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Jersey James

176 Posts
James
Central FL
United States

Posted - Dec 10 2014 :  07:32:17 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Howdy All!

We make gingerbread houses every year around this time. Every year past we've used organic store butter. This year we are using our butter. There is a big difference. Ines read a while back that store butter is mostly water and that's why it melts and spreads easily. Ours needs heat to melt.

Does anyone have any suggestions about how to adapt recipes to our "real" butter?

How many cows is enough?

Ashley

167 Posts


Posted - Dec 10 2014 :  2:13:37 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I'm not sure if this is at all helpful, but...
I've also read that store butter is allowed a certain percentage of water by weight, so that would explain why it is a easier to spread. I've used homemade and store butter interchangeably in recipes. Homemade butter does tend to be a little more dense, but I haven't noticed a big difference in how it works in baked goods. I do know that when you make butter, if you "knead" it well, it will have a creamier texture (Just don't overwork it, or it can melt).

Ashley (MaryJane's DIL)
MaryJanesFarm Food Guru
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Jersey James

176 Posts
James
Central FL
United States

Posted - Dec 10 2014 :  4:19:35 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thanks Ashley! Maybe we need to knead...more. =)

How many cows is enough?
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Ron

4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever SD
USA

Posted - Dec 10 2014 :  6:52:05 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Is that like being on a knead to no basis. If you don't knead it no work out? ( sick joke drum noise ) bababoom

With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo.
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farmgirlval

19 Posts


Posted - Jul 07 2015 :  8:06:57 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
In the past few months I have purchased raw milk from a farmer not too far from me. I have been experimenting with making butter, cream cheese and sour cream. I LOVE MaryJane's recipes in Milk Cow Kitchen. So far they have turned out excellent every time!

My question about butter is: the butter is so soft when I think it is done mixing. Is it supposed to be harder? When I rinse it, it tends to shrink down a lot. Should I keep mixing it for a few minutes longer?

Valerie
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Ashley

167 Posts


Posted - Jul 07 2015 :  9:50:17 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hi Valerie,
Before you drain off the whey, are there yellow particles floating in the whey? Does the butter firm up at all when you run the cold water through it?

Ashley (MaryJane's DIL)
MaryJanesFarm Food Guru
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txbikergirl

3197 Posts


Posted - Jul 08 2015 :  08:43:31 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Valerie, i put mine in a bowl of ice water right away to firm up. Even before i rinse at times, as part of the rinsing process. I find having a collander that fits inside the ice bath bowl works best so you can submerge butter pieces without losing them in the bath... you can take in and out, and change out water if need be.

Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy")
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Jul 08 2015 :  11:47:10 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thanks for the tip, Cindy. I will be looking back at these notes when I start making butter this fall.

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Sep 03 2015 :  11:02:04 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I just reviewed these tips as I am now officially making butter for my family! Hurray!

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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GingerBKelly

274 Posts


Posted - Sep 03 2015 :  6:25:12 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I "knead" to make butter and try this. (drum roll, once again)

~Ginger Kelly, Kelly Homestead Apiary, Charlton, MA~

gingerbkelly@gmail.com
When a cow laughs, does milk come out her nose? ~Author Unknown


Check us out on FB: https://www.facebook.com/KellyHomesteadApiary/
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txbikergirl

3197 Posts


Posted - Sep 04 2015 :  3:14:44 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
i also found out in my cheese making class that no one else rinses their butter as much as i do ;> they all stop butter agitation when it is small little balls, and then just rinse a few times and they are done. i was making the butter until it really came together as a mass and then rinsing and rinsing and rinsing.

lover boy was always sensitive to it turning with a "taste" at a week or so, so i didn't this to counteract it. will comment when i have my own fresh milk to see how it all works out then.

Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy")
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Sep 04 2015 :  3:21:57 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I think I'm rinsing my butter quite a bit, too, Cindy. I think it would be fun to take an actual cheese making class ... see everything in person, although, not sure when I'd have the time. Good for you, Cindy, for doing it before getting your cow family!

