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Learning how to can butter is a great skill to have, even if it’s not one you use frequently.  Especially when you come across discounted butter or a really great sale or even make your own butter, canning some of that bounty up helps take your reliance on your freezers and the grid down a notch.  

Energy is expensive and it ain’t costing nothing to store butter in sealed jars on the shelf once you’re done processing.  If you have a milk cow or goat(s), chances are you’re making homemade butter and you may find yourself with a ton of it.  In this blog post we will review all the methods you can use (and I’ve tested & used, too) to learn how to can butter and which ones are my go-to processes nowadays!  Everyone needs some REAL BUTTER at their fingertips.

Another great reason I think everyone should learn how to can butter is simply to have room temperature butter at my fingertips.  Yeah, my basement cellar area is a bit chilly, but it’s warmer than the freezer or fridge, so I have spreadable and ready to use for baking butter on a whim.  I don’t have a microwave, so thinking ahead sometimes to soften and bring butter to room temperature for baking is above my pay grade, alright?!  

This really helps because when I want to make cookies, I gotta make them immediately or I will simply perish.  For this reason, I prefer to can all my butter in pint and half pint jars as they hold approximately 2 sticks and 4 sticks (1 cup and 2 cups) respectively.

Is Canning Butter an Approved Method?

Not at all.  But the lack of the stamp of approval doesn’t mean that it’s unsafe.  As with all canning I do that is considered rebel canning, I will remind you that it is your kitchen with your rules and what I’m doing in mine and sharing in a blog post doesn’t mean it has to be what you’re doing.  Do your own research and only can things within your own comfort level.  Nobody has simply taken the time to test canning butter and the NCHFP (National Center for Home Food Preservation) hasn’t hijacked that study and distributed it to the masses as “approved.”  

Yeah, they don’t do any testing, they’re just in charge of distributing what they want to share.  Good news is it’s not illegal to do whatever the heck you want in your own home… yet.  In this blog post we are going to go over 5 different methods I have personally used to can butter and which one I use the most often.  You can choose from there what you’re comfortable with and then go forth and can at your own risk, because that squishy thing in your skull allows you to make your own decisions.  Don’t forget that!!

​Butter vs Ghee

I’ll get asked this a million times.  Why don’t you just make ghee?!  To which I’ll say, WHY CAN’T A GIRL JUST KEEP HER MILK SOLIDS?!  Not everything wants clarified butter, mmkaayyyy.  I like baking with whole butter, not ghee.  And you can’t change my mind.  So I prefer to keep a mixture of frozen butter, ghee, and canned butter on hand at all times.  It’s those beautiful layers of storage I have talked about in my blog post about long term storage (read that here).  

My primary layer that I pull from and use is frozen/fridge storage.  Secondary is canned butter.  And then long term storage would be ghee.  Ghee has a basically indefinite shelf life if rendered and clarified properly.

1

How to Make Your Own Ghee (It’s Easier Than You Think)

Check out this recipe

What’s the Shelf Life Like

I’ve kept a jar of butter for 4 years on my shelves before using it.  It was perfectly fine!  I always try to rotate most dairy products out of my pantry every 2 years just for best quality, but butter will keep a bit longer.  That doesn’t mean I’m going to can 1000s of pints of butter because I really don’t want to tie up jars like that and I also won’t use it that fast.  Like I said before, my primary storage is frozen and fridge where I pull from and I only reach for my canned butter if I’m out of frozen or refrigerated butter or I need softened butter ASAP.  

So there’s no big reason for me to can massive amounts because I simply don’t need to.  Now, if my freezer would crap out on me or we’d have extended electrical outages or I’m out of freezer space, I’d have the knowhow and means to flip all my frozen butter into shelf stable storage quickly and easily.  This is also why I’m sharing ALL the methods of canning it because some you can do off grid without electrical and/or outside inputs, which I find to be vital information.

Important Things to Consider When Learning How to Can Butter

Time

Butter isn’t one of those things you can and then take out to cool and boom you’re done.  Once it cools enough to handle and is sealed, you need to start shaking the jars every 30 minutes or so to redistribute the milk solids in the butter.  This is pretty important for the quality and storage life of your butter.  If you skip this steps, the milk solids will sink to the bottom and you have a bigger chance of possible rancidity since the solids are all collected together.  Am I saying it will happen with absolute certainty?  

