Making Fine Butter

Ingredients

• fine milk
• annatto (optional, for coloring)
• brine (for washing)

Directions

1. Start with high-quality milk from well-fed cows.

2. Set the milk in pans at a temperature of 85°F to 90°F (29°C to 32°C) or 98°F (37°C) if the room is cold.

3. Let the milk sit for no more than 24 hours in a cool place before removing the cream.

4. Gather the cream and churn it within 3 days.

5. Heat the cream and keep it warm for 24 hours to ripen before churning.

6. Warm the churn with hot water before adding the cream.

7. Churn the cream at a temperature of about 64°F (18°C) until the butter forms.

8. To color the butter, feed the cows with color-rich feed or add a little diluted annatto to the churn at the start.

9. Work the butter just enough to remove the milk, and wash it with brine if desired.