PROJECT 17

MASON JAR BUTTER

For most of us, making your own butter is not really that efficient, but it is a neat project that introduces kids to the type of work that our forefathers used to do.

This project is one that I have done at several schools to introduce children to homesteading concepts.

I find that kids really enjoy making their own butter, and using a blender makes this project much easier than shaking the jar until butter is formed.

The Ingredients

Ingredients

•   1 pint heavy whipping cream, very cold

•   Pinch of salt, optional

Tools:

•   Mason Jar

•   Blender

•   Spoon

•   Bowl

•   Strainer

Procedure

1.     Cool the jar by refrigerating the empty jar for at least 1 hour.

2.     Fill the jar halfway with the cream.

3.     Screw the blender top onto the top of the mason jar and pulse until butter forms. (Alternatively you can shake the jar violently for 15 to 20 minutes.)

4.     Pour into a strainer set over a bowl. The chunks in the strainer are butter, and the liquid in the bowl is buttermilk.

5.     Turn the butter into a clean bowl and cover with very cold water.

Pour into strainer

6.     Pour into a strainer, discarding the liquid.

7.     Continue rinsing the butter with very cold water until the water runs clear. (The cloudy water is buttermilk which will make the butter turn sour.)

8.     When the water is clear, knead the butter using a wooden spoon to press out any remaining water or milk.

9.     Discard this liquid.

10.   If desired, add salt to the butter. (Salted butter will keep longer.)

11.   Transfer the butter to a clean container for keeping, pressing with a wooden spoon or spatula to dispel any air bubbles. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Lessons Learned:

This experiment allows kids to see scientific magic unfold before their eyes. Heavy cream is what is called an “emulsion.” An emulsion exists when tiny droplets of one type of liquid are floating around in another type of liquid that does not like to mix with the first. In the case of heavy cream, tiny globules of fat are suspended in mostly water. By blending the heavy cream, you are forcing the fat globules to slam into one another. If they hit each other with enough force, they will stick together, and the fat collection will become larger and large with each extra globule. After enough blending, the fat globules form a chunk of butter.