Making Cultured Butter at Home
This is the process of coaxing cream into a state of cultured richness. It requires patience as the bacteria work to break down sugars, but the result is a spread with a distinct, complex profile that transforms everything it touches.
Temperature is your primary tool
The bacteria need warmth to ferment, but the cream needs cold to separate. Keep your workspace orderly and your thermometer ready.
- glass jar with lid
- digital thermometer
- stand mixer or food processor
- cheesecloth or butter muslin
- fine mesh sieve
What goes in.
- 1 quartheavy cream, preferably non-homogenized
- 2 tbspcultured buttermilk or creme fraiche
- 1 tspkosher salt (optional)
Mastering the Culturing Phase
The cream must stay between 70°F and 75°F for 24 hours. If it goes higher, you risk spoilage; if lower, the culture will not activate.
The method.
Inoculate the cream
Whisk the buttermilk or creme fraiche into the cold cream inside a clean glass jar.
Incubate
Cover the jar with cheesecloth and place it in a draft-free spot at room temperature for 24 hours. The cream will thicken and take on a subtle, sharp aroma.
Chill
Move the jar to the refrigerator for 2 hours. Chilled fat separates more reliably than room-temperature fat.
Churn
Pour the thickened cream into your mixer. Beat on medium-high speed. The cream will pass through a whipped stage, then break, with yellow butter solids separating from the thin buttermilk.
Drain and wash
Strain the buttermilk (save it for baking). Rinse the butter solids under ice-cold running water, kneading with a spatula, until the water runs clear. This removes remaining buttermilk which causes spoilage.
Shape
Work the salt into the butter if using. Press into a mold or shape into a log using parchment paper.
Other turns to take.
European Style
Increase the incubation time to 36 hours for a significantly sharper, more pungent finish.
Herbed Butter
Fold in minced chives or parsley during the final kneading stage.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use high-fat, high-quality cream for the highest yield.
Do not discard the liquid left over; this is real cultured buttermilk, perfect for pancakes or biscuits.
If the butter isn't coming together in the mixer, add a tablespoon of ice water to shock the fat.
The ones that keep coming up.
How long will this last?
Keep it refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Can I use ultra-pasteurized cream?
You can, but the culture will take longer to act, and the flavor profile is often less nuanced than with standard pasteurized cream.
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