After awhile, you will see the heavy whipping cream solidifying. It will begin to form a yellowish color resembling butter. You will also see some liquid separating from the butter. This is a normal part of the process. Not all of the cream will form into butter. It’s normal to have some buttermilk on the top. Keep shaking the jar until there is a clear separation between the butter at the bottom of the jar and the liquid on the top.
If a little butter slips out when you’re pouring out the buttermilk, do not worry. You can use a spoon to scoop it out of the container and place it back in the jar. As butter may slip out, do not drain the buttermilk over the sink. Even if you intend to discard the buttermilk, drain it into a container.
If you plan to use your butter for a recipe that calls for unsalted butter, refrain from using salt.
Run cold water over your butter as you knead it. Work the butter with your hands until it’s firmer and a lot of buttermilk has leaked out. This will take several minutes. This is a very messy process. Expect that your hands will get dirty when kneading homemade butter.
Choose a combination of herbs you enjoy. If you’re going for, say, an Italian seasoning, opt for herbs like basil, oregano, and garlic powder. Things like rosemary and thyme also taste good in butter.
As homemade butter can be a litter runnier than regular butter, you may want to knead butter under running water before using it in baked goods.
