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Sunday I was looking online for a buttermilk substitute for a recipe I was making. In the process of searching, I found this interesting link about how to make butter. Since I planned to make bread with my girls the next day, I decided we could try this too. (Did you see our Turtle Bread yesterday? Mmm.) It was really easy and the butter was the best I’ve ever tasted. Fresh butter is the best, really.
Here is what we did:
Since there were four of us, I filled four little mason jars with heavy cream. We should have only filled them half way, so we ended up pouring some out after I took this picture. Live and learn.
Take the jars and start shaking. Shake, shake, shake.
Keep shaking even when you feel like stopping.
The jar is full of whipped cream and then suddenly a few seconds later, you realize it has become butter. Don’t give up! (Below: whipped cream on left, butter on right.)
The first sign that there is butter inside is a window will appear to see the butter in the jar.
Butter!!
After all the jars became butter, I poured them out into a strainer, catching the buttermilk below. I’m going to make some killer pancakes this week with that buttermilk!
I tried to drain all the buttermilk out of the butter, then I mixed in some salt.
Of course, we tried our fresh butter immediately on our green turtle bread. It was AH-mazing!
We are using the leftover butter with popcorn for a movie night planned this week. Life is good!
My favorite child saying from this experience was “how amazing that we could make butter from milk”. Sometimes I forget what my kids don’t know yet.
Have you ever made homemade butter? Do you think you might try?
Everything is better with butter,
From my home to yours,
Mary
Sarah Trattles says
I have been on the fence after seeing another butter post. I think we’ll be doing this over the weekend. Thanks!
Brooke F. says
So fun! I remember doing this during a Primary lesson when I was small. We passed the jar around all through our discussion and then, at the end of the class, somehow we had butter and it taught some valuable lesson I’ve now forgotten. Loved it! Seems like we put in on saltines? So would have preferred your home made bread. We’ll have to give it a try – thanks for the fun idea!
Mary says
I wonder what that lesson was about! Just remember to keep shaking. š
Jamie Asper says
I LOVE this idea! The butter looks delicious and like a lot of fun to make as well. I may just have to try it out this week. Have a wonderful day! ~ Jamie
P.S. I’m visiting from the Frugal Friday link party.
kim says
I have been wanting to make butter, since it is better for you than margarine. Last year when I was making whip cream for the pumpkin pies, I almost made butter instead ( by accident with the mixer) . If I do it with the jars though, I could put herbs or honey in it for different flavorings. Thanks.
Mary says
You can do that with your mixer too!! If I were doing this practically, I would mix it. You just need to notice that “special time” when you’ve got very liquidy-liquid and a clump. That is your buttermilk (great for baking/pancakes/biscuits) and your butter. Add in specialty ingredients after you do this initial sort. Then you can gently stir in the mix-ins until just-mixed, or go for a “whipped butter.” Just make sure you get the buttermilk out!