The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-03-06
Preparing Butter for Market.

IT is not enough to make good but
ter, though too few are able to do this.
1t must be put up in q presentable
shape for market, if not eaten at home
by the maker, and so that it will keep
a reasonable length of time. Unless
we are to resort to winter dairying
generally, it must be packed so that it
will keep sweet six months or year.
No doubt it could be kept in alright
cans, if put up after the manner of pre-
served fruit; but this style of package
would be expensive, and increase the
price of the butter to the consumer.
Butter is sometimes put up in this way,
we understand, by shippers. and sent
to South America. But the business is
small one, and confined to one or two
houses. No one has as yet manufact-
ured and put up butter fresh from the
churn for this purpose. 1t is not un-
likely, however, that market might
be opened in this way for a considera-
BILE quantity of choice butter by some
enterprising house who would assume
the responsibility of finding market
for it in some of the South American
States.
At the late Convention of the Ameri-
can Dairymen's Association, q new
method of preparing butter for mar
ket, worthy of consideration, was pre-
sented. 1t was to head up the butter
in saturated brine. To do this, the
churning must stop as soon as there
are indications that the butter is about
to separate from the milk. Cold water
must be poured into the churn to re-
duce the temperature to SIS or "a deg.
Then the dasher must move slowly,
or the churn revolve slowly, as the
case may be, until the butter is separ-
ated from the milk, and is in pellets the
size of shot to pea. Being irreg-
ular in shape and size, the Jumps will
average about the size of wheat kerr
nels. At this stage all agitation must
cease, or the butter will collect into a
mass, which must be avoided. Now
draw off the buttermilk, and pour in
cold water enough to float the butter.
Stir or agitate it slightly, and draw off
the water. Add more water, as be-
fore, and repeat the operation until the
water that runs off is clear. It is
better if the last washing is done with
saturated brine, made of pure salt and
as clean as possible. Salt or brine used
for this purpose may be thrown on the
manure heap, adding to its value, and
therefore need not be wasted.
The butter thus purified, and looking
like SO many grains of gold, must not
be worked, nor allowed to get warm,
so as to pack together. Have a nice
oak firkin-previously soaked, scalded
and the pores of the wood filled with
hot brine, and afterward cooled
ready to receive the butter. Put in
the butter, and on it enough clear, sat-
urated brine to cover it. If there is
not enough butter to fill the firkin, sci
it in q cool, sweet place, until you get
enough butter in this way to make il
full. Fill to the chime. Put in the
head, having previously bored q hole
in it. Tighten up the hoops. Pour IN
the hole enough brine to completely
fill the firkin, SO that it will not swash
around, and drive in the plug tight
II you do not want to send at once to
market, put in a cool place and let il
stand. Others may be filed in the
same way, to any number. Examine
the tirkin frequently, by pulling out the
plug, to see if the brine has soaked
away. II it has, fill up with brine
] Keep it full;