We both share a passion for making our own and tips flew back and forth rapidly. She showed me her fermented chillies and pear vinegar that she was working on. I shared how I blended my own spreadable butter. She was intrigued and so I thought - perhaps people don't know this is a thing you can do, so I thought I'd share (please ignore if you are already enlightened).
When I decided to switch to butter from margarine the key thing I was going for was flavour. As I've made more and more myself and drastically reduced our use of commercially made products I started to taste an artificial element in the margarine. I think I was just getting more sensitive to any non-food things in my food. So, I decided to make the switch. However, when I looked at the spreadable butter options available I couldn't find one that didn't have a list of additives and bits and pieces. So, I decided to mix my own.
It's a ridiculously simple process and has many benefits in regards to my food values:
- basic ingredients - cream, water & salt in the butter plus canola oil added in
- adjustable ingredients - I can change the oil as I like and if I needed to I could cut down on the salt by using all or a mix of unsalted butter (not a concern for us but I like the flexibility)
- less packaging waste - I reuse my container so a significant cut down on the plastic tubs
It's a very simple process if you want to make your own. Bring your butter to room temperature overnight (or over the day in the colds of a Canberra autumn!). Place in a bowl with vegetable oil of your choice. I like to use a flavourless oil like canola but the beauty is you can choose. I opt for a ration of 2/3 butter to 1/3 oil but many instructions I found in my research went as high as 50:50 - find the mix that works for you. Blend with a stick blender until it's fully combined. Scrape into a suitable container and store in the fridge. Enjoy thickly spread on hot toasted sourdough bread - delicious.
Initially it'll look a little weird but keep blending and you'll get the consistency in the 1st pic.
All mixed up and ready to go.
Now I just need to keep my eye out for a cool vintage butter dish in the op shops.
Is it butter or margarine at your place?
Anyone know of a butter available in Australia that comes in a compost friendly wrapper?
I have noticed that the no frills type like Black and Gold etc have paper wrappers.
ReplyDeleteYou can easily make your own butter , look out for reduced price quick sale pure cream and buy it all, if you don't need it right away just freeze it. No need to add salt if you don't want it.
ReplyDeleteI definitely must give this a go. My reduced price cream usually ends up as ice-cream but I'm sure I could direct some to butter making. This would allow me to have a play with cultured butter too. Thanks for the inspiration.
DeleteCheers,
Laura
Much more convenient to have spreadable butter. Who is organized enough to remember to take the butter out of the fridge in time? Not me. I make our butter from scratch (we have a cow) and sometimes add organic olive oil to make it spreadable. We live near canola crops and because of the dubious spraying and farming methods (unless organic) we never touch anything with canola oil in it.
ReplyDeleteI think you could leave it on the bench overnight here in Canberra during these cold months and it'd still be solid!
DeleteI'd love to taste butter made from scratch Sally...although it might spoil me for good so I best not until I have a cow to milk for my ongoing supply I suppose!
Cheers,
Laura
Just think of all those plastic tubs of butter you are not needing buy making your own! We just put our pats of butter and wait for them to soften ... which takes ages during Winter! Like this idea very much. Meg:)
ReplyDeleteYes, the saving of the containers is a big plus. Let us know if you give it a go Meg.
DeleteIt's butter for us! It really is so easy and delicious to make it, isn't it? We've had friends completely in awe when we serve them homemade bread AND homemade butter. So funny.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting when you get so used to making your own and it just becomes 'normal'. It can catch you by surprise a bit when other people are awed by your efforts.
Delete