A historical dairy/preserve from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). Sugar is a great preservative. A small teaspoonful of fine white sugar, worked in with the salt, will be found an improvement. The milk will still be fit for any ordinary use after skimming the cream. A reliable recipe.
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
Immediately after the cow is milked, strain the milk into clean pans
Set it over a moderate fire until it is scalding hot; do not let it boil
Set it aside; when it is cold, skim off the cream
Put enough cream into a clean earthen basin
Beat it with a wooden spoon until the butter is made, which will not be long
Take it from the milk and work it with a little cold water, until it is free from milk
Drain off the water
Put a small tablespoonful of fine salt to each pound of butter and work it in
Work in a small teaspoonful of fine white sugar with the salt
Make the butter in a roll
Cover it with a bit of muslin and keep it in a cool place
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
Heating the fresh milk to near-boiling denatures proteins and destroys enzymes that would otherwise cause off-flavors during cream separation, essentially pasteurizing it. This heat treatment also helps fat globules coalesce more readily when agitated. The sugar acts as an additional preservative by binding water molecules through hygroscopy, creating an environment less hospitable to bacterial growth while complementing the salt's antimicrobial properties.
The heated and cooled milk can sit for up to 12 hours in a cool place before skimming the cream. Once butter is made, it should be worked and salted immediately for best preservation.
Wrap the finished butter tightly in muslin or parchment paper, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months. The salt and sugar mixture acts as a preservative, but modern refrigeration is still necessary for food safety.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
The heated and cooled milk can sit for up to 12 hours in a cool place before skimming the cream. Once butter is made, it should be worked and salted immediately for best preservation.
Wrap the finished butter tightly in muslin or parchment paper, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months. The salt and sugar mixture acts as a preservative, but modern refrigeration is still necessary for food safety.
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