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Garden Green
02-10-2009, 12:30 AM
Since I'm here...

Canning Butter

Use any butter that is on sale. Lesser quality butter requires more shaking (see below), but the results are the same as with the expensive brands.

Heat pint jars in a 250 degree oven for 20 minutes, without rings or seals. One pound of butter slightly more than fills one pint jar, so if you melt 11 pounds of butter, heat 12 pint jars. A roasting pan works well for holding the pint jars while in the oven.

While the jars are heating, melt butter slowly until it comes to a slow boil. Using a large spatula, stir the bottom of the pot often to keep the butter from scorching. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes at least: a good simmer time will lessen the amount of shaking required (see below). Place the lids in a small pot and bring to a boil, leaving the lids in simmering water until needed.

Stirring the melted butter from the bottom to the top with a soup ladle or small pot with a handle, pour the melted butter carefully into heated jars through a canning jar funnel. Leave 3/4" of head space in the jar, which allows room for the shaking process.

Carefully wipe off the top of the jars, then get a hot lid from the simmering water, add the lid and ring and tighten securely. Lids will seal as they cool. Once a few lids "ping," shake while the jars are still warm, but cool enough to handle easily, because the butter will separate and become foamy on top and white on the bottom. In a few minutes, shake again, and repeat until the butter retains the same consistency throughout the jar.

At this point, while still slightly warm, put the jars into a refrigerator. While cooling and hardening, shake again, and the melted butter will then look like butter and become firm. This final shaking is very important! Check every 5 minutes and give the jars a little shake until they are hardened in the jar! Leave in the refrigerator for an hour.

Canned butter should store for 3 years or longer on a cool, dark shelf. Canned butter does not "melt" again when opened, so it does not need to be refrigerated upon opening, provided it is used within a reasonable length of time.

ecogirl
02-10-2009, 03:07 AM
You sure it can store up to 3 years and more?! What makes it store for longer time? I'm really confused at the moment:confused: Is there a difference with storing butter in a normal plastic or foil container? But why canned? I am very confused but I've gotta try it out!
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Ecogirl
www.ecogirleco.blogspot.com

plantoneonme
02-10-2009, 08:55 AM
You sure it can store up to 3 years and more?! What makes it store for longer time? I'm really confused at the moment:confused: Is there a difference with storing butter in a normal plastic or foil container? But why canned? I am very confused but I've gotta try it out!
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Ecogirl
www.ecogirleco.blogspot.com

This is a great idea and I had no idea this could be done. Ecogirl, if you had no way to freeze or refrigerate butter it would last longer this way. Kim

shebear
02-10-2009, 09:17 AM
I didn't think canning jars were supposed to be put in the oven. Can you just sterilize them in boiling water instead.

gardengirl72
02-10-2009, 09:42 AM
Sounds delicious! Infuse some herbs and man oh man! I never thought of it. I wouldn't put lids in the oven and the glass may break as well. Try it, let us know what happens.

Garden Green
02-10-2009, 07:05 PM
You sure it can store up to 3 years and more?! What makes it store for longer time? I'm really confused at the moment:confused: Is there a difference with storing butter in a normal plastic or foil container? But why canned? I am very confused but I've gotta try it out!
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Ecogirl
www.ecogirleco.blogspot.com

This is basically taking a dairy product and canning it. If stored correctly it will last longer than 3 years, however, because it is a dairy product and it is made from cream which is mostly fat, it will, even in the absence of oxygen go bad eventually, especially if exposed to heat and light. Storing butter in a plastic or foil container is fine, but usually, you'll take what you need out of your fridge and consume the butter before it gets a chance to go bad. Leaving butter out for days won't make it go rancid (unless you're in a hot humid area like Louisiana), but you wouldn't be able to leave it as such for months or years.

The canning process here basically pasteurizes the butter (yep a second time), makes it into a liquid form which is easier to work with and using the residual heat from the heating process seals the jar and makes it possible to store for a longer period. Its no different than canning anything else, it just requires a little extra step, the shaking. The butter will separate and stay that way if left to its own devices. The cool thing about this is that it also changes the butter a little, making it a bit more shelf stable after it's open. But I'd still keep my jar in the fridge. (I'm from Louisiana so we never ever ever left butter out but after I moved north I was horrified to find that people left sticks of real butter hanging out on the table. The heat and humidity just didn't make it safe where I'm from, but it wasn't a problem for cooler less humid climates so.. go with it).

Remember, this is for long term storage. If you find a good sale, keeping it in the fridge won't keep large amounts of butter safely (check out that use by date on the package). Like all things, keeping it in the freezer for long term will eventually result in useless freezer burnt icky-ness. So the natural course of action is to heat it up, kill anything that might be in it, stick it in a jar, let it seal, and put it on the shelf next to the home made grape jelly, strawberry preserves and apricot jam, no?

Garden Green
02-10-2009, 07:26 PM
I didn't think canning jars were supposed to be put in the oven. Can you just sterilize them in boiling water instead.

Sure they can be put in the oven. I wouldn't toss it into a cold water bath after I pulled them out, but they can be put in the oven. When you pressure can, the water, heat and pressure in the canner doesn't damage the jars, your oven won't either with no pressure and even less heat at 250 degrees.

If you just want to heat your jars in water and then add the butter, here is what is going to happen. Butter is a solid form of water and fat. Too much water and it won't set, too much fat and it won't set. The jars need to be dry. Heating them in water will leave water in the jar which could change that water to fat balance resulting in unset butter which is just a waste.

If you take the time to get the water out, then you run the risk of contaminating the jar with whatever it is you're cleaning the jar out with. Not to mention burning the crap our of yourself. If you let it cool, then you're running the risk of the top not popping, which is defeating the purpose, you'd have to keep it in the fridge because the jar never set.

The oven is a safer bet.

ecogirl
02-11-2009, 02:54 AM
This is basically taking a dairy product and canning it. If stored correctly it will last longer than 3 years, however, because it is a dairy product...

Thanks garden green, I totally understand now!!!!
_________________
Ecogirl
www.ecogirleco.blogspot.com

PennyG
02-14-2009, 10:46 AM
Me either, i had no idea that it could be done, thanks for all the info.

GoldenAcres
07-06-2009, 07:17 PM
I am definitely going to try this, thank you for sharing.:)

Cynthia
07-12-2009, 08:46 PM
I think this is interesting. I've made Ghee lots of times - which removes the milk solids and the remaining butter - called ghee - keeps for a long, long time.