No.  But just for the best chance of storage, I recommend to shake it.  So, don’t start canning butter at 7pm cause you’ll be up ’til the next morning shaking it.  I’d recommend starting a batch first thing in the morning so you can shake your butter every time you see it as you walk past it during the day.

Storage  

This is a very important consideration for shelf life of your canned goods.  If you store your butter in a hot environment where it’s semi-melted a lot of the time, you’re not going to get the long shelf life out of it and you’re likely going to have some off flavors.  I recommend a very cool and dark place, like a cellar between 50-70 degrees F if possible just for best conditions and keeping of the canned butter.  Storage is often an overlooked and underdiscussed important step in canning.

Jar Size

Consider how much butter you use at once and go from there.  Do many of your recipes call for 2 sticks or 4 or 1.  Use the size of jar that corresponds with how you use your butter.  It makes it easier to open a jar and use it pretty fast as opposed to opening and having to refrigerate it for a while.  A US pint jar will hold about 1 pound of butter and a US quart jar will hold about 2 lbs of butter.  Re-size from there.

Salted or Unsalted Butter

Use either.  I’ve seen recommendations for mixing the salted butter with at least half unsalted, but unsalted butter is illegal in my household.  I’ve always bought, used, and made salted butter and I will not change.  I do not find that canning butter that has been salted increases in “saltiness” after the canning process.  But I also lick new salt blocks and loose mineral we give to our livestock for funsies so maybe I’m not the person to be speaking on this LOL.  If you’re sensitive to salt, I’d suggest using unsalted just in case. Salt can always be added back later, but not taken away.

Texture

The texture of the butter does change slightly after canned and it is fluffier and does have a bit of a grit to it.  It spreads really nicely on bread though and whips with sugar for some delicious cookies just fine.  Just be aware, it’s not going to look or feel exactly like when you freshly made it or bought it.

Equipment You Might Want:

• Mason jar (s)
• New Lids & Screw Bands
• Ladle
• Stock Pot
• Water bath canner
• Pressure Canner
• Electric Roaster
• Jar Funnel
• Jar Lifter

Choose Your Process

Now, let’s talk about the different processes for canning butter.  Please read through each of them to find one that resonates and will work for you the best, or do none of them at all.  There will also be a printable version containing all the methods below, but it will be condensed and not have nearly as much information as each section here will.

​For all methods, you will start by washing your jars and lids in hot soapy water, rinsing well, and setting them aside as your prepare to can the butter.  I don’t feel the need to repeat this step for each method and I really shouldn’t have to tell you at all.

Roaster Method

***my preferred method***

I will preface by saying this is a great method and much easier than using the oven method and lifting jars full of butter in and out of the oven.  So, if you’re unable to lift like that and need a method that is countertop and simple, and you’re comfortable with it, this may be your go-to if you have an electric roaster (or even a slow cooker for a small batch).

​Place a glass 9×13 or some canning rings in the bottom of the roaster pan so the jars aren’t directly sitting on the pan of the roaster.  We’re not going to get it super mega hot, but I do prefer the jars to not touch the roaster pan directly.  Line the glass casserole dish with a towel just so you don’t have glass on glass and risk breaking jars.  The big thing to remember here is we want DRY HEAT; adding water to the pan would make steam and introduce extra water into the butter which is what we definitely don’t want.

Set your electric roaster to about 225 degrees F and add butter to each jar.  You can add whole sticks or slice it up and fill them however you want.  Allow the butter to melt and as it melts add more butter.  Aim to keep butter at about 1/2-inch headspace using this method.  Once jars are full and butter is melted, wipe the rims with with a dry cloth (don’t use vinegar, that’s weird and who wants curdled melted butter) and add your lids and tighten with a screw band.

Add the lid to the roaster and set a timer for 45 minutes.  Once time is up, shut off heat and remove lid.  Allow jars to sit for 15 minutes, then remove to a heat proof surface lined with a towel.  Cover jars with a towel or blanket to keep warm as they seal if desired.  

