Step by Step: How to Pressure Can Butter for Storage

Here you go. Canning butter with pictures (March 2013).
This is one of those “controversial” topics. I used an amalgamation of sites, blogs and videos. All experienced canners, to figure out how I was going to can the butter.  
If you are interested, this is a link to my blog on what the USDA says about canning butter. 

First things first. I am a bit of a canning rebel. But, I try to be the safest rebel! Personally, I am not a fan of oven canning butter or just adding lids to hot jars and letting them seal. My reason is that butter is a protein. especially after reading up on what the NCHFP states.

Washed & sterilized jars, the NEW lids, rings etc. We worked with pint jars. We had purchased 15 lbs. of butter. 1 Pint = about 1 lb. of butter.

This time we used salted butter, next time I probably will use unsalted butter.

 
Prepped the center island with our utensils.

Nifty little rubber map I got at Walmart. Came in a roll. Heat resistant. 

Note, all photos are my original photos~Perky Prepping Gramma~ 
Then we prepped the marbles: used to mix up the fats back into the clarified butter after canning. Evidently we did not all use the marbles.

We unwrapped the butter, then melted it down, then simmered for 20 mins. 
Skimming the foam off the top as it cooked and put that into jars to put in the fridge. If you can see to the right...those are the jars with the foam. We didn't pressure can those jars. We put them in the fridge to use immediately. It's very salty, for my taste. I used the foam on veggies over the next week or two.

At the same time we were sterilizing the jars, lids & marbles.

NEAT TIP: Use a saucer to contain the drips as you are transferring the butter from the pot to the jars. Brilliant (from Katzcradul)

First put a marble in the jar, then add butter to the bottom fill line. That would be the lowest line on the top.

Wipe off the rims of the jars with a clean paper towel with vinegar. Add sterilized lids and rims.

 

Double stacked in my new All-American pressure canner.
This is the first time I used my AA!

Added water to the bottom.

Canning rack on the bottom.
One row of jars on the bottom, another canning rack and yet another layer of jars.

Lid on, battened down. Timer set. This is a protein, so the pints were done at 10# for 75 minutes.

 

Edited: Probably after about an hour of taking the jars out of the canner, I started gently shaking them every half hour or so. DONE! We got 15 jars canned. Plus two+ pints of the foam that was skimmed off.

Through out the cooling stage, we would shake up the bottles. The marble we added mixed up the fats & clarified butter.

 

There you have it. The end result (below).
Left-butter
Right-foam
I used some of the foam on french toast the next day. Yummy!
As with everything your store, how you store your canned goods is important. Cool (the cooler the better) & dark locations help lengthen the shelf life of any stored products.
Update May 29, 2014: I am still using the canned butter & it is a wonderful addition to my storage. Since I tend to use a lot of butter in my cooking, it is one item I am glad I learned how to store.

Edited 02/07/15: What does the USDA (NCHFP) really say about Pressure Canning Butter?
Edited 06/07/14: Controversy, education and wise choices for your family...

I saved up my money to purchase my All-American Pressure Canner, it was worth every penny saved. I still use my Presto, it particularly great when I am doing big canning days like 40 pounds of chicken.  I participate in the Amazon Associate Program. I receive a small commission on any purchase made through my referral site, which helps me have the time to write the blog. Your support is appreciated!

                 
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