Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-07-18
washing, working and Packing But.

prof. L. B. Arnold in the Tribune.l
Though the treatment of butter after leav
ing the churn consists only of simple meohai-
ical operations, unless each manipulation il
performed at the right time and in the ripht
manner the result will be an inferior product
Success in these operations depends much up
on skill acquired by actual experience.
Probably in nine-tenths of the private dai-
ries butter is chuTned till it forms into one
solid lump. II this practice is persisted in,
the washing and working are best conducted
together. Take from the churn so much of
the butter as can be handled conveniently at
time, and place 1t in water or brine at about
co., and free it from buttermilk by pressing
it with the back of the ladle till it is fattened
into pretty thin sheet then fold it into
lump again, and repeat the process until the
water in which 1t is worked remains clear, the
water being changed as often as II becomes
much colored with buttermilk.
When the whole ohurning has been thus
treated, add one ounce of salt to each pound
of butter, and work it in by pressing with the
back of the ladle. All sliding, punching.
drawing or grinding motions should be avoid
ed, as they wear out the grain of the butter
and iniure its appearance its flavor and its
keeping quality. Even when done in the best
possible manner, working does material In.
is much aggravated. The less violence the
better the result. All butter has not the same
consistency at the same temperature. When
1t has an average stiffness ii works best at GO
degrees, but when harder or softer than usual
the temperature should vary accordingly, SO
as to make the butter Just nicely pliable. In
this condition working does the least injury.
After working in the salt, some pack imIne-
diately, while others let it stand 10, 70 or even
"a hours, for the salt to dissolve, and then re.
work before packing. If the butter is to be
worked second time ii is better not to wait
until the salt is all dissolved, for il all dissoIv-
ed re-working will exhaust the brine SO thor
oughly as to leave the butter too dry for fin
est flavor and appearance. The result is best
when kept at Coz only about four hours after
adding the salt then working but little, and
packing at once. This will leave moisture
enough to have minute drops Of brine show
on the trier-which is the best condition for
flavor, appearance and keeping.
These directions are given only for hand
ling butter when gathered In a solid mass In
the ehurn, not because that is supposed 10 be
the best way 10 gather IT, but because It is
the common way and is likely 10 be continued
by many for some time TO come. II is desir-
able to make those who are in a rut and do
not see how 10 get out as comfortable as DOS
sible in their old and narrow ehanpel. The
better way is not TO collect the butter into a
solid mass at all, but to stop the ohurn lust
before it is ready TO gather, when II will rise
quickly to the top and separate readily from
the buttermilk.
As much of the butteTmilk as well can be
is then drawn of, and good water or weak
brine few degrees below the temperature of
ehurning is turned plentifully into the churn,
and the ehurn slowly turned till the butter
milk and water and butter are well mixed.