That’s a Crock of Butter

By Rainy

I have been working on a few projects this winter in between sleeping and reading lots of books. A few weeks ago I made a batch of homemade butter using Mgeorge3’s directions. It turned out really well. I used half to make miso butter and put the remainder in my new butter crock I bought online. It was crafted and hand painted in Poland. I half bought it for how pretty it is and half because I needed a functional crock.

I had never heard of a butter cock before but the concept is simple. Butter Bell has a very good page about how to use a butter crock. The crock keeps the butter at a cooler temperature and seals it away from airborne bacteria. Care for the butter is easy and you just have to remember to change the water every 2 to 3 days. The design is derived from a time before refrigerators were possible.

The butter is immersed upside-down in water. The water keeps the butter cool, while also keeping bacteria away by removing the air around the butter. Butter is hydrophobic, meaning it repels water, so it can re-emerge without mixing with the water. This wouldn’t work with many other essential kitchen ingredients.

My butter crock seems to work well. The next time I make my own butter I am going to put more effort into removing the whey. The butter only lasted two weeks most likely because I was rushed in the pressing step. If done properly the butter should last four weeks in the butter crock. Although, in my kitchen butter is quickly used up in less than a week so I have never had spoiling butter left out on the kitchen counter.