Artisan Butter: Steps for a Start-Up
Contributed by: Dr. Robert L. Bradley, Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Food Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison
While there is
growing interest in the manufacture of
butter by artisans, there are several
factors to consider before getting
started. For example, what do you need up front before the first lot of butter is churned? In the state of Wisconsin, you will be required to obtain several permits before producing butter, including:
1.
Dairy Plant Operator’s License
2.
Pasteurizer Operator’s License
3. Buttermaker’s License
4. Butter Grader’s License
Keep in mind that four licenses are
required within the plant operation for
food safety reasons. Once these
requirements are fulfilled then butter can be manufactured
in your approved facility. Other states may have
similar regulations, so please check with your state regulatory agency before proceeding.
Pasteurization
Once the regulatory requirements have been met, the buttermaking can begin. Among the first steps is the need to pasteurize the cream in order to inactivate the
lipase enzyme and bacteria that are
present. A high-temperature, short-time
(HTST) system is a popular method that
requires a minimum temperature of 185°F
and a 15-second hold at that temperature. The estimated
cost of HTST equipment to pasteurize small lots
of cream is probably prohibitive for a small artisan buttermaker, however, a stainless steel vat may be
within the budget. Vat pasteurization
requires a minimum temperature of 165°F with a 30-minute hold. While
artisan cheesemakers can use high quality
raw milk successfully to prepare finished
cheese, buttermakers must pasteurize to
eliminate the influence of active lipase. Otherwise,
the finished product will be rancid and an undergrade
by taste. Pasteurized cream shipped from one
plant to another must be re-pasteurized before use according to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture,
Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Again, those outside of Wisconsin should check their local regulations. The pasteurization step provides
protection against most bacteria including
pathogens and spoilage organisms, as well
as development of rancidity. A review of
the literature cites many articles that reveal problematic
bacterial populations in raw milk as well as numerous
court records showing illnesses and deaths. Be
careful and retain properly filled out pasteurization charts for the required 90 days.
Churning
The next issue is churning. I would
suggest a commercial mixer (beater types)
with a three to five gallon bowl because
small batch churn are difficult to find. For example,
one gallon of 40 percent cream will yield 4.12 pounds
of finished unsalted butter. Consider what batch size
do you want and whether you want to sell salted (1.5%
salt added) butter only or unsalted butter. With unsalted
butter you may wish to add lactic acid and diacetyl
(natural flavors) to lower the pH to 5.1-5.2 to control
the growth of mold. Both components are food grade
and are available commercially with directions for use.
Manufacturing
While the regulations and equipment require a great deal of thought beforehand, the manufacture of butter is relatively easy. Start with pasteurized cream (35-40
percent milkfat) warmed to 50°F, held for
one hour to adjust the fat globules to
readiness, then churn. In a revolving
churn or beater bowl, it will take about 45
minutes to generate a mixture of clumps of yellow butter floating in buttermilk. This is the inversion of
the emulsion, i.e., fat-in-skim milk to skim
milk-in-fat. Separate the butter from the
buttermilk, and work the butter into a
continuous mass by clean, gloved hands or in
the churn or beater bowl. Your butter composition must be at least 80 percent milkfat to meet the minimum
legal standard. Determine the moisture
content by analytical analysis and adjust
the composition by adding water or working the butter more to expel the buttermilk. When you reach
the correct moisture, add salt and work
the butter more to gain equal distribution throughout.
To obtain salted butter, add 6.8 grams of flake
or fine ground salt per pound of finished butter and mix WELL. No crunchy salt should be detectable by taste. Keep in mind that
salt dissolves only in the moisture phase.
If you are preparing flavored butters, these
ingredients are added after or with the salt. If you add honey,
this must be pasteurized because of the presence of active lipase
enzyme.
Packaging
Packaging is next. The typical parchment
paper used in the butter industry is too porous
for your use. Off odors can penetrate and severely alter flavor. I would suggest using a plastic one-pound
or half-pound tub with a tight cover. In
fact, it would be best to use a pigmented
(white or yellow) tub to hold your butter.
The pigment coloring of the container would control
flavor altering, light induced oxidation. You will then need a large enough refrigerator to store the
cream and the packaged butter. Pressure
sensitive labels can be used to identify
what is inside and could be hand prepared
to declare the ingredients used.
Clean Up
Use chlorinated alkaline cleaner at the manufacture’s recommended level in hot water following a hot water rinse (greater than 110°F to melt milkfat). The equipment should be clean and sanitary at this point, but sanitize immediately before
the next use with at least 100 ppm chlorine-based
sanitizer or a recommended sanitizer of
your choice. Do not use iodine-based
sanitizers because of the off-flavor
possibility. Also, purchase a stainless steel table to store your stainless steel utensils. This is necessary
for sanitation and makes clean up easier.
Before pursuing artisan buttermaking consider the expense,
time and your total commitment. This on paper
might appear quite simple, but you need a high quality
source of cream, an understanding of regulatory requirements,
including food safety and a plan for acquiring
customers to purchase your finished product. This
is not an easy undertaking!
This article first appeared in Volume 29, Number 3 of the Dairy Pipeline.
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