Have a question on canning butter

[MamawK]

I canned 12 pints of butter. Went by the directions under Jackies Clay. Everything looked good. after the refridgeration time I set it on the counter and it got runny soft, like it hadn't set up yet. It was hard when it came out of the fridge. Any ideas on what I could have done wrong? Do I have to do it over? The first batch of 5 pints did perfect. No problems.

[Shamrock1121]

1. There are no safe standards or tested recipes for "canning" butter at home. It's actually not canning at all because there are no high-heat canning processes used. Low adic foods must be pressure canned, and this method doesn't use that method.

2. Dry heating jars in the oven is NOT recommended. The manufacturer of jars do not recommend baking or oven "canning". There are no guarantees that the jars have been sterilized using an oven method.

3. The vacuum seal is created by the warmth of the jar and the temperature of the melted butter. This is not enough heat processing to get a good seal on the lid. Any remaining fat on the jar rims can cause insufficient sealing. This is the old "open kettle" method which is no longer considered safe to use for home canning.

4. Butter is a low-acid food and will support the growth of C. botulinum and toxin formation in a sealed jar at room temperature.

5. Even in a sealed jar, the environment is perfect for bacteria to grow. We are contending with newer and more deadly bacteria than we had even 20 years ago. Using unsafe, untested, canning recipes is taking a chance the food will support the growth of pathogenic microorganisms.

One of the most deadly microorganisms is the bacteria C. botulinum. It will only grow in the absence of air (your sealed jar). The ideal conditions of growth are:

-high moisture
-low acid foods
-temperature between 40° and 120°F
-less than 2% oxygen

6. Since butter, a low-acid food, wasn't processed properly with a high heat process, it's the perfect medium for bacterial growth. If the spores are present, they will produce vegetative cells, which can multiply rapidly. A deadly toxin is produced within 3-4 days.

7. I'd suggest powdered butter as an alternative to home "canned" butter, or coconut oil. Both of these items have a long shelf-life. Personnally, I keep both on hand and always have at least a years worth of coconut oil.

If you have more questions, I'd suggest you contact your County Extension Office and talk to the Foods Agent. They have up-to-date home canning information.

-Karen

[pcrowder]

I've had the same thing happen, but it is still fine to use. As long as your jars sealed, it will be just fine. Some brands of butter have more water in them than others, and I've found that some of them I have to kinda really low simmer to get the water to evaporate off before I can them, but that is the only problem I've encountered so far, and the butter keeps fine and is safe to eat.

[MamawK]

I appreciate both of you taking time to answer my questions. Thanks for your help.