Making Butter

We are really lucky to have Roo, our family's milk cow. Right now she gives about 4 gallons of milk a day. So, I make mozzerlla cheese, yogurt, ice cream, sour cream and butter.  I thought you might like seeing how easy it is.

This gallon of milk is from last night's milking. By morning, the cream has risen to the top of the jar. See the color change in the top 1/5 of the jar or so? That's cream. I use a ladle to skim off the cream and put it in a blender.

The remaining milk is what we pour into bottles for the table.

After blending the cream on high for anywhere from 3-7 minutes butter separates from the milk. After you strain the milk away, this is what I have to work with. 

I take this over to the sink and wash away the extra milk under cold water...working the milk out of butter clump by pressing and mushing it and folding it over itself. When no milky colored water squeezes out, it's ready to be salted and put in a bowl.

One gallon of our creamy Jersey milk yields 1/4 pound of butter.