beauty.
Food processor makes it even easier, But you won’t be building those guns for the gun show.
lol exactly! Gotta work on the guns.
Veronica recently posted… Sleeping Beauty.
BOOM..that was my mind being blown. My sons favorite show, Chuggington, made some allusion the shaking method, but I thought no way, butter needs a wooden thingy, and churning, and hours of work. It’s a conspiracy! Lol
lol see and here I am tuning Chugginton out. I couldve been learning! Thanks for stopping by.
Veronica recently posted… Sleeping Beauty.
This reminds me of when I was in elementary school and we made pumpkin bread and homemade butter with mason jars. I think I will try making this again. Thanks for posting.
Ally recently posted… M&M Blondies
Thanks for stopping by Ally – you made me hungry though
Veronica recently posted… Sleeping Beauty.
@Klypt
Be careful who you wish a pox on. Don’t you remember doing this in school or girl scouts or something. Actually thought about it since I’ve been reading the ‘Little House’ series to the kids.
lol oh you
Veronica recently posted… Sleeping Beauty.
@writerromana
Love to make butter at home! Here’s my little cheaty, lazy secret: instead of a mason jar, I use an old plastic peanut butter jar, and instead of shaking it…I put it in a flannel pillowcase, tie it off, and let it tumble in the dryer on the “fluff” (no heat) setting for 20-30 minutes. When it comes out–voila, you have your butter ball and your buttermilk. Of course, we do the whole thing with raw milk cream, but that’s a topic for another day.
I think i am going to have to update this post with your tip. I will credit you of course but omg what an idea! Thanks so much for sharing.
Veronica recently posted… Sleeping Beauty.
@donab
My mom used to make this with us kids when we were little. She even passed down her electric butter churn to me, since I’m the crunchy throwback in the family, but I don’t need THAT much butter so it is in the garage next to the hand-cranked ice cream maker. Thanks for reminding me that I can make small batch butter!
dona recently posted… Shake your diapered booty: a track list for toddlers
Dona that is SO cool. Thanks for sharing that story. That’s just so awesome.
@evilwife
This looks awesome and I am going to have to give it a try. Thanks for the great tip!.
Tammy recently posted… Prom!
@evilwife
This is awesome and I cannot wait to try it myself. Thanks so much for sharing!
Tammy recently posted… Prom!
Fabulous let me know how you like it. Thanks so much for stopping by.
There’s another way to do it in the blender, but I’ve always done it like you do in the mason jar! And yes, butter IS good for you! http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/untold-story-of-butter/
Amanda recently posted… Enchilada Casserole
I knew it! If it wasn’t good for us it would’nt be so naturally delicious! Thanks so much for the link and for stopping by.
OMG… My butter loving nine year old daughter is going to dig this! I’m going to the store to get some cream!!
So I am currently trying the mason jar butter and not having much success. I was shaking and shaking for about half an hour yesterday then had to leave so I stuck it in the fridge. Then when I got home later that night I took it back out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature then continued shaking for another hour with nothing (although I am pretty sure I have whipped cream now). Does putting it in the fridge and taking it back out mess it up? What is the realistic time that it takes? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Emily
Hmm I’m not sure taking it out and putting it back in would make a difference – no idea there – but it definitely shouldn’t have taken a half hour. It takes me about fifteen minutes if that. Fill the jar halfway – let the cream sit out for 15 minutes and then try shaking again. Good luck.
Veronica recently posted… Still waiting.
I remember doing this in my 1st grade class. Little kids just taking turns shaking the mason jar. We loved it!! Here a tip: Placing a wine cork in with the cream will speed up the process as well! Just make sure it’s from a white wine bottle. I take it out when it’s whipped cream (about 7mins) Then continue until I have butter, maybe another 3 to 4mins.