Ruqayyah Snyder
Making cultured butter at home is a simple process that yields a superior product to regular butter. Cultured butter is a fermented food with a tangy flavour, produced by agitating pure cream that has been cultured with live bacterial cultures. The process is similar to making homemade yoghurt and can be done using a yoghurt maker, or simply by leaving the cream in a warm place for 24 hours. Once the cream has been cultured, it can be churned into butter by shaking it in a jar, or using a food processor or stand mixer. The butter is then washed, shaped into logs, and refrigerated.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Cream, live dairy culture (e.g. plain yoghurt, cultured buttermilk, crème fraiche, sour cream, purchased mesophilic starter) |
| Cream temperature | 19°C - 22°C |
| Fermentation time | 12-48 hours |
| Fermentation temperature | 24°C-28°C |
| Churning methods | Food processor, stand mixer, mason jar, Vibe Blender, Butter Churn |
| Churning time | 2.5 minutes |
| Washing | Remove buttermilk with cold water, repeat until water is clear |
| Additives | Salt to taste |
| Storage | Refrigerate, wrap in baking paper |
| Yield | 11 oz / 300 ml of butter plus about 1 pint / 500 ml of buttermilk |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing the right cream
The first step to making cultured butter is to choose the right cream. While butter can technically be made from any heavy cream, higher-quality cream will produce more delicious butter. It is important to use pure cream without gums, thickeners, or other additives. Most heavy whipping cream from the refrigerated section of the store is fine, but stay away from UHT (ultra heat-treated), double, or thickened cream. Pasteurised (rather than ultra-pasteurised) heavy cream is ideal.
The cream you use should contain live bacterial cultures. The fermentation process is similar to making homemade yoghurt. With a yoghurt maker, culturing pure cream into homemade crème fraiche or sour cream is easy. You can also use sour cream, crème fraiche, or buttermilk if it has live cultures.
Flavoured yoghurts, Greek-style yoghurts, or thinner, sugared yoghurts will not work. The yoghurt should be at the bottom of the jar, with the cream poured on top. The mixture should then be placed in a relatively warm place for 24 hours. The ideal temperature for the cream is between 24°C and 28°C. If your kitchen is chilly, you can place the cream in your microwave with the door ajar, or in a yoghurt maker set to 25°C.
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Adding a culture
Cultured butter is a fermented food that contains live bacterial cultures. The fermentation process is similar to making homemade yoghurt, but easier. You can use a yoghurt maker to ensure that your cream stays at a consistent temperature throughout the process. Place the yoghurt in a large jar, then pour the heavy cream over the top. Gently stir the two together using a clean spoon. Place the lid on the jar and put it somewhere relatively warm for 24 hours. If your cream is not thickening up after 24 hours, you might need to leave it for another 16 to 24 hours in a warmer place.
The cream can be cultured for as little as 12 hours or as long as 48 hours. The longer you culture the cream, the more intense the flavour will be. If you're using a stand mixer, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and lower the speed once the butter begins to separate to minimize splattering.
You can also use sour cream, crème fraîche, or buttermilk if it has live cultures. Make sure the yoghurt you use contains live cultures. Flavoured yoghurts, Greek-style yoghurts, or thinner, sugared yoghurts will not work.
If you'll be churning butter in jars (shaking), it's convenient to culture the cream in jars that are half full. 40% cream cultured with buttermilk is thick enough to spoon.
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Churning the butter
Churning by hand
The most low-tech method of churning butter is to shake the cultured cream in a jar. This method requires a glass jar, some patience, and stamina. If you have children, they will enjoy having a turn to shake the jar. The jar should be no more than half full and have a tight-fitting lid to avoid leaks. First, the mixture will turn into whipped cream. After a few more minutes, solids will start to form, and the cream will turn lumpy. Keep going until the solids have come together into a larger mass and are completely separated from the buttermilk.
