Grow Your Own Magazine

I know this is not really a veg question, but hopefully fits in enough with the grow your own ethos to be allowed!
I have just discovered how to make butter and am a bit mortified at how ignorant I am and how easy it is I would love to add it to my routine and want to source a small blow churn...ideally not a rusty antique one. Anyone know a supplier of unfashionable kitchen equipment?

Try

Wooden Butter Churn - Shop - Solid Oak Wine Barrels - Woodbarrels

__________________
I am certain that the day my boat comes in, I'll be at the airport.

hmmm interesting. It looks quite big though. I hadn't thought about a wooden one... The one i had seen was a glass jar with a paddle in it and a handle on the top?

try this maybe ?

The Cottage Smallholder Guest spot: How to make your own homemade butter by The Mildred Mittens Manufactory

ok after googling all about this, I couldn't resist, the kids are out tonight, so I have popped down and got the ingredients, and am going to give the simplest ( food processor) option a go. will report back later with results, or lack of them

__________________
'Lets just stick it in, and see what happens?'
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ogs/bridexiii/

My bread machine has a programme to make butter. I make the butter and put it to chill (when I have been able to buy cheap double cream) then make the bread and enjoy the two together

__________________
Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

Wow! I really didn't know it was so easy to make butter, think I'll have a go myself, and I love soda bread so I guess the butter milk will come in handy!

__________________
Imagination is everything, it is a preview of what is to become.

Well I said i would report back, so here it is , sooner than expected. I was going to do this later, but my youngest wanted to help, so he got to wash up

As experiments go, this was deceptively easy and superfast.

utensils used were:
one food mixer ordinary whisk attatchments.
two wooden spatulas.
glass cutting board
kitchen roll
greasproof paper.

ingredients:
2x 287 ml cartons double cream @95p each
for comparison
2x 287 ml cartons of whipping cream @ 75p each
(there turned out to be no difference in time, texture or taste)

30 minutes later, I had 2 slabs of butter weighing 250g each
450 ml of buttermilk for scones and bread tomorrow.

pour two cartons of cream in food mixer, turn on to nearly highest speed and wait, when it gets realy thick, turn it down to low speed and wait to get splattered with buttermilk.
Drain off the buttermilk, turn on again for a few seconds to get some more out, drain again then turn out into a large bowl of cold water, knead slowly till water goes cloudy, drain and refill with fresh and knead again, repeat as often as necessary till water stay nearly clear.
turn out onto cutting board, press flat, sprinkle with salt to taste ( i used very tiny amount cos i like unsalted), knead it in carefully and quickly cos we don't want it to get too warm or squishy. then use wooden spatulas to bat into shape removing as much water as possible, wipe excess up as you go with kitchen towel, and viola! wrap in greasproof paper and pop in fridge.

I doubt it will last in our house long enough to go rancid, which it will if you don't remove all the buttermilk, but we shall see how it goes.
May not be cost effective unless you can get cheap cream, but it was fun, and is delicious, and you can flavour it at the kneading stage with all sorts.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
'Lets just stick it in, and see what happens?'
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ogs/bridexiii/

cool, that looks really good BrideXIII i'm gonna have a go tomorrow

well if you do, don't do what i did afterwards, google homemade cheese
I am now hooked on yet another experiment and have to make cottage cheese this weekend or die!

just think of it, homemade bread, homemade butter, homemade cottage cheese mixed with oven dried tomatoes in olive oil!!!

this site will be the death of me, i will however die FULL and happy

__________________
'Lets just stick it in, and see what happens?'
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ogs/bridexiii/

Hee hee... it's a wet cold and rainy day here in Sheff, and I sooo know how my day (and tummy) are going to be filled now! I love playing in the kichen all day!

thanks for the tips guys!

p.s. my Godparents are dairy farmers in Wales and they produce the most amazing butter and cheese. Cannot believe that I never thought of asking them about this before!

mmmmm hot toast and butter crumpet and butter

__________________
Some things in their natural state have the most VIVID colors
Dobby

How easy was that I used the cheapest whipping cream in the shop! now have a lump of butter and some buttermilk to make scones tomorrow worked out cheaper than buying the butter and buttermilk separate too

deliciously childish fun ain't it ?

__________________
'Lets just stick it in, and see what happens?'
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ogs/bridexiii/

Yep, I love it

lol, you up for doing cottage cheese next?

i'll try it at the weekend and post the recipe after, if you fancy giving it a go?

__________________
'Lets just stick it in, and see what happens?'
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ogs/bridexiii/

Too right can you add garlic and chives and stuff?

definately, thing is this is an 'eat now' cheese, so you make it and eat it, add what you like etc, none of this pressing and storing etc
it's basically skimmed milk, cream, and vinegar or lemon juice.
shop milk is hemogenised, which beggers up the cream particles , so you start without, add it back in, acidise it and bobs your aunty, i need to get the muslin tho.
google it, and then discard all the ones that have more than five steps, i am definately going to give it a go. the beauty of the cottage cheese is there is no rennet, nothing you can't get in the local shop, easy to try, then if you get hooked you can go further.... or not and still tell people you can make your own cheese.

and frankly although my kids hate it, i LOVE cottage cheese.

__________________
'Lets just stick it in, and see what happens?'
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ogs/bridexiii/

My Mum made a creamy spreadable cheese (not 'cottage' cheese, that's the lumpy one, this was closer to ''Pilladelphia" type, but a bit more cheesy flavour) any time the milk sat on the doorstep too long and went sour. Just let it go sour enough to 'separate' (24 hours in a warmish kitchen, from when it first starts to taste sour), then drain through a 'muslin' cloth (Mum usually used an old cotton pillowcase). Add some salt (so it will keep a few days) and whatever flavourings you like.

__________________
Flowers come in too many colours to see the world in black-and-white.

Has anyone ever made paneer cheese? Sounds like a similar process and I love a nice paneer curry!

ooh that sounds interesting, might try that one as well

__________________
'Lets just stick it in, and see what happens?'
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ogs/bridexiii/

Well well well ...

My flippin' computer went bang last week, so I've been twitchy as hell - no emails, no GYO forum, no ebay... Thanks to my Mr. Fixit brother-in-law it's all working again now though (finally - seems like a month) and the first thing I find on here that everyone is making Butter - how wonderful, might even give it a go, except the sun is out for the first time in a week, so I really should be outside catching up.
May have a go at the end of the week though, hope everyone else has success with it, please keep us all posted.

G4

__________________
Glutton

ONE LIFE. LIVE IT!

It's better to remain silent and be considered a fool, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt!

I'm NORMAL - it's the rest of the world that's out of STEP!

I just made scones with the buttermilk left over from the butter making, and although i have made them many a time before, never with buttermilk.
They are without a doubt the lightest fluffiest bestest scones I have ever made and with the homemade butter and strawberry jam ( sadly shop bought) I am now stuffed to busting.

__________________
'Lets just stick it in, and see what happens?'
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ogs/bridexiii/

Right folks - its all round to Bride's for tea - yeah?!