I have been canning some butter and the instructions I used said do not remove the foam. It implied that the foam would eventually go away if I simmered the butter long enough. Well, that never happened for me. Does anyone know a reason I should not skim the foam off before putting it in the jar? It simply forms its own layer and does not seem to accomplish much. Many thanks in advance.

-- smfdoc (smfdoc@aol.com), July 10, 1999

Answers

smfdoc-By all means, skim that nasty stuff off of there! As you say, it really serves no purpose and (IMO) ruins the look of the pretty yellow 'butter'. Hope this helps, Linda

-- newbiebutnodummy (Linda@home.com), July 10, 1999.

Recipes I have for Ghee indicate foam should be skimmed, as that's what carries the impurities to make butter go rancid. Cannot speak from experience, as still experimenting with butter flavored Crisco, and new pint canning jars remain in case for now. Sidenote: I believe plain corned beef can/will be a mainstay meat. Available, affordable, keeps well, no waste, flexible use. Worked for G.I.'s before, too! :-) Have perfected chipped beef on toast, biscuits 'n gravy (use same whitesauce), and corned beef hash. All quite decent and practical. Have 2 cases canned bacon on hand, but that disappeared from shelves several months ago, and distributor says unable to obtain "for unknown reason". Canned hams plentiful again. Live in small town in Alaska - about the end of the supply chain.

-- A. Hambley (a.hambley@usa.net), July 10, 1999.

Yes...but Alaska is the ONLY place you can buy canned bacon. I have two cases that friend in Fairbanks got me. Was hoping she would bring some more in the fall, but maybe its not available now. Used to be able to buy canned butter and cheese up there. Have you looked? I know when we were out on the chain we used to get it. Where are you? Taz...who is sweating in Florida now.

-- Taz (Tassie@aol.com), July 10, 1999.

Taz> Located on the peninsula. Retired. Have never seen canned butter here, but maybe once in Hawaii. Possible source for "unique" items may be a marine cruise ship supplier (personal yachts). Boat dealers and tractor supply stores carry some neat stuff, as well as RV dealers. You do own a personal yacht, don't you?

-- A. Hambley (a.hambley@usa.net), July 10, 1999.

Of course we own a personal yachet!! (not). Don't even have a row boat and we are surrounded by rivers and lakes. One of these days we hope to get a pontoon boat with canvas topper that we can camp in. We could go forever on the rivers of Florida without stopping. Very quiet water...believe me not like Alaska.

Taz...who really DOES like it down here.

-- Taz (Tassie@aol.com), July 10, 1999.

Since you are simmering the butter anyway, why not make ghee (clarified butter) out of it. The part that foams is not just what makes the butter go basd - it's what makes your body go bad! The milk solids conatin the cholesterol. If you continue to simmer the butter, the water content evaporates and the foaming solids get heavy and sink to the bottom of the pot, leaving completely clear (hence "clarified") butter fat. Zero cholesterol. So, for sure, throw out that gunk, before it gunks you up. In our home, ghee is the only food we eat that has anything to do with animals. We eat it very freely, and both my husband and I have very low cholesterol levels. Doctor said my husband has lowest cholesterol he's ever seen in a guy. After the solids sink to the bottom, they begin to brown. Turn off the heat before they get too brown. Let the ghee cool a while, then carefully pour it out, leaving the gunk behind. As the ghee cools a bit, the gunk gets more solid and easier to leave behind as you pour. Take a good look at it. When you leave this gunk in your butter, this is what clogs up your arteries. If you are canning the butter, then you'd want to heat the ghee up again before you pour it into jars to seal.

-- Shivani Arjuna (S Arjuna@aol.com), July 10, 1999.