Making butter at home is enjoying renewed popularity as shoppers look for budget-friendly, minimally processed food options.
The method is remarkably straightforward: heavy double cream is whipped until the fat separates from the buttermilk, the solids are drained or squeezed and a final rinse yields fresh butter.
A pinch of sea salt can be added for a salted version, but otherwise the ingredient list is just one item—cream—making for a product free from stabilisers and additives found in some commercial spreads.
In practical tests, a standard pot of double cream produced nearly the same quantity of butter typically sold under premium brands at a fraction of the price, which appeals to households feeling the squeeze from higher food costs.
Texture and flavour are other benefits: homemade butter can be richer, creamier and fresher tasting than supermarket alternatives, and it can be customised by altering the salt level or adding herbs or citrus zest for compound butters.
The process is also forgiving, suitable for kitchen novices: a stand mixer, hand blender or even vigorous shaking in a sealed jar can achieve the separation, though mechanical mixers reduce effort and time.
Waste-wise, the leftover buttermilk has culinary uses in baking, pancakes or marinades, so nothing need go to waste.
Food safety notes: home butter should be stored refrigerated and used within a reasonable timeframe; clean utensils and jars reduce contamination risk.
While making butter at home won’t replace everyone’s shopping habits, the simplicity, cost savings and gourmet-tasting results explain why more people are giving it a try.
For households curious about reducing processed food intake or cutting grocery bills, homemade butter is an easy, rewarding place to start.
The method is remarkably straightforward: heavy double cream is whipped until the fat separates from the buttermilk, the solids are drained or squeezed and a final rinse yields fresh butter.
A pinch of sea salt can be added for a salted version, but otherwise the ingredient list is just one item—cream—making for a product free from stabilisers and additives found in some commercial spreads.
In practical tests, a standard pot of double cream produced nearly the same quantity of butter typically sold under premium brands at a fraction of the price, which appeals to households feeling the squeeze from higher food costs.
Texture and flavour are other benefits: homemade butter can be richer, creamier and fresher tasting than supermarket alternatives, and it can be customised by altering the salt level or adding herbs or citrus zest for compound butters.
The process is also forgiving, suitable for kitchen novices: a stand mixer, hand blender or even vigorous shaking in a sealed jar can achieve the separation, though mechanical mixers reduce effort and time.
Waste-wise, the leftover buttermilk has culinary uses in baking, pancakes or marinades, so nothing need go to waste.
Food safety notes: home butter should be stored refrigerated and used within a reasonable timeframe; clean utensils and jars reduce contamination risk.
While making butter at home won’t replace everyone’s shopping habits, the simplicity, cost savings and gourmet-tasting results explain why more people are giving it a try.
For households curious about reducing processed food intake or cutting grocery bills, homemade butter is an easy, rewarding place to start.