Making real, natural butter in the comfort of your own home is easy

(NaturalNews) While most people don't realize how simple it is to make fresh homemade organic butter, others will happily think back to their childhood when reading this article.

In the past, butter-making, or churning, was something fun to do with the kids. However, over the years, real butter, together with coconut oil, were blamed as a main cause of the increased rates of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity, and were, sadly, pushed aside for hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Now that we finally realize that it's not the saturated fats that are causing us to be sick or overweight, many people are welcoming butter back into their homes.

When butter is made from organic cream from 100 percent grass-fed or pasture-raised cows, it will add a rich flavor to your dishes and tons of benefits, which you can find here: NaturalNews.com.

How butter is made

Making your own butter couldn't be any easier. It is made through shaking or mixing/blending organic cream of a high fat percentage, at least 35 percent, until it separates into buttermilk and butter. To give you an idea, 1 cup of cream will yield about ¹/₂ cup of butter.

As the cream is the only ingredient, make sure to use good quality, organic cream; it will make a huge difference flavor- and health-wise. Avoid ultra-pasteurized cream, since the process destroys much of the cream's flavor.

Culturing the cream

Culturing the cream before turning it into butter is an easy way to add more flavor and keep it from spoiling. You could buy butter cultures from cheesemakers or simply use cultured yogurt.

Shake it

Pour cream half-way into a Mason jar or any other container with a lid. Close and start shaking from lid to bottom. You can add a marble to speed up the process, but be careful to not break the jar.

The mixture will first turn into whipped cream. If you keep shaking, after a few minutes the buttermilk will separate from the butter. So natural butter is actually nothing more than over-whipped cream.

Mix it

While the whole shaking process can be something fun to do with your kids, if they are not around, you can use a mixer or blender to make things easier. Stop mixing or blending when the buttermilk separates from the butter and sloshes around the bowl or jar.

Wash it

Take out the buttery part and place it in a metal, pre-cooled bowl with a bit of ice or icy cold water to wash away the last buttermilk. This will prevent the fat from melting as well. Keep kneading the butter to force out as much buttermilk as possible.

Drain cloudy water and add new water. Keep repeating this process until the water stays clear. Then press all the water out, using a cheesecloth if needed.

Sometimes, the butter will liquefy due to the warmth of your hands. When this happens, place the mixture in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes.

Washing is important to remove all the buttermilk so that it will last longer.

Add flavor

Natural butter has a sweet flavor. Most people add a little salt to give it a savory twist. But when making your own butter, think further then salt alone. Add fresh herbs, spices and other flavorful natural ingredients -- such as lemon zest, chopped dried fruits, edible flowers and crushed nuts -- to create your own sweet or savory flavor.

Store

Natural homemade butter can be stored in a container with a lid or wrapped in parchment or wax paper. It lasts for about a week in the fridge and up to six months in the freezer. A little bit of water could still come out of the butter for the first few days, but that's fine. Just remove the water from the container.

And that is how simple it is to make your own natural butter at home.

Sources:

http://graywolfsurvival.com

http://www.organicgardening.com

http://www.thekitchn.com