Butter. Is it good for us? Is it bad for us? Should we avoid it or not worry about it? I have a simple solution to most food-health dilemmas and that is, if it tastes good I eat it. I know people who think that by eating butter they will be one step closer to the grave. It’s true that butter is very high in cholesterol, but I think that moderation, as with everything, is key.
Although the production of butter has changed throughout the years, there is no doubt that it has been around a long, long time. The first documented mention of butter making was found in the sacred songs from India some 1500-2000 years before Christ. Butter making is believed by some to be accidentally discovered when milk being carried on horseback for long journeys was churned into butter by the constant rocking motion. While most of us think of cow’s milk as the ultimate ingredient in butter, it can come from other animals as well. In Greece, butter also is made from goat and sheep milk. Water buffalo milk is sometimes used in Italy, camel’s milk in Africa, and yak’s milk in Tibet.
Even though the milk to make butter may come from different sources, the production process is essentially the same. Until the 1920s butter was a farm made product. In fact, it took 3 gallons of milk to make 1 pound of butter. Today butter is primarily produced under highly controlled and very sanitary conditions in creameries all over the world. First, pasteurized cream is put in large vats and churned. The beating causes the fat globules to come together and solidify, leaving buttermilk. The buttermilk is then removed leaving small lumps of solid butter that are washed and drained. At this point, salt and coloring are added if needed. The butter is churned again until it forms a solid mass that is ready to be formed and packaged. The flavor of butter can vary according to a cow’s diet. Natural dyes such as annatto or carotene can be added for consistent color year-round.
Butter is 100 percent natural and is free form preservatives and artificial additives. Pure dairy butter must be at least 80 percent fat and will contain 10-18 percent water and 2-4 percent milk solids. There are two major types of butter: sweet cream butter and lactic butter. Both types can be salted or unsalted. Sweet cream butter is made from pasteurized cream placed in an aging tank at a low temperature for an average of 12 hours. Then, it is churned and the resulting butter is sweet, creamy and golden yellow. This type of butter is what most of us are familiar with. Lactic butter is pasteurized cream combined with lactic acid culture. This kind of butter has much lower moisture content and is preferred for baked goods since humidity can interfere with certain recipes.
The choice of butter or another fat for cooking is simply a matter of taste. Butter is an important ingredient in many classic sauces, including beurre blanc sauce. Roux- a mixture of butter and flour- is used to make bechamel sauce and is also used as a thickening agent for gravies, soups and stews. Because butter contains water and milk solids, it burns at a lower temperature than other fats. Clarified butter is butter that is melted to remove the water and milk solids, leaving the pure butter fat. The pure butterfat has a much higher burning point, and is preferred for high heat cooking methods such as frying.
Another interesting way to enjoy butter is in flavored butter. Butter can be mixed with most any ingredient to create a whole new taste. Some of the more popular ingredients for flavored butter are chives, basil, chilies, dill, honey, fruit, chocolate, and nuts. Simply mix the butter with the desired ingredient, form into a block or specialized shape, and chill or freeze. Cut out shapes, butter roses, or butterballs are just a few of the shapes that can be made. There are also butter stamps that can imprint butter with patterns.
So go ahead, live a little. Eat a little bit of butter every once in awhile. The rich wonderful flavor can’t be beat.
This article appears in March 2024.