CANNED BUTTER

I recently learned how to make normal butter, shelf stable. This is a report on salted butter, canned 4 months ago.

2 x 500 g butter, unsalted is preferred, salted gets a little grainy
5 x 250 ml glass jars with lids, sterilized

Prepare a surface for the jars to be places on, after it’s been filled.
Heat up water in a stock pot, with a second bottom, for the water bath. Water must be enough to submerge the jars.
In a slow cooker or a pot on the stove, slowly melt the butter, let the butter come to just a simmer, turn off the heat and stir continuously to prevent it from burning and also keep the milk solids equally distributed.
Using a funnel, pour the butter with a ladle into the hot sterilized jars, keep stirring the butter between each pour to keep the milk solids equally distributed.
Leave about 2 cm head space in each jar.
Wipe the rims of the jars and seal the jars with the sterilized lids.
Place the jars in the stock pot with the boiling water, when the water starts to boil again after adding the jars to the pot, start the timer and water bath the sealed bottles for 30 minutes.
Turn off the heat and leave the bottles in the water until the water has stopped boiling.
Remove the jars from the water and place them on the prepared surface.
The lids will click as they seal.
Shake the bottles every 15 minutes until the butter is almost set, this is to keep the milk solids from separating.
Once cooled, label the jars and store.

Note:
Mine survived a hot summer in the pantry. Once opened you’ll need to refrigerate the butter.
The butter is soft, straight out of the cupboard.
Try it, I was very skeptical at first, but with all the load shedding, it’s great to have other storage options.
If you live above sea level, you’ll need to water bath for longer. I have attached the elevation chart.

Recipe tested and photos: Cheryl Lynne Botha