Make Your Own Butter

Homemade butter is surprisingly easy to make—you simply need to whisk heavy cream until butterfat granules form before straining the mixture. This step-by-step gallery makes it even easier.

httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2008images2008-02634-homemade_butter_1_480.jpg — 1. Begin slowly whisking the cream using a balloon whisk; as the cream reaches the soft-peak stage, speed up the whisking motion.

httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2008images2008-02634-109_homemade_butter_2_480.jpg — 2. Butterfat, in the form of tiny granules, will begin to accumulate on the sides of the bowl as it separates from the buttermilk (the liquid portion of cream); continue whisking until the butterfat granules are about half the size of a pea.

httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2008images2008-02634-109_homemade_butter_3_480.jpg — 3. Pour the entire contents of the bowl into the cheesecloth-lined strainer and let the mixture drain for several minutes.

httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2008images2008-02634-109_homemade_butter_4_480.jpg — 4. Gather the ends of the cheesecloth together and squeeze, pushing downward to extract as much additional liquid as possible; then unwrap the butter solids from the cheesecloth. (Reserve the butter milk to use in your favorite biscuit recipe, if you like.)

httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2008images2008-02634-109_homemade_butter_5_480.jpg — 5. Pour cool water over the butter and rinse, carefully squeezing and folding the mass in on itself, until the water runs clear.

httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2008images2008-02634-109_homemade_butter_6_480.jpg — 6. Put the butter into a bowl and sprinkle it with 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt.

httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2008images2008-02634-109_homemade_butter_7_480.jpg — 7. Using a wooden spoon, smear the butter mass repeatedly against the side of the bowl to aerate it and thoroughly incorporate the salt; pour off any additional liquid the butter may release.

httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2008images2008-02634-109_homemade_butter_8_480.jpg — 8. Using the wooden spoon, transfer the salted butter onto the center of a piece of wax paper and form it into a single, smooth-sided brick.

httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2008images2008-02634-109_homemade_butter_9_480.jpg — 9. Wrap the butter tightly in the wax paper and refrigerate it overnight before you use it, to allow its flavor to develop. It will keep for about three weeks.

httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2012images2012-107-GALLERY-plus-slide-four-hour-baguette-400×626.jpg — How about some homemade bread with that homemade butter? See our recipe for Four-Hour Baguette »

Make Your Own: Homemade Butter »

ANDRÉ BARANOWSKI

Make Your Own Butter

Homemade butter is surprisingly easy to make—you simply need to whisk heavy cream until butterfat granules form before straining the mixture. This step-by-step gallery makes it even easier.

httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2008images2008-02634-homemade_butter_1_480.jpg — 1. Begin slowly whisking the cream using a balloon whisk; as the cream reaches the soft-peak stage, speed up the whisking motion.

httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2008images2008-02634-109_homemade_butter_2_480.jpg — 2. Butterfat, in the form of tiny granules, will begin to accumulate on the sides of the bowl as it separates from the buttermilk (the liquid portion of cream); continue whisking until the butterfat granules are about half the size of a pea.

httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2008images2008-02634-109_homemade_butter_3_480.jpg — 3. Pour the entire contents of the bowl into the cheesecloth-lined strainer and let the mixture drain for several minutes.

httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2008images2008-02634-109_homemade_butter_4_480.jpg — 4. Gather the ends of the cheesecloth together and squeeze, pushing downward to extract as much additional liquid as possible; then unwrap the butter solids from the cheesecloth. (Reserve the butter milk to use in your favorite biscuit recipe, if you like.)

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httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2008images2008-02634-109_homemade_butter_5_480.jpg — 5. Pour cool water over the butter and rinse, carefully squeezing and folding the mass in on itself, until the water runs clear.

httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2008images2008-02634-109_homemade_butter_6_480.jpg — 6. Put the butter into a bowl and sprinkle it with 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt.

httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2008images2008-02634-109_homemade_butter_7_480.jpg — 7. Using a wooden spoon, smear the butter mass repeatedly against the side of the bowl to aerate it and thoroughly incorporate the salt; pour off any additional liquid the butter may release.

httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2008images2008-02634-109_homemade_butter_8_480.jpg — 8. Using the wooden spoon, transfer the salted butter onto the center of a piece of wax paper and form it into a single, smooth-sided brick.

httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2008images2008-02634-109_homemade_butter_9_480.jpg — 9. Wrap the butter tightly in the wax paper and refrigerate it overnight before you use it, to allow its flavor to develop. It will keep for about three weeks.

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httpswww.saveur.comsitessaveur.comfilesimport2012images2012-107-GALLERY-plus-slide-four-hour-baguette-400×626.jpg — How about some homemade bread with that homemade butter? See our recipe for Four-Hour Baguette »

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