Making Butter From Scratch

Making Butter From Scratch

By Mark Fitzgerald

"Many families brought their cows along with them so we had plenty of fresh milk, butter and cheese. Our butter was very easily made . . . we would put cream in a covered pail which was hooked to the back of the wagon. The shaking and jolting of the wagon made a very good churn so we always had nice fresh butter without any trouble. Our other food was made up of the provisions we had brought with us such as potatoes and flour with which we made our bread."

I love the concept of finding a covered pail that I can attached to a handcart and see if we have butter by the end of the day.  Making butter with a kitchenaid is one thing, but having to do it by hand is something completely different.  I say let the machine do the work.  One of the benefits of making your own butter is getting buttermilk, the liquid that separates out during the butter making process. 

Ingredients

1 pint heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

In a mixer, food processor or old fashion butter churn add the milk and whip the butter until thick.  As it begins to be whipped cream you may be tempted to stop.  Keep going until the buttermilk separates out.  Drain off the the butter milk and mix in the salt.

Information

Makes about 1/2 pound of butter