How to Make Butter from Raw Milk

The first time I tried it, I couldn’t believe how easy it was to make butter from raw milk.  And how delicious!  Freshly made butter tastes amazing, especially on freshly baked einkorn sourdough bread.  Yum.

Here’s a quick Instagram video I made to show the entire process of making butter from raw milk.

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How to Make Butter from Raw Milk

From one gallon raw milk, expect to get roughly 1/3 to 1/2 pound butter.

What you’ll need:

• Raw milk, with cream at the top
• Food processor – I use this one*
• Unrefined sea salt, finely ground
• Optional: turkey baster
• Fine mesh strainer

*Find out more about this particular processor, plus all my favorite kitchen tools and appliances in the Real Food Family Meal Plan bonus videos.

Watch me make butter from start to finish in this quick video.  Can’t see the video?  Click here to watch.

Instructions:

The steps are super-simple.  First of all, your jar(s) of raw milk should sit in the fridge for at least 24 hours to allow the cream to rise to the top. 

1. Next, you’ll use the turkey baster (or a ladle) to transfer the cream from the top of the milk to a food processor.
2. Then you’ll turn on the processor and process the cream until the solids (butter) separate from the liquid (buttermilk).
3. Strain the butter with a fine mesh strainer, saving the buttermilk.
4. Rinse the butter in ice cold water, pressing to remove all liquids.
5. Transfer butter to a dish or cutting board and mix in salt.
6. Store and enjoy!

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Tips:

• Cream: Whether you use a ladle or a turkey baster to remove the cream from the milk, keep an eye on your placement.  If you’re not careful, it’s very easy to accidentally take up lots of milk instead of cream.  
• Cold water: If your tap water gets very cold, you can rinse your butter in the sink.  Otherwise, fill a large bowl with ice water.  Make sure the bowl is big enough to accommodate your fine mesh strainer.
• Pressing: Use the back of a large metal spoon to press the remaining buttermilk from the butter.  The more liquid you squeeze out, the longer your butter will stay fresh.
• Salt: Salt to taste.  Did you know there’s no real guide to the amount of salt in purchased salted butter?  Each brand decides how much to add.  When you make your own butter, you get to decide how much to add!  
• Buttermilk: Save the buttermilk and use it to make pancakes.

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How to Make Butter from Raw Milk

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• Author: Kathleen | Roots & Boots

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Description

Fresh, creamy butter made from raw milk.  A food processor makes the process super simple!

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Ingredients

• Raw milk, with cream risen to the top
• Unrefined sea salt

Tools

• Food processor – I use this one*
• Fine mesh strainer
• Optional: turkey baster

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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Instructions

1. First of all, your jars of raw milk need to sit in the fridge for at least 24 hours to allow the cream to rise to the top.
2. Use the turkey baster (or a ladle) to transfer the cream from the top of the milk to a food processor.
3. Turn on the processor and process the cream until the solids (butter) separate from the liquid (buttermilk).
4. Strain the butter with a fine mesh strainer, saving the buttermilk.
5. Rinse the butter in ice cold water, pressing to remove all liquids.
6. Transfer butter to a dish or cutting board and mix in salt (to taste), if desired.
7. Store and enjoy!

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Notes

1. Click here to shop my favorite kitchen tools and real food ingredients.
2. Click here to save 15% off my favorite, healthy brand of salt.  Use code KEEPITREAL.

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