Rebel Canning: How-to Thrive During the Recession by Canning Butter

Canning Butter

Here at The Homestead Guru, we’re all about creative canning ideas. You might remember our recipe/how-to for pressure canning bacon for survival situations. Anyone who followed that recipe is likely happy to have that skill in these current uncertain times. This post is about canning butter, which is essential, be it for survival or just because you found butter at a great price.

It’s important to note here you need to pressure can butter, a regular water bath won’t work because dairy is non-acidic. It’s suggested you use wide-mouth jars to make getting out the butter easier. This is based on this recipe but can be adapted for any size jar or amount of butter.

Materials

Ball Wide Mouth Pint 16-Ounce Glass Mason Jar with Lids and Bands

Jar lifters

Funnel

A small dish of vinegar

Clean cloths

Pressure canner and experience

Pot for melting butter

Ladle

Pan for heating lids

1) Heat the jars. This can be done with the oven at 250 or water. Note, if you use water you need to fully dry the jars before adding butter. Put water in the pan for heating lids, add the lids, and start to heat.

2) Add 3-4 inches water into the pressure canner and turn on the heat.

3) Boil the butter then allow it to simmer without boiling over or burning the milk solids for 10 minutes to evaporate water and kill off any pathogens.

4) Fill the hot jars with butter leaving ½ inch headspace.

5) Use the cloth dipped in vinegar to clean the jar rims. Place lids and rings and tighten. Don’t over tighten.

6) Put the jars in a pressure canner. You can use towels to keep the jars from falling over or rattling.

7) Put the lid and fasten it. Allow the steam to flow for about 10 minutes. Place at 10 pounds on the vent and when it reaches that pressure, start timing.

8) Keep at pressure for 60 minutes with half-pint jars. If you use smaller jars less time, bigger jars are more time. Allow releasing pressure naturally when it’s done. You might hear lids sealing while the jars are in the canner like pops, this is normal.

9) Allow canned butter to come to room temperature and store. Note the solids might have separated because of the high heat. To remix just occasionally shake the two together and it will start to look something like it did before.

More sources and recipes on canning butter:

Canning Butter in A Pressure Cooker

Back to Basics Making and Canning Homemade Butter

You can also follow a recipe for ghee that we shared a while back and can that as well. I’ve done that and sold the product at a local food market for those interested in agorism it’s easy to make this a value-added product!