So, you wanna dehydrate butter but you’re not sure how? Butter has a fairly high amount of fat, so dehydrating it with centrifugal force is often used to separate the moisture. This is how butter powder is made, which is a product available on the shelves at most emergency food storage businesses. Dehydrated butter can be difficult to store for more than 20-25 years in mylar bags, but this shouldn’t deter you from making your own homemade dehydrated butter.
Freeze-dried butter and dehydrated butter will not dry completely. This is the most essential point to remember. You will have a spreadable material that has lost most of its moisture. While dehydrating butter can remove moisture, it will not remove fat. This high-fat content will ensure that it stays spreadable. You will get better results if you freeze-dry it. But, there’s a way to make your homemade dehydrated butter even more delicious using your home freezer.
Dehydrating Butter with a Home Dryer
You will begin by cutting your cold butter into planks about 1/2 inch thick. This will expose the moist areas of the butter while keeping it intact. Place your planks on parchment paper that is large enough to fit your dehydrator. Air circulation is a key element in the dehydrating process. This trick will make it easier to dehydrate. Butter-lined parchment can be frozen for up to 24 hours to give it a nice edge.
This will allow the butter to naturally cool down in the freezer. Make sure butter is not being dehydrated on a hot day. The better your butter will taste is dependent on the colder the area can be kept. You will only have a separate mess if the butter melts before it dries. Let it sit for a night to get the best out of your butter. You will get better results if you can control the temperature. Don’t be afraid to check the butter again after you have done so. Put the butter back in the freezer for 24 hours as it will dry the butter over time. You might consider freezing for a week to get the process started. This will aid in the process of dehydration. Think of it like a low-level freeze-dry!
Keeping Your Butter Stored for the Long Term
Canning is probably the best way to keep the dehydrated butter safe for the long-term. However, you can store dehydrated butter in mylar bags containing oxygen absorbers if you dry your butter thoroughly. You might also want to keep them in the freezer. But, your goal is to be able store them in dry storage.
Stay Prepared
Butter is an essential food for many of us, so having it stored long-term is important. Be sure to check out these helpful, essential tips on how to stockpile efficiently.
Dan here. Prepping is key to surviving when SHTF, and that’s what I’m all about. Check out my blog for both prepper tips and general survival tactics.