Fresh Cultured Unsalted Butter

1h 15m

There is nothing like fresh cultured butter made with local cream. This is an unsalted version of a great recipe.

This recipe maximizes your cost by leaving you with two fresh homemade dairy products, as you can reserve the buttermilk to use in future recipes. Use this in any recipe that calls for butter, such as pastries, bread, and sauces, and be astounded by the exquisite flavor.

There is nothing like fresh cultured butter made with local cream. Chef Ona Lee has made hundreds and hundreds of pounds of butter, and through trial and error created a recipe with methods that remove busy work you won't see anywhere else.

Place the bowl of a stand mixer and all other attachments in the freezer for 15m to chill
Add 1.89 l of fresh cream to the chilled stand mixer bowl
Add ½ cup of cultured buttermilk to the bowl
Beat on the stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Start on a medium-low speed to prevent excessive splatter. Gradually increase the speed to medium as soon as the cream begins to thicken. When the cream starts to stiffen, increase the speed to medium-high
Once the cream begins to separate, turn off the mixer and switch to the paddle attachment. Continue on medium-low speed until the butter and the buttermilk are fully separated. The pieces of butter should be slightly smaller than peas
Strain the butter through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl. Skim any remaining butter curd off the top of the buttermilk with a fine mesh spider and add to the strainer again
Transfer the strained buttermilk into labeled sterilized jars. Close the lids and leave them at room temperature for 24h to culture. Refrigerate for 24h after culturing. Use it in any recipe that calls for cultured buttermilk
Place a cleaned mixer bowl and paddle attachment in the freezer for 15m to chill
Add ice and cold water to a large bowl. Dunk the strainer with the butter curd into the ice water to rinse it. Transfer the butter curd to the chilled mixer bowl
Mix on low speed with the paddle attachment for 30s to 1m to extract any remaining liquid out of the curd. Allow the butter to come together and form curds that go from large pea-sized to ping pong ball-sized. Strain the liquid
Rinse the curd in cold water. Strain the liquids and mix once again on low speed to extract more of the liquid. Repeat the process one more time. The water does not need to be completely clear, as the culture in the buttermilk will help preserve the butter
Beat the butter on medium low to form one homogeneous mass. Scrape the sides and the paddle intermittently for consistent seasoning and texture
Place the butter on a sanitized surface. Divide it into desired increments and form logs. The fresh cultured unsalted butter is ready
Use it in any recipe that calls for butter!