Butter question

[dede]

Hi all,
Can anyone help me with a couple of question with butter making. Just wondering if people add salt to help keep their butter longer and if so how much would you add?
Also what kind of oil is best used and again how much would you use?
Thanks in advance.


Mandi

[Merlin]

I use EVOO after straining the butter in the TM basket. Don't know the quantity, though. For about 600ml cream, I add a good slosh, probably about 2-3 tablespoons of EVOO to make it more spreadable. I love unsalted butter in my cooking, but I have made butter  once or twice  with about a tablespoon of sea salt flakes added. I use Murray river pink salt as I feel I am helping to reduce the salinity problems associated with the Murray River water tables! Plus, it tastes brilliant. I think I am just so overwhelmed abut the fact that I make my own butter, that the possibilities of what you can add are endless. I have to say that the ultimate home made butter is to add some truffle salt form Tetsuya ( best restaurant experience of my life by the way). You can buy his truffle salt online and just add it after making the butter. True decadence and absolutely divine!

[dede]

Thanks for that Merlin.
I am a newbie and must ask the question. What is EVOO ? Sorry if that sounds dumb.

[judydawn]

dede, I don't add any salt when I make butter (not very often mind you) and have used Bran oil (about 1/4 cup).

EVOO - extra virgin olive oil.  Most new people ask that question, I'm pretty sure I did too.

[dede]

lol. Thanks Judydawn.
I go through alot of Margarine and Butter with a family of 7 and thought I could eliminate margarine altogether if I make Butter. But not sure if butter is better for us than Margarine.

[judydawn]

This thread may help you made up your mind dede.

http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=5080.0

[Nik2WIN]

Butter is WAAAY better for you than margarine.  Sure it contains fat but a little fat is essential for life (and taste) and its a natural product with no artificial additives - its the trans fats and chemically altered stuff that's bad for you.

On a similar note I cleaned out my car at the weekend (first time since August) and was disgusted at the bits I found in the back - where the kids sit.  1/2 eaten burgers and these horrible picnic egg things.  Not one single sign of decomposition.  If it doesn't decompose how the heck are you supposed to digest it??  Even the burger buns hadn't started decomposing - soooo gross.

BTW, that stuff was all bought pre-tmx days.  WHY did we give the children macdonalds as a treat???

Nik

[Merlin]

I know that we don't use a lot of butter but at least I definitely know what goes into my TM butter! I use a lot of butter in my pates but it takes me ages to get through any butter I make. It seems to keep for a while and I much prefer it to margarine. I also use melted butter to grease  baking tins or in my hollandaise sauce, but like anything else, good things in moderaton is my rule of thumb.

[dede]

Great reading thanks Judydawn. Very interesting. I only buy reduced fat margarine but from what I have been reading I think Butter would be alot better for me and my family. Thanks heaps for everyone's input.
 :-))And Judydawn are you a walking encyclopedia? you seem to have the answers to everything. lol.

[judydawn]

ha ha, I doubt it dede - I just know where to look to find them 

[dede]

I guess you have been using this site for quiet awhile now and know your way around pretty well. I am hoping to be able to convert some of my favorite recipe's and post them on here for other people to use once I get to know my way around my TM when I get it. (Only a few days to go).

[cookie1]

Judy is wonderful at being able to find things. I forget and waste time looking. We'd be lost without her.