Once jars have cooled enough to handle and are sealed, begin shaking them (it doesn’t have to be crazy aggressive shaking but work those bingo wings if you wanna) every 30 minutes or so until butter has solidified.  This redistributes the milk solids within the butter that have sunk with the heating process.

Once butter has cooled for about 12-24 hours, remove bands, test seals, wash jars, label, and store in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight.

Oven Method

The oven method is much like the roaster oven method, but does require some muscle and lifting to get the jars in and out of the oven.  So if you have a rotator cuff injury or can’t lift like you used to, be considerate of how much you’re adding to your tray as you fill jars.  I do about 12 pint jars at a time and that’s pretty awkward and heavy to pick up and pull out of the oven :D

You can do two things here:  melt the butter on the stove top and ladle into jars to 1/2 inch headspace or do as the roaster method and add butter to the jars as it melts, which means you’ll be taking the jars in and out of the oven a few times.  That’s what I do to keep the dishes to a minimum.  

Stove Top Melting

Add your jars to a baking sheet and place in a cold oven and heat to 225 degrees F and allow them to heat for a minimum of 15-20 minutes.  Slowly melt the butter over low heat to prevent any burning or browning of the milk solids.  LOW AND SLOW THAT IS THE TEMPO.  

Be patient dangit!  Once the butter is melted and your jars have sufficiently heated, ladle the liquid butter into the hot jars to 1/2 inch headspace.

Oven Melting

Add your jars to a baking sheet and add butter to jars either as whole sticks or sliced up, whatever you want to do.  Place jars in the oven and start oven heating to 225 degrees F.  I check about every 15 minutes or so on the melting process.  Remove tray of jars and add more butter until all butter is melted and the jars are filled to about 1/2 inch headspace.

Once jars are filled with melted butter, wipe the rims with a dry cloth and add lids and screw bands.  Place sheet tray with jars back in the oven and set a timer for 45 minutes.  Once 45 minutes are complete, remove tray from oven and transfer jars to a heat proof surface lined with a towel to cool.  Cover with a towel or blanket to slow the cooling process if your house is cold.

When jars have cooled enough to handle and have sealed (a couple hours), start shaking to redistribute the dairy solids until the butter re-solidifies.  After 12-24 hours of cooling, remove screw bands, test seals, wash jars, label, and store in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight.

Pressure Canning

This one is nuanced because you will see times ALL OVER THE PLACE, from dairy processing times to meat times.  So, this goes along with your comfort level with canning and I’ll let you decide what times work for you.  

I tested a jar at meat times and it was perfectly fine and I do prefer to can my garlic butter recipe for the longer times because of the additives and it doesn’t hurt it, but I have tested from just bringing the canner to pressure and shutting off, to 60 minutes at pressure, to 75 minutes at pressure for pint jars and all stored and tasted just fine.  So do your thing and make your own judgment call here.

Melt butter in a stock pot over low heat.  Heat slowly so you don’t brown the milk solids in the butter.  Once the butter is melted, fill clean jars to 1-inch headspace with hot butter.  You don’t have to heat your jars prior to filling; hot into room temperature doesn’t cause thermal shock.  Wipe off the top of the jars with a dry cloth and add lids and secure with screw bands.

Process at your elevations recommended weight for low acid foods for the time you have decided works for you.

Once time is complete, allow canner to completely depressurize before removing jars from the canner to a heat proof surface lined with a towel. The jars take a while to cool depending on the temperature of your house, but once they cool enough to handle and have sealed, begin shaking them until the butter re-solidifies.  I have found that this method takes the longest for the butter to cool and resolidify so make sure you have plenty of time for shaking.

Once cooled for 12-24 hours, remove bands, test seals, wash jars, label, and store in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight. You may see some brown bits suspended in the butter or at the bottom, that is normal with pressure canning and expected due to the high temperatures inside the canner dairy with caramelize during processing.

Water Bath Canning

Now we’re getting back into super mega rebel land and water bath canning dairy.  Water bath times for any and all dairy straight across the board is 1 hour at a full rolling boil, adjusting that time for elevation of that is your preference.

