Has Anyone Tried Canning Butter?

**hippytreehugger4ever** · 09-26-2008, 02:00 PM

I was just wondering if it really does last up to 3 years, even if you don't use a water bath to can it. Every set of instructions that I've found have pretty much just said to heat the jars in the oven, melt the butter, fill the jars and put the lids on, then wait for them to seal.

**staciah** · 09-26-2008, 02:07 PM

I have clarified butter (called Ghee) and then put it in a canning jar and yes it does seal by itself. If your going to can the butter I would clarify it first because it will go rancid if you don't remove the butter fat.

**madhen** · 09-26-2008, 09:41 PM

Interesting thread. I freeze butter, but never thought about canning it.

**nvmommyx6** · 09-26-2008, 10:01 PM

Yes, you can order canned butter!!! My Mother just ordered a case of it for our survival stock!!

**hippytreehugger4ever** · 09-27-2008, 09:21 AM

How on earth do you clarify butter?

**staciah** · 09-27-2008, 01:45 PM

Clarified butter is butter that has had the milk solids and water removed. One advantage of clarified butter is that it has a much higher smoke point than regular butter, so you can cook with it at higher temperatures without it browning and burning. Also, without the milk solids, clarified butter can be kept for much longer without going rancid.

It is very easy to make clarified butter. Melt the butter slowly. Let it sit for a bit to separate. Skim off the foam that rises to the top, and gently pour the butter off of the milk solids, which have settled to the bottom. A stick (8 tablespoons) of butter will produce about 6 tablespoons of clarified butter.

Another method is to simmer the butter in a saucepan until the mixture separates. After the water has evaporated, the milk solids will begin to fry in the clear butterfat. When they begin to turn golden, remove the pan from the heat and pour the butter through a fine strainer lined with damp cheesecloth into a heatproof container. If the cheesecloth is damp, all the butterfat will pass through, otherwise some will be absorbed by the cloth. This method is a little fussier, but produces a clearer result.

**PplAmanda** · 10-07-2008, 02:14 PM

I just ordered two #10 cans of butter powder. I haven't tried it yet, so I can't speak for it. It is from providential pantry.

**wanderinggrandma** · 10-07-2008, 06:42 PM

PplAmanda are you going to use the butter powder now or use for long term storage? I'm wondering because I have the same product and have never used it. I think the label said to add water to reconstitute butter.

I'm at work now, but will read the label when I get home. I imagine I have had it long enough that I should open and use and replace.

TIA

**fuzzybunny** · 10-07-2008, 07:52 PM

You don't really need to can it. Just keep it cool, sealed and away from bacteria.

They used to bury it in the peat bogs in England and Ireland.

Here's a link to a collection of articles. It keeps for thousands of years, literally.

One article is about a woman woman who sampled a 1,000 to 1,400 year old butter/cheese stored that way and, while she said it tasted rather nasty, didn't get sick at all.

http://www.ipcc.ie/infobogbutter.html