We drink raw milk that comes from happy cows who eat fresh green grass all day long. Because our milk is raw, meaning it isn’t pasturised or homoginized, we get a nice thick layer of cream that rises to the top of the milk. This time of year especially the cream is thick and there is a lot, being that the cows have all calved and they are eating fast growing green grass, the milk is full of vitamins A and D and the taste is wonderful. I like to make butter with the cream, being that raw butter is actually nutritious with the combination of natural occuring fat soluable vitamins and the fat that is butter. The quickest way, I have found to make butter is with my blender, it only take a few minutes and very little work. I do have an old fashioned butter churn which I have used, but it takes a while to get butter from all the churning.
First I let my jars of cream sit out for a few hours, to bring them to room temprature. It makes the cream whip up faster, and while this step isn’t neccisary, it cut the churning time in about half. Then I add it to my hand dandy Blendtec blender (one of my favorite kitchen purchases).
I set the spead to “1” and just let it blend, it will go for about a minute then shut off, then I check it, and start it over if I need to. There have been times that I have only had do this twice, but other times (when the cream is cold) it takes several cycles.
After a couple cycles, it turns into whipped cream
One more cycle and I have butter, it is floating in buttermilk.
I then strain it, getting most of the buttermilk to save later for recipes
The buttermilk is stored in a jar in the refridgerator for a couple of days, so it can clabber and it takes on the tangy taste that we all know as buttermilk. Since my butter is sweet cream butter, the buttermilk that comes off of it tastes like skim milk. For more information on cultured buttermilk and sweet cream buttermilk, go “here“.
I then rinse the butter very, very well in cold water. This takes a little while, you need to get all the buttermilk out of the butter, the old buttmilk will make the butter go bad, but butter that is cleaned well lasts a long time. I usually rinse, then let it sit, stir and rinse again and let sit again, this takes maybe an hour, but it isn’t that time consuming, as I stir then let sit while I do other things.
There you have it, grass fed raw butter, beautiful and yellow. That yellow color comes from vitamin A, that the cows get from fresh greeen grass. Comercial butter that comes from corn and soy fed cows is white, and yellow coloring is added. This beautiful color comes from healthy cows eating what cows were ment to eat. The butter is then packed away in jars and stored in either the fridge of freezer to be enjoyed on potates, veggies or hot bread.
Where do you get your milk?
We buy our milk from Real Foods Market. I know you can get it from (forgot their names) down on the point, but Mike wasn’t comfotable with that, considering Real Foods tests their milk for pathogens and such.
You are so lucky to have fresh milk! I learned how to make fresh butter from heavy cream, using my Kitchen Aid, and I was thrilled to see another method using a blender! I pack my butter in jars, tight, and add a layer of filtered water on top. This way, I can keep it on the counter top, much like a butter bell. I just change the water every few days and it lasts a couple weeks! I didn’t realize that I had to let my fresh buttermilk clabber in the fridge to get that tanginess. Thanks for the tip!
I did not know you could do that with water and leave it on the counter, thanks for the tip, I am going to try it. 🙂
Aimee,
We do this too. Our milk is pasterized since the farm we buy it at has to by state law. But we get alot of cream from it and we make cultured butter, since it isn’t raw. We love it, it is so pretty and yellow and just fun to make.
I also make sour cream from it, buttermilk, and looking at making simple cheeses. All low temp so it will keep its good bacteria and beneficial things.
I use my food processor works the same way I don’t have a blender your right how fast it works. We have done the shaking the jar thing before years ago when we had goats, takes forever. LOL
Hope all is well.
Love Erika
Thank you so much! I’ve always loved how fast my Blendtec whipped cream, but worried that it would heat the butter and then I’d just end up with a mess if I tried to make it in there, so I’m glad to see your system. I am definitely going to try it!
It worked and the butter is so fresh and yummy! Thanks for the tip. It sure beats using my MIL’s butter churn or shaking a glass quart jar forever! I did have to use my Blendtec Tamper or the blade just spun after it got thick, but otherwise it worked great and so fast! Thanks for the tips!
I just made this! So fun! Thanks for the idea!
I tried to do this with the cream bought from where we purchase our raw milk, but it didn’t work! I wonder if it’s because the cream has been frozen? Any ideas? I’ve done it before with the blend tech and whipping cream from the store, but would love to do it with the raw cream from GF cows from our farmer who supplies our milk. Thanks!
I once tried freezing cream and then making butter and it wouldn’t whip up for me either, so I would guess that is your problem. Can you get the cream fresh?
The cream may have too much milk if not skimmed properly. I freeze my raw cream all the time and can always get passing good whipped cream or excellent butter from it. I just make sure not to skim too close to the milk.