A historical dairy/condiment from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). The churn, dasher, tray and ladle should be well scalded before using, so that the butter will not stick to them, and then cooled with very cold water. When you skim cream into your cream jar, stir it well into what is already there, so that it may all sour alike; and no fresh cream should be put with it within twelve hours before churning, or the butter will not come quickly; and perhaps, not at all.
✨ Vintage Recipe
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Original Historical Recipe
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
Original Ingredients
thick cream
ice or spring water for cooling
cold water
salt (a tablespoonful to a pound)
Original Instructions
1
Thoroughly scald the churn, then cool well with ice or spring water
2
Pour in the thick cream; churn fast at first, then, as the butter forms, more slowly; always with perfect regularity
3
Community Notes
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In warm weather, pour a little cold water into the churn, should the butter form slowly; in the winter, if the cream is too cold, add a little warm water to bring it to the proper temperature
4
When the butter has 'come,' rinse the sides of the churn down with cold water and take the butter up with a perforated dasher or a wooden ladle, turning it dexterously just below the surface of the buttermilk to catch every stray bit
5
Have ready some very cold water in a deep wooden tray; and into this plunge the dasher when you draw it from the churn; the butter will float off, leaving the dasher free
6
When you have collected all the butter, gather behind a wooden butter ladle and drain off the water, squeezing and pressing the butter with the ladle
7
Pour on more cold water and work the butter with the ladle to get the milk out, drain off the water
8
Sprinkle salt over the butter—a tablespoonful to a pound; work it in a little and set in a cool place for an hour to harden
9
Then work and knead it until not another drop of water exudes, and the butter is perfectly smooth, and close in texture and polish
10
With the ladle make up into rolls, little balls, stamped pats, etc.
Chef Cecil's Modern Tips Below
Chef Cecil's Modern Tips
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
Churning physically agitates cream's fat globules, breaking their protective membranes and allowing the fat to coagulate into butter while separating from the liquid buttermilk. Temperature control (50-60°F is ideal) is critical: cream that's too warm produces soft, greasy butter; too cold prevents fat globules from colliding and coalescing. Repeated washing and working removes residual buttermilk, which contains milk solids that would otherwise cause rancidity, while salt acts as a preservative by drawing out remaining moisture and inhibiting bacterial growth.
Make Ahead
Cream can be collected and cultured over several days, stirring each addition thoroughly into the existing cream. Once butter is made and fully worked, it can be shaped and refrigerated immediately. For longer storage, unsalted butter freezes well for up to 6 months when wrapped tightly in parchment and placed in an airtight container.
Storage
Store finished butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks for salted butter, or up to 1 week for unsalted. The thorough removal of buttermilk is essential for shelf life—any remaining milk solids will cause off-flavors. For longer storage, wrap tightly in parchment paper, then in plastic wrap or foil, and freeze for up to 6 months.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
Make Ahead
Cream can be collected and cultured over several days, stirring each addition thoroughly into the existing cream. Once butter is made and fully worked, it can be shaped and refrigerated immediately. For longer storage, unsalted butter freezes well for up to 6 months when wrapped tightly in parchment and placed in an airtight container.
Storage
Store finished butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks for salted butter, or up to 1 week for unsalted. The thorough removal of buttermilk is essential for shelf life—any remaining milk solids will cause off-flavors. For longer storage, wrap tightly in parchment paper, then in plastic wrap or foil, and freeze for up to 6 months.
