The Ultimate Guide to Butter: From Production to Flavor Profiles

How Butter is Made

Butter is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, made from the fat and protein content of churned cream. On average, butter consists of:

• 80-85% fat
• 14-18% water
• 0.5-1% protein
• Trace minerals (less than 1%)
• 0-1.5% salt (if added)

The butter-making process begins with milk collection and cream separation. At a commercial level, this involves:

1. Collecting milk from dairy farms
2. Transporting milk to processing plants
3. Separating cream from milk using centrifuges

The quality of raw milk significantly impacts the taste, aroma, and texture of the final butter product. Some companies, like Kerrygold, specify that their butter comes from grass-fed cows, which can affect the final product's characteristics.

After separation, the cream (now concentrated to 36-44% butterfat) moves to the next stage: pasteurization.

Pasteurization and Culturing

The cream is pasteurized by heating it to 185°F (85°C) to eliminate harmful bacteria and enzymes. This process also ensures consistent flavor and extends shelf life. However, it does impact the flavor profile:

"Raw cream butter, whether sweet or cultured, is now nearly extinct in the United States and a rarity even in Europe. It was prized for its pure cream flavor without the cooked milk notes due to pasteurization, but the flavor is fragile as it deteriorates after about just 10 days unless that butter is frozen."

After pasteurization, some producers culture the cream by adding lactic acid bacteria. These bacteria consume residual sugars in the cream, producing lactic acid and aroma compounds like diacetyl, which intensifies the butter's aroma. On ingredient labels, this process might be listed as "natural flavorings," "lactic acid," or "cultures."

Churning

The cooled and potentially cultured cream then enters a churn, where it's agitated to separate butterfat from buttermilk. As the cream is churned, small butter granules form and clump together, creating solid butter. The leftover buttermilk is drained off and can be used in other dairy products.

This churning process transforms the cream from a fat-in-water emulsion to a water-in-fat emulsion. The temperature during churning plays a crucial role in determining the final butter's spreadability.

Washing and Kneading

After churning, the butter is washed with cold water to remove any remaining buttermilk, further reducing moisture content. At this stage, coloring may also be added if desired.

The butter is then worked in a machine to improve texture and consistency across the batch. For salted butter, salt (typically around 1% by weight) is added at this point.

Packing

Finally, the butter is molded and packed into sticks or tubs, then stored in cold conditions for distribution to grocery stores.

Butter Varieties and Key Variables

When shopping for butter, pay attention to these key variables:

1. Milk source (e.g., grass-fed)
2. Cultured vs. sweet cream
3. Final butterfat percentage
4. Salted vs. unsalted

The Flavor of Butter

To understand butter's flavor profile, we need to consider six properties that make up the flavor of food:

1. Taste
2. Aroma
3. Texture
4. Sight
5. Physical properties
6. Human perception

Taste

Butter has a mild flavor from a pure taste perspective. The main difference in taste comes from salted vs. unsalted varieties. When tasting butter with your nose plugged, it's challenging to discern significant differences between unsalted butter types.

Aroma

Butter's aroma is what truly sets it apart from other cooking fats. It contains hundreds of aromatic molecules that our noses can detect. Key aroma compounds in butter include:

• Diacetyl: Responsible for the sweet, creamy flavor in butter and other dairy products
• Butyric acid: Enhances the aroma and creates a more pronounced dairy taste (also found in Hershey's chocolate)

While there are detectable aroma differences between butter varieties, these differences are often subtle and may not necessarily indicate that one butter is "better" than another.

Texture

Butter's texture changes significantly with temperature:

• Below 32°F (0°C): Frozen and solid
• 33-60°F (0.5-15.5°C): Cold, firm but cuttable
• 60-80°F (15.5-26.7°C): Room temperature, creamy and spreadable
• 90-95°F (32.2-35°C): Warm, starting to melt
• Above 95°F (35°C): Liquid

The texture of butter is crucial in various culinary applications, from baking to sauce-making.

Sight

One noticeable difference between butter varieties is color. Butter from grass-fed cows tends to have a deeper yellow hue due to higher levels of beta-carotene in the cows' diet. While color can be visually appealing, it doesn't necessarily indicate superior quality or flavor.

Is Expensive Butter Worth It?

Generally, yes. The price difference is often only 50 cents to a dollar more per stick, which isn't significant unless you're using large quantities. Benefits of premium butter can include:

• Noticeable aroma differences
• Darker yellow color (for grass-fed varieties)
• Varying salt levels in salted butters
• Higher butterfat percentages, which can affect texture in baking

However, the "best" butter depends on your specific needs and preferences. If you primarily use butter for cooking rather than spreading or baking, the differences may be less noticeable in the final dish.

Conclusion

Understanding the nuances of butter production and flavor can enhance your culinary experiences. Whether you're a casual cook or a baking enthusiast, experimenting with different butter types can lead to new flavor discoveries and improved recipes. Remember that personal preference plays a significant role, so don't be afraid to try various butters to find your favorite for different applications.

Ultimately, the world of butter is rich and diverse, offering a range of options to suit every palate and culinary need. By considering factors like production methods, flavor profiles, and intended use, you can make informed choices about which butter to use in your kitchen.

Article created from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHrxGxWNIv4