How to Build a Butter Churn
Making butter was long a chore that required a great deal of time and arm strength. With butter readily available at grocery and convenience stores, why churn a vat of it yourself? You can build a small butter churn, however, that will allow you to make a small batch of butter. Add whatever seasonings you like, and you may end up liking your homemade butter better than the store brands. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Empty coffee can with lid
- Knife or scissors
- Wooden dowel rod toy, 6 to 8 inches long (Tinkertoy works well)
- 8 Wooden dowel toy pieces, 1 inch
- 1 Circular wheel to hold the 1 inch pieces
- Heavy cream
Instructions
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Making a Butter Churn
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1
Rinse out an old coffee can. Wipe any residue and water out of the can. Allow to dry. Try to use a narrow enough coffee can so the plunger does not drift from side to side as you push up and down.
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2
Wipe the coffee can lid clean. Cut a small hole in the center of the lid large enough so the wooden dowel will slide through easily.
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3
Insert the eight 1-inch dowel pieces into the circular toy wheel piece. Push the pieces into the holes as hard you can. You don't want them coming loose while you churn.
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4
Attach the long wooden dowel piece into the hole in the middle of the wheel piece. (The dowel needs to be 6 to 8 inches in length. This is now your churn handle.)
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5
Set the coffee can upright. Place the churn handle into the coffee can, so that the wheel end is in the bottom.
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6
Set the heavy cream on the counter, and let it sit at room temperature for at least 3 to 4 hours.
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7
Pour enough cream into the churn so that it is filled halfway. Place the lid onto the top of the churn. Make sure the handle pokes through the hole you cut earlier.
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8
Push and pull the handle into the cream in a constant motion. (It will take at least 20 minutes to churn the cream into butter consistency, so you may want to have some friends or family on hand to help you.) Stop churning once you see no more lumps, or curds, forming.
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9
Place the butter into a bowl. Turn on the kitchen faucet and rinse any milk off of the butter with cold water. Set the butter in the refrigerator for one hour. Remove the butter and add salt or other seasoning if you prefer. Add a small amount (such as 1 tsp.) to start. Do not over-salt the butter. Mold the butter with your hands into whatever shape you prefer, such as a bar or ball. Put the butter back into the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