Melt butter on low heat in a stock pot.  Once butter is melted, fill jars to 1/2 inch headspace using a jar funnel.  Wipe rims with a dry paper towel and add lids and secure with screw bands.  

Add jars to your water bath canner (or steam canner if you’re super rebellious) and process for 1 hour at a full rolling boil.  After processing, turn off heat and remove lid and allow jars to sit 15 more minutes before removing from the canner to a heat proof surface lined with a towel.  Allow jars to cool until you can handle them and the lids have sealed.  Once sealed and cooled enough, begin shaking to redistribute the dairy solids until re-solidified.

After cooling for 12-24 hours, remove bands, test seals, wash jars, label, and store in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight.

Open Kettle Canning

This method requires everything to be HOT and will depend on the thermal battery of the jars to seal so take time to heat everything thoroughly, work fast, and be clean and cover your jars with a towel or blanket afterward to allow them to have a very slow cooling period.  This method comes with risk of not sealing due to not getting things hot enough, so keep this in mind if you choose this method.  

Butter isn’t one of those things you want to melt and re-melt and re-melt over and over again to reprocess as it will change and decrease the integrity and flavor.  Since we’re canning butter, we don’t want to introduce more water, so all the heating processes need to be dry here.

Add jars to a cool oven and heat to 225 degrees F.  Once heated, set a time for 15-20 minutes to thoroughly heat jars.  The last 5 minutes or so of heating, add a baking dish with the canning lids in to heat.  You can’t add your lids to boiling water because that will introduce moisture.

Into a stock pot, slowly melt butter, stirring.  Bring butter to just a barely bubble and when jars are ready, lower heat again.

Working one jar at a time, remove jar from the oven with a jar lifter and fill to almost the top with melted butter.  Wipe the jar rim, top with a hot lid, and secure with a screw band very tightly.  You don’t have to worry about fingertip tight when open kettle canning so crank those bands.  Set aside and repeat the process until all the jars are full.

Cover the jars with a towel or blanket and allow to cool slowly for several hours.  You may not hear jars sealing for an hour or two.  Once jars have sealed and cooled enough to handle with your bare hand, begin shaking to redistribute dairy solids til the butter is solid again.

​Cool 12-24 hours then remove screw bands, test seals, wash jars, label and store in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight.

Storage and Shelf Life

Store in a cool place (50-70 degrees F) for optimal storage conditions.  Shelf life is upwards of 5 or more years.  I’ve currently had a jar for 4 years before using it and it was perfectly fine, so can as much as you want for the number of jars you have.

​Now you have every method I know how to can butter to choose from, or just not can butter at all.  Your choice.  Even if you don’t want to can butter for long-term storage, I always recommend at least learning the skill because you really never know when you’ll need it!  And remember, your kitchen, your rules!  An untested recipe or method doesn’t mean you’re going to get botulism. I think everyone should know by now that just because the gub tested something and said it was safe doesn’t necessarily mean it’s in our best interest….

 Be smart, have common sense, think for yourself, and do your own research.  

Home canning isn’t hard and it isn’t scary.

How to Can Real Butter: 5 Different Easy Methods

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 pint

Author: Ruby – Red Feather Farm

Equipment

• Mason jar (s)
• New Lids & Screw Bands
• ladle
• stock pot
• Water bath canner
• Pressure Canner
• Electric roaster
• jar funnel
• jar lifter

Ingredients

• 1 pound butter

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• For all methods, you will start by washing your jars and lids in hot soapy water, rinsing well, and setting them aside to dry as your prepare to can the butter.

