I had a lot of messages asking about how we make our own butter! It may seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually quite simple and can save you money in the long run (especially with record high inflation). Not to mention, it’s a great way to be more self-sufficient and learn an old-fashioned skill. I’ll guide you through the steps to make your own butter, whether you choose to use a food processor, blender, or go the old-fashioned way and make it by hand.
Tools needed:
-Heavy cream or Whipping Cream
-A Good Quality Salt (optional) I personally like Redmonds Fine Grain Sea Salt
-Food processor or blender (if you choose to use a machine)
-Clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid
-Mixing bowl (if you choose to make it by hand)
-Clean cheesecloth or kitchen towel (if you choose to make it by hand)
Step 1: Choose your cream
The first step in making your own butter is to choose your cream. You can use heavy cream or whipping cream, but heavy cream will give you a richer and creamier butter. You can also choose to use organic or raw cream for a healthier option. I myself always use Organic.
Step 2: Blend or churn the cream
If you’re using a machine, pour the cream into your food processor or blender and blend until it thickens and separates into butter and buttermilk. This process can take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes depending on the machine you’re using. If you’re making it by hand, pour the cream into a mixing bowl and beat it with a whisk or mixer until it separates into butter and buttermilk. This can take up to 20 minutes of continuous mixing.
Step 3: Drain and rinse the butter
Once the butter has separated from the buttermilk, pour it into a clean cheesecloth or kitchen towel and squeeze out any excess liquid. We skip the cheesecloth and just use our hands. We do this over the sink and catch any remaining buttermilk in a jar. You can also rinse the butter under cold water to remove any remaining buttermilk.
Step 4: Add salt (optional)
If you prefer salted butter, you can add a pinch of salt to the butter and mix it in thoroughly.
Step 5: Store your butter
Scoop your butter into a clean glass container or jar with a tight-fitting lid and store it in the refrigerator. Your homemade butter should last up to two weeks in the fridge.
Step 6: Freeze your butter (optional)
If you have extra butter or want to save it for later, you can freeze it for up to six months. To freeze, wrap the butter in parchment paper and place it in a freezer-safe container.
You can use the buttermilk for cooking and baking. And leftover cream for coffee and cooking as well!
Not only is homemade butter a delicious addition to any meal, but it’s also a healthier option than store-bought butter. Store-bought butter can contain added preservatives and artificial flavors, whereas homemade butter is made from pure cream. You can also get creative and add different flavors to your butter by infusing it with herbs, garlic, or honey. The possibilities are endless!
So, what are you waiting for? Give homemade butter a try and impress your family and friends with your newfound self-sufficiency. It’s a simple and fun way to save money and learn an old-fashioned skill.
Let me know how it turns out!
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Tracey
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As you certainly know by now, houseplants are everywhere. From greenhouses, to the supermarket, building supply stores, online, Facebook marketplace, and almost anywhere in between. Plants not only add a beautiful living esthetic to your home, but they are also proven to brighten your mood and improve your health by cleaning the air you breathe.
I started my plant hobby-ing back in 2018 in the before times. You know, before Covid, and well before *everyone* jumped on the houseplant bandwagon. When you could find a cebu blue pothos without having to spend hundreds of dollars for an unrooted cutting with a couple leaves on it. I often think about that full hanging basket I passed up on when you could find them easily at most greenhouses. I still don’t have one, but it’s definitely on my wish list.
I started with a spider plant – probably one of the easiest plants out there, which I came to find out after *finally* keeping something alive long enough to decide that if I could keep one plant alive and happy, I could probably keep another one alive. Soon after I added a golden pothos, then a handful of succulents, a ZZ plant; they all seemed to be thriving. It was spring and each new leaf that sprouted gave me a boost of confidence – it was so exciting seeing these plants put out new growth with just a little attention and regular watering. I started reading up on tips and came to find out that overwatering killed more plants than neglect ever would! After hearing about the benefits of a moisture meter come up in almost every blog I read, I decided to pick one up. Best decision ever. It takes the guesswork out of caring for your plant babies. I had more plants than ever before and I was managing to keep them all (for the most part) alive.
I would have to say that some of my favorite beginner plants are, without a doubt:
If you are new to plants I recommend starting small. Like buying small plants vs
buying some that are much larger. There is nothing more heartbreaking than splurging on a plant and it not surviving. It’s also really exciting to look back at your plant pictures year over year to see how much they’ve grown!! Do some research; find out what plants would thrive in the light conditions you have in your home. Join local plant groups on Facebook – they offer tons of support on plant care, and pest control. Yes, plants can sometimes come with bugs – some harmless and some not so much #thrips. That is why you should always check a plant over really well for signs of bugs before taking it home with you, and also isolate new plants for a couple weeks before putting them in with the rest of your collection. Fertilize your plants during the growing season to give them an extra boost to produce more growth.
Before my collection started to grow I killed my fair share of plants, including several cacti that were supposed to be “easy” because they rarely needed water – but guess what, if you don’t water them at all and forget about them completely, they will quite literally shrivel up and die. They need water, just not often, and not too much. A Fiddle Leaf Fig that I got for a steal of a deal at was another casualty. She was extremely upset with me that I moved her from one side of my window to another - most dramatic plant ever. Did not forgive me when I moved her back to her original spot.
Over time, I have grown my collection up to about 60 plants. I am no beginner, but certainly would not call myself an expert yet.
That’s my plant story.
Follow me on Instagram @_plant_story_