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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GingerBKelly

274 Posts


Posted - Sep 14 2015 :  07:40:49 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I just found out that if you combine room-temperature fresh churned butter with a little oil, (pick a healthy oil of choice, like grape seed oil or avocado oil), the butter will become more "spreadable" right out of the refrigerator. If you want a more Italian or different flavor, try olive oil.

Has anyone ever tried this idea and how does it turn out in baking?

~Ginger Kelly, Kelly Homestead Apiary, Charlton, MA~

gingerbkelly@gmail.com
When a cow laughs, does milk come out her nose? ~Author Unknown


Check us out on FB: https://www.facebook.com/KellyHomesteadApiary/
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Sep 14 2015 :  10:00:30 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Years ago, before I ever thought about milking, I used to mix Safflower oil and butter together so that it would be spreadable, now I just use butter. Didn't bake with the combination mix so can't help you there Ginger.

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown
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GingerBKelly

274 Posts


Posted - Sep 14 2015 :  10:03:03 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
How much oil to butter, did you use, to make it spreadable Janet? We just started making butter, quite honestly, only yesterday.

~Ginger Kelly, Kelly Homestead Apiary, Charlton, MA~

gingerbkelly@gmail.com
When a cow laughs, does milk come out her nose? ~Author Unknown


Check us out on FB: https://www.facebook.com/KellyHomesteadApiary/
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txbikergirl

3197 Posts


Posted - Sep 14 2015 :  6:09:15 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
i used to do this before i became a farmgirl. i would buy butter in bulk, sit a cube out on the counter and then mix it in with my kitchen aid with olive oil or safflower oil or whatever i wanted. but i never used it for baking.

now, honestly, this repulses me ;> i am 100% back to natural ingredients, and butter or lard or pork fat rule our world. if i want spreadable butter, i take it out of the refrig before i start cooking the meal. cut off little butter pats with a steak knife and you have nice soft butter when you sit down.

and the flavor is out of this world for 100% butter, so just couldn't eat it now with any other oil.

want spreadable butter? get a butter bell and leave it on the counter and as long as you replenish water every day you'll have soft spreadable butter forever...

Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy")
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Sep 14 2015 :  7:30:11 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I truly don't remember the amount of oil to butter, it's been so many years ago. And I have no desire to do it anymore so I would just follow Cindy's advice and take the butter out of fridge so it can warm up to be spreadable. Sorry my memory isn't any better than this Ginger.

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Dec 31 2015 :  10:18:56 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I've been just leaving a small amount of butter out that will be used during that day ... always soft for the kids to use but not left out so long that it could spoil. No oils added here and working just fine.

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Dec 31 2015 :  10:52:13 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I also use one of the ceramic bowls that you put butter in, invert it, into the cool water, and it keeps the butter cool, spreadable and fresh, and I leave it on the counter.

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Dec 31 2015 :  11:52:13 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I found this at Lehman's Charlene. Don't know if it would be something you would be interested in or not, but will post it here just the same. https://www.lehmans.com/p-8384-butter-mill.aspx

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown

Edited by - NellieBelle on Dec 31 2015 12:12:10 PM
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Dec 31 2015 :  11:57:06 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
My kids just let me know we actually have one of those butter bells!

But thanks for finding this butter grater ... I enjoy seeing what you can find at Lehmans.

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens

Edited by - CloversMum on Dec 31 2015 2:29:30 PM
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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Dec 31 2015 :  5:43:01 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Never heard of a butter mill. I wonder if it would work on frozen butter?

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Dec 31 2015 :  5:50:16 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
If not, I wonder if a meat grinder would do the trick?

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown
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txbikergirl

3197 Posts


Posted - Dec 31 2015 :  7:07:05 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
kitchenaid!

Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy")
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Dec 31 2015 :  7:28:55 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
The description on the Lehman's website said that it would work well with frozen butter.

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Jan 03 2016 :  06:26:33 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Butter shavings anyone? I'm going to try it for spreadable butter. It wouldn't work too great for measuring to bake though I wouldn't think.

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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