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The Different Types of Butter (and Why Cultured Butter Deserves a Spot in Your Fridge)

Butter is a staple ingredient in most kitchens. From adding richness to baked goods to enhancing savory dishes, this humble product has found its way into recipes worldwide. But did you know not all butter is created equal?

While cream butter (the type most commonly found in supermarkets) reigns supreme in many households, cultured butter is quickly gaining the attention it deserves—and for good reason.

If you're a cooking enthusiast or health-conscious home chef, it's worth understanding the differences between these types of butter, and why cultured butter could elevate your culinary creations.

Understanding Butter Basics
What is butter? Simply put, butter is made by churning cream until the fat separates from the liquid (buttermilk). The fat is then collected and shaped into the blocks or tubs of butter we know and love. While the process may seem straightforward, the end product can vary significantly depending on how the butter is made and the type of cream used.

Types of Butter
Cream Butter (Sweet Butter)  
The most common variety, cream butter, is made by churning fresh cream (with no fermentation involved). It has a smooth, creamy flavor and is an all-purpose choice for cooking, baking, and spreading.
Cultured Butter  
Cultured butter takes the traditional process one step further. Before the cream is churned, it is fermented with live bacteria, much like yogurt or sourdough starter. This extra step adds a deeper, nuanced flavor with tangy notes that you won't find in regular butter. 
Salted vs. Unsalted Butter  
Butter can be either salted or unsalted. Salted butter includes added salt for flavor and preservation, while unsalted butter leaves the salt out, offering more control in recipes.
Clarified Butter and Ghee  
These butter varieties are made by removing the milk solids and water, leaving behind pure fat, which has a longer shelf life and a higher smoke point. Ghee is popular in Indian cuisine for its rich, nutty flavor.

What Makes Cultured Butter Special?
The secret to its rich, tangy flavor lies in the fermentation process.  Fresh cream is inoculated with friendly bacteria cultures (similar to those found in buttermilk or yogurt).
The cream is left to ferment for hours, sometimes overnight, allowing the bacteria to develop a complex, tangy flavor. The fermented cream is then churned into butter, just like regular cream butter.
The result? A butter that not only tastes more flavorful but also has a silky texture and a lower water content—making it richer and more luxurious.

Benefits of Cultured Butter Over Cream Butter
If you're wondering why you should make the switch to cultured butter, here are a few compelling reasons:
Enhanced Flavor  
Cultured butter's tangy, rich taste adds an extra layer of complexity to dishes. Whether you're spreading it on fresh bread or melting it over vegetables, it's a flavor burst.
Better Baking Results  
Thanks to its lower water content, cultured butter creates flakier pastries and more tender baked goods. It’s a favorite choice among professional bakers for croissants and other laminated doughs.
Improved Digestion  
 The fermentation process used to make cultured butter can make it easier to digest for some individuals. While it’s not lactose-free, the fermentation helps break down some of the lactose.
Nutritional Benefits  
Cultured butter often contains beneficial compounds like lactic acid bacteria and short-chain fatty acids, which may contribute to gut health.
A Gourmet Touch  
 Using cultured butter is an easy way to elevate even the simplest recipes. It’s prized for finishing dishes like steak or seafood with a final decadent layer of richness.

Brown's butter is always cultured. this takes time but we believe it makes all the difference to your health and flavor so lets encourage slow processing!

Dive into the art of sourdough bread making with this comprehensive guide. Conquer common baking challenges from dense loaves to over-proofing and learn to influence your bake's outcome every step of the way. Understand the basics of sourdough, learn to troubleshoot problems, from the gummy texture to thick crusts, and navigate the complexities of hydration, temperature, flour type, and timing. Embrace this delicious science project in your kitchen and, with practice and passion, you'll be crafting perfect sourdough bread in no time. So gear up for your culinary adventure and happy baking!

Craving Camembert? This post offers 5 delicious and easy recipes to make the most of this versatile cheese. From baked Camembert with honey and nuts to a simple Camembert salad, these recipes are perfect for any occasion. So grab your favorite cheese and get cooking!

