Have you ever canned butter? There are a couple of ways you can do it and I will touch on them here.
You can first melt the butter in a pot. (If you want to make "Clarified Butter", keep skimming the foam off the top, you are removing the fat content)
You can melt the butter right in the jars, either in the oven or in a shallow pan on the stove. I prefer in the pan on the stove.
You can even process your butter in the oven, but I prefer a boiling water bath.
So, the method I like the best is pretty easy. I sterilize my jars and lids. I prefer to use half pints, but use whatever size suits your needs. I don't have a large family so pints would be too much at one time for me. Cut your butter into cubes and place in the jars. Set the jars in a shallow pan of water on the stove and turn the heat on low. Be very careful not to get any water into the jars. Let the butter melt slowly, as it melts add more butter until your jars are full, leaving 1/2" of headspace. While you are melting the butter, also be heating your boiling water bath canner. You will need enough water to cover all your jars.
Carefully remove your jars of melted butter from the pan, wipe the rims and place your lids and bands on. Add them to the pre-heated boiling water bath. Once the water is up to a full boil start your timing. Process 1/2 pints and pints for 30 minutes and quarts for 45 mins.
Remove from the canner and set in a draft free place to cool. You will want to gently shake the jars in a rocking motion to mix the fats back into the butter as they do separate a bit during the melting and canning, about every 5 to 10 minutes until they are cool. Once cool they will not separate again.
Once completely cool, check them for a good seal and store them in a cool dark environment.
You can also can them in a pressure canner. 1/2 pints and pints for 5 minutes at 10 lbs of pressure under 1000' elevation and 15 lbs over 1000', quarts for 10 mins, same pressure lbs.
I have never tried the oven method so I am not going to give you directions for that here as I really don't know the timing on them. But I do know others have done it quite successfully.
If you found this post interesting and informative, please up-vote and re-steem. As always, if you have any questions please feel free to ask and I will do the best I can to answer. :-) Thanks for taking the time to read my blog!! I would love to hear your comments on canning butter. Have an awesome day!!
That's really neat, I never thought to can butter. I'm surprised that a water bath is sufficient, I figured dairy would always be pressure canned. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks @flusterfarm!! I thought that too until I came across a canning book that said either way would work and I tried it. It works fine!! Truthfully, I was surprised. But then again, what did our ancestors do before pressure canners?
that's cool & very true! I'll definitely have to try it. I've been wanting to put up things like milk & butter to have on hand for emergencies.
How about cheese? Tomorrow afternoon I am going to write about canning cheese. I need to switch my schedule around a bit and start writing a little later in the day. Hope you have a good day @flusterfarm
This is on my list to do and your method doesn't seem so difficult. Thank you for sharing this. I have my 1/2 pint jars I just need to get the butter 🙂
I find in my neck of the woods in Central Illinois, butter is cheapest in the fall when the baking season starts in earnest. Most stores use it as a leader to get people in to stock up on baking goods. I buy it by the case and freeze it until I have time to can up what I want to put back in reserve for emergencies. Glad you stopped by!! Have a great day @mylilhomestead!!
Fall is when I usually stock up on butter, flour, sugar, etc. it's super cheap here in the south. Usually $10 for 10 and you can mix and match 👍🏻 Keep up the great blogs 🤗
Thanks @mylilhomestead!! I wish we got butter that cheap here, but it is considerably less expensive in the fall along with other baking supplies.
Am I right in noticing that you are using store bought butter?
I am guessing that it should be real butter and not margarine and probably the salted type?
Yes @deanlogic it is store bought butter. It does not have to be salted. I think I have used whatever I had on hand at the time. I have never tried margarine because frankly, I do not like the stuff, LOL.