Electric Roaster Method

• Place a glass 9×13 or some canning rings in the bottom of the roaster pan so the jars aren't directly sitting on the pan of the roaster.  We're not going to get it super mega hot, but I do prefer the jars to not touch the roaster pan directly.  Line the glass casserole dish with a towel just so you don't have glass on glass and risk breaking jars. DO NOT add water to the roaster.
• Set your electric roaster to about 225 degrees F and add butter to each jar.  You can add whole sticks or slice it up and fill them however you want.  Allow the butter to melt and as it melts add more butter.  Aim to keep butter at about 1/2-inch headspace using this method.
• Once jars are full and butter is melted, wipe the rims with with a dry cloth (don't use vinegar, that's weird and who wants curdled melted butter) and add your lids and tighten with a screw band.Add the lid to the roaster and set a timer for 45 minutes.  Once time is up, shut off heat and remove lid.  Allow jars to sit for 15 minutes, then remove to a heat proof surface lined with a towel.

Oven Method

• Add your jars to a baking sheet and add butter to jars either as whole sticks or sliced up, whatever you want to do.  Place jars in the oven and start oven heating to 225 degrees F.  I check about every 15 minutes or so on the melting process.  Remove tray of jars and add more butter until all butter is melted and the jars are filled to about 1/2 inch headspace.
• Once jars are filled with melted butter, wipe the rims with a dry cloth and add lids and screw bands.  Place sheet tray with jars back in the oven and set a timer for 45 minutes.  Once 45 minutes are complete, remove tray from oven and transfer jars to a heat proof surface lined with a towel to cool.

Pressure Canning

• Melt butter in a stock pot over low heat.  Heat slowly so you don't brown the milk solids in the butter.  Once the butter is melted, fill clean jars to 1-inch headspace with hot butter.  You don't have to heat your jars prior to filling; hot into room temperature doesn't cause thermal shock.  Wipe off the top of the jars with a dry cloth and add lids and secure with screw bands.
• Process at your elevations recommended weight for low acid foods for the time you have decided works for you. (Anywhere from bringing to pressure and shutting off to 75 minutes for pints). Once time is complete, allow canner to completely depressurize before removing jars from the canner to a heat proof surface lined with a towel.

Water Bath Canning

• Melt butter on low heat in a stock pot.  Once butter is melted, fill jars to 1/2 inch headspace using a jar funnel.  Wipe rims with a dry paper towel and add lids and secure with screw bands. 
• Add jars to your water bath canner (or steam canner if you're super rebellious) and process for 1 hour at a full rolling boil.  After processing, turn off heat and remove lid and allow jars to sit 15 more minutes before removing from the canner to a heat proof surface lined with a towel.

Open Kettle Canning

• Add jars to a cool oven and heat to 225 degrees F.  Once heated, set a time for 15-20 minutes to thoroughly heat jars.  The last 5 minutes or so of heating, add a baking dish with the canning lids in to heat.  You can't add your lids to boiling water because that will introduce moisture.
• Into a stock pot, slowly melt butter, stirring.  Bring butter to just a barely bubble and when jars are ready, lower heat again.
• Working one jar at a time, remove jar from the oven with a jar lifter and fill to almost the top with melted butter.  Wipe the jar rim, top with a hot lid, and secure with a screw band very tightly.  You don't have to worry about fingertip tight when open kettle canning so crank those bands.  Set aside and repeat the process until all the jars are full.

Cooling

• After jars from any of the processes are removed from the canner, cover with a towel to allow them to cool slowly if your house is cold (especially oven, roaster, and open kettle methods).
• Once jars are sealed and cool enough to handle, begin shaking them every 30 minutes or so to redistribute the milk solids as it cools and re-solidifies Do not skip this step!
• Cool 12-24 hours then remove screw bands, test seals, wash jars, label and store in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight.

Shelf Life

• Shelf life is 'til you use it. As long as storage conditions are optimal and the seal is intact, butter should keep fine for 5 years or more!

Notes

If you are sensitive to salt, consider using some or all unsalted butter for canning as some have said the salt concentrates and gets a bit stronger after the canning process.

The steps in this printable recipe have been shortened so it’s not 27 pages long.  If you’d like a bit more info and reading, please consider scrolling back to the original blog post where each method is described more in depth and FAQs are addressed at the top!

Remember, your kitchen, your rules!  An untested recipe or method doesn’t mean you’re going to get botulism.  Be smart, have common sense, think for yourself, and do your own research.  Canning dairy is considered rebel canning due to it not being tested nor approved, so can at your own risk.  This recipe is for informational purposes only.