You’ve probably never thought about why the milk you buy never separates into the creamy layer you find on fresh farm milk? Milk naturally settles where the cream floats onto the top of the milk bottle. In the old days, this was the best bit of the milk as it would make your bowl of cereal extra creamy.

So, what magical process stops milk fat from separating out? It’s a process called homogenization. The milk passes under pressure through the machine. It breaks down the fat globules, so they are much smaller and therefore stay evenly distributed within the milk. Pretty cool right?

We often get asked why people can drink our milk that is not homogenised, and other milk give them issues? What the impact to your health?

Here comes the science bit ….” Cow’s milk contains an enzyme of large molecular size called xanthine oxidase (XO). XO is normally attached to the fat globules in milk. However, when these fat globules are in their natural large-sized state prior to homogenization, they are not easily absorbed by the gut wall. After homogenization, the milk fat is easily absorbed, and the attached XO gains much greater access to the bloodstream.

Some researchers [such as Dr. Kurt Oster and Dr. Donald Ross] have asserted that XO, after getting into the bloodstream, directly promotes hardening of the arteries by replacing a substance called plasmalogen that is normally found there. The research supporting this connection between XO and hardening of the arteries is not clear-cut, but whether there is a definite cause-and-effect relationship between the two should not be a critical factor in deciding whether you should drink milk. This possible XO link to heart disease is but one more potential connection of milk to disease and premature death.” 2001 Thomas E. Levy, MD, JD.

Through homogenization, fat molecules in milk become smaller and become ‘capsules’ for substances that bypass digestion. Proteins that would normally be digested in the stomach or gut are not broken down, and are absorbed into the bloodstream…Nov. 28, 2007 - Robert Cohen

You might be wondering why we don’t homogenize our milk. We think it is important to keep true, wholesome foods in their original form and not tamper with them too much. Organic milk from the farm comes straight from cows that are given a happy, natural life on pastureland where they can graze freely all year round. Our milk tastes different because we minimally process fresh milk daily and get it delivered to you the same day. The cream on top also creates the perfect morning coffee if you are a coffee snob... So why not try knowing where your milk comes from and getting our milk delivered fresh to your door twice weekly in returnable glass bottles.

Have you ever thought about what's in the yoghurt that YOU eat? We all know how beneficial it is to have good bacteria for our digestive systems and immune health, but not every brand of yogurt has these same benefits. Greek yogurt contains more protein than regular brands which can help with muscle recovery after exercise or even just an intense workout at the gym! Not only does this make your stomach feel less bloating from gas-related discomfort when eating them instead (gastrointestinal conditions), they also provide essential nutrients such as calcium needed by bones tissue cells so there'll be no osteoporosis symptoms later down the road.

Greek yogurt is a thickened style of yoghurt. It traditionally becomes thick by the pure yoghurt being strained so the whey (water) part of the milk is thrown away. Because this creates a lower yield some dairies began adding starches or thickeners to the yoghurt. These are normally hidden with E numbers so the consumer does not see the word “Starch” on their yoghurt. (a sneaky way food producers hide ingredients into foods). So why do should you care? Well - all that starch means the yoghurt is nice and thick, but you are essentially getting way more starch/carbohydrates than clean traditionally made yoghurts. Yes, it makes the yoghurt cheaper on your wallet, but is doesn’t fill you up like a traditionally Greek strained style of yoghurt. You therefore find you eat double the amount than you would the traditionally strained Greek style.

Yoghurt fat content will vary between the fat content of the milk. At browns we choose to use skimmed milk as we find the thicker strained yoghurt lends itself to a cleaner taste that way.

Protein levels vary depending on the style of yoghurt. Greek will be double the protein of normal yoghurt which is around 5g. Check your yoghurt as some will not based on how they are processed, and the other fillers used in the making of the yoghurt.  This high dose of protein means it will keep you fuller longer and satiated so it can help in keeping the weight off.

If you’ve been wondering why Greek yogurt is pricier than regular, now you know. It takes a lot more work to make true Greek yogurt and the ingredients are pretty much all natural (no additives or preservatives). But if this matters to you –and it should- then we invite you to visit us at the farm to see how we make it or join us for one of our live classes where we teach you to make your own yoghurt at home.