Churning with a food processor or mixer
Churning can also be done with a food processor or stand mixer. If using a food processor, it is recommended to chill the cream first as the processor will heat the mixture, and you don't want to risk melting the butter. If using a stand mixer, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and lower the speed once the butter begins to separate to minimise splattering. When using a mixer, the cream will first turn into whipped cream. After a few minutes, you will see large lumps of butter forming, along with a milky liquid, which is the buttermilk.
Churning with a Vibe Blender
It is also possible to churn the cream in a Vibe Blender, but this method is less common and may require specific instructions.
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Draining and washing the butter
Draining the butter is an important step in the butter-making process. Once the cultured cream has been churned and the butter has separated from the buttermilk, the mixture must be drained. Place a colander over a bowl and line it with cheesecloth or butter muslin. Pour the butter and buttermilk mixture into the colander and allow the butter to collect in the cloth. The buttermilk will drain through the cloth and collect in the bowl.
Once the butter has been drained, it is important to wash it to remove any remaining buttermilk. If the buttermilk is not removed, the butter will spoil quickly and go rancid. Place the drained butter into a bowl and pour a cup of cold water over it. Work the water through the butter by mashing it with the back of a spoon. Drain the cloudy water and repeat the process until the water runs clear. This usually takes between three and six washes. The cold water will also help to cool and firm the butter. By the final wash, you may need to use your hands to knead the butter.
Washing the butter with cold water is an effective way to remove the buttermilk, but it is not the only method. Some people prefer to rinse and squeeze the butter under cold running water until the water runs clear. This method ensures that all the buttermilk is removed and can be more efficient than the batch washing method.
After the butter has been washed and drained, it is ready to be salted and shaped. Sprinkle the butter with salt, mixing a small amount at a time and tasting as you go. Shape the butter into a log or several small logs and wrap them in baking paper. Refrigerate the butter to set, and be sure to use it within a month. Cultured butter has a higher moisture content than commercial butter, so it is best enjoyed as a spread rather than for cooking.
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Storing the butter
Storing your cultured butter correctly is essential to maintain its freshness, taste, and safety. Here are some detailed tips on how to store your homemade cultured butter:
- Cultured butter will spoil quickly if left out at room temperature for too long. It's best to keep it in the fridge, wrapped in baking paper, to make it last several weeks.
- If you want your butter to remain spreadable, it's advisable to leave a small amount outside the fridge. However, ensure your kitchen is maintained at a steady room temperature of around 67-72° F (20-22° C).
- Light and air are the primary reasons butter goes rancid when stored outside the refrigerator. Use a butter dish, crock, or keeper to protect your butter from these elements.
- The more airtight the container, the longer the taste is preserved. Butter crocks, with their water-filled chambers, are excellent for keeping butter cool and fresh.
- If you don't use butter frequently, opt for a container with an airtight seal. This prevents the butter from absorbing other food odours from your kitchen.
- The American Butter Institute recommends storing butter in its original packaging in the back of the refrigerator, the coldest part of the fridge.
- Cultured butter can also be stored in the freezer for 4 to 6 months.
- If you're storing your butter in the fridge, place it in the door, the warmest part, and take it out an hour or so before you need to spread it.
- You can also use a butter bell to store your butter in a cool, dry place like a pantry, especially if you consume it quickly.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need cream and a live dairy culture. The cream should be pasteurized (rather than ultra-pasteurized) heavy cream. The dairy culture can be plain yoghurt, cultured buttermilk, crème fraiche, sour cream or a purchased mesophilic starter such as Flora Danica.
You will need a jar, food processor, stand mixer, or hand mixer. You will also need a colander lined with cheesecloth or butter muslin, and a bowl.
First, add the cream and culture to a jar and leave to culture for 24 hours. Then, churn the butter until it separates into butter and buttermilk. Next, wash the butter with cold water to remove any remaining buttermilk. Finally, add salt to taste and wrap the butter in baking paper before refrigerating.
Homemade cultured butter will last in the fridge for up to one month, or in the freezer for 4 to 6 months.
