Can anyone tell me how to make butter using a blender? I've never made it before and wonder if its more economical than buying it. Sounds like fun to try anyhow--the kids should enjoy it. Thanks for the help.:)

-- Kathleen Roberts (KathleenRoberts@webtv.net), December 20, 1999

Answers

You'd surely have to use pulse, or you would wind up with whipped cream. Not that that is all that bad. Hmm, now where is that pumpkin pie?

-- greenbeanman (greenbeanman@ourtownusa.net), December 20, 1999.

Kathleen, I've been using a food processor with the beater attachments and it works great. I turn it on and about 10 minutes later it's butter. Don't forget to rinse, rinse and rinse again to get all the milk out. Patrice

-- Patrice Bertke (herbalgroup@skybest.com), December 20, 1999.

Well, I hae a little food processor that my mom gave me--not sure if it has a beater attachement. So, can I use reguar milk from the store? I assume that whole milk is needed. Do you need salt? Do I use cream instead of milk? Any when you find the pumpkin pie, can I have a piece? :)

-- Kathleen (KathleenRoberts@webtv.net), December 20, 1999.

If you can get the blender to run slow enough you'd be able to churn butter, depends on your equipment. As another poster noted, spin it too fast and you get whipped cream.

You'll have to use real cream, whole milk doesn't have sufficient milk fat for butter making.

Unless you get the cream really dirt cheap it almost certainly won't be more economical than buying butter already made. You have to allow something for the cost of the power and your time in addition to the cost of the cream.

It is fun to make some a couple of times, particularly as an educational activity for children.

..........Alan.

The Prudent Food Storage FAQ, v3.5

http://www.providenceco-op.com

-- A.T. Hagan (athagan@sprintmail.com), December 20, 1999.

If you have a little patience or a couple of kids that would want a turn you can put cream in a quart jar and shake it until it makes butter. Just follow the about advice of washing it real good.

-- Peggy Carr (wclpc@cookeville.com), December 20, 1999.

Hi Kathleen- I once made butter 'by accident', with the hand held mixer-trying to get the 'whipped cream' stiff, it was stiff alright! and excellent on muffins! Buy the 'heaviest' cream you can get-any dairy farms your way?- and whip-or shake-or pulse, you'll get it!

-- Kathy (catfish@bestweb.net), December 20, 1999.

When making butter, it can first turn into whipped cream, but then as it is further processed (shook, blended, or beatened) the fat globs stick together and viola! you have butter. You must use cream, the "milk" in the stores is way too watered down. I've got a problem, perhaps someone may have a suggestion for: What to do with an over abundance of cream. My cow is now making half and half (1/2 cream, 1/2 milk) and I am tired of making butter twice a week. I now have over 30 lbs in the freezer and I've given enuf to the neighbors to last them a year or so... So can it be frozen? I don't think it can be canned. Thanks for any thoughts, right now the neighbor's hogs are enjoying it as well as my chickens, which may account for the eggs I'm getting.... Patrice

-- Patrice Bertke (herbalgroup@skybest.com), December 21, 1999.

Patrice--you could send me your cream so I can make butter!:) Just kidding--I'm sure it doesn't travel well. :)

I guess I'm just a wanna-be homesteader. We live in a duplex where there isn't even enough room for a garden. I'm trying to adopt some homestead ways so that if we somehow find property we both agree on (you know, the new, old house out in the country in the middle of town) I'll already have some skilles I can use.

I love making yogurt--with 5 kids it doesn't last long. I canned some veggies from the farmers market and I'm trying to get the guts to make soap. I guess I need to meet someone with a cow or goat!:)

Thanks for all the help! This forum is wonderful--I love hearing from you all. And reading all the posts helps pacify me until the next issue comes out!:)

-- Kathleen (KathleenRoberts@webtv.net), December 21, 1999.

Well, perhaps if I packed some up in quart jars, by the time it got to you it would turn to butter! Yogurt is great homemade. And don't loose the dream, you'll get there. Anyone can "homestead" whether in a farm house or in a condo. It's just a state of mind to do things from scratch. Make some soap, for heavens sake! It's not hard - but do open windows. And try dipping some candles this season, just use kite string if you can't find wick. Try melting down some old crayons for interesting color patterns but watch the heat, it's flammable. Cheers to all this Christmas season!! Patrice

-- Patrice Bertke (herbalgroup@skybest.com), December 21, 1999.

What to do with extra cream!? Sell it! Put ads up at the markets, or make ice cream and butter and sell it yourself. I work for a small company that makes-and sells these 'old fashion' treats, for $5 a lb!!

-- kathy (catfish@bestweb.net), December 21, 1999.

As for freezing cream, I do freeze store bought half and half. The only place I can get organic is too far away to make frquent trips, so I freeze it. Occasionally, you'll get a clump of fat (butter, I presume) if you don't shake it enough after you thaw it, but it tastes fine.

-- Sue Landress (Sulandherb@aol.com), December 21, 1999.

Selling it is a great idea. But arn't there certain requirements like health certification, etc, etc for this kind of product? We live in a (very) small community that does more bartering than anything. Perhaps trading say, butter for wool may be a consideration. I think I will try to freeze it, afterall, freezing butter works. Thanks for the thought. Patrice

-- Patrice Bertke (herbalgroup@skybest.com), December 22, 1999.

Hey Patrice, about that extra milk/cream-make CHEESE! Soft, or ripened. Ripened lasts a long, long time and you could barter that, too! If you live in that small of a community, and you don't advertise or poison anyone, I don't think the health dept. would bother you. Better yet, try it and if it flys you might want to go 'legit' and be in business! Kathy

-- Kathy (catfish@bestweb.net), December 23, 1999.

Patrice - How long have you been in this lactation? We have been milking a family cow for 18 years and have found that, when the milk and cream are getting towards 50/50, it is getting time to dry the cow up.

If your cow was just recently fresh and has that much cream in her milk, you are lucky. If you ran a couple cheap ads in some local papers, you would be surprised how many people would flock to buy your fresh cream.

Not knowing your background, I hesitate to to say much, as you may have a dairying history that makes any mention of how long you milk a cow before she needs dried up, totally redundant for you.

-- homestead2 (homestead@monroecty.net), January 05, 2000.