When you are a true survivalist, you have to have food items that are going to last a long time especially food products. Canning food is a good option because it seals well the food even though it’s harder to open then your typical Ziploc bag. Of course, there are essential foods besides items such as butter that you need to consume for the protein and vitamins. But I noticed that to be a happier survivalist, having butter on the go is actually a big plus.
Most recipes demand that you use butter and storing it well is what survivalists need to do. You can make butter on your own and also cheese but there are a lot of steps involved and if you’re on the go during a disaster situation, having canned butter is your best option.
What is the exact shelf life of canned butter? Most cans that contain butter state that the expiration date is 2 years after the manufacturing date. Nevertheless, I feel that depending on the quality of the can, this can safely be extended. However, this would be at your own risk. I have read first-hand accounts of canned butter lasting easily 5 to 6 years. It is the quality of the can that is important.
Why Does Butter Have a Long Shelf Life?
Canned butter has a long shelf-life because it’s made of pasteurized butter that started as pasteurized cream. When something is pasteurized, such as butter, it has a low quantity of bacteria present.
Also, canned butter has a large quantity of salt which is something that preserves whatever is contained within the can. If you have a product that has a lot of different chemicals and unnatural ingredients, there’s a chance that the taste will be inferior or that the shelf life is not going to be as long as something that has a less complex chemical composition.
Due to the lack of ingredients, as long as the can of butter is well sealed, such as not having dents or scratches on it, it should be fine in the long-term. You may have noticed that there are canned goods in grocery stores that are reduced just because they have dents This is because there’s a chance that there’s an air pocket created that could contaminate the ingredients over the long term.
Another concern is that you should ensure that the can is not rusted because this can alter the composition of the can allowing air to enter into the can, contaminating your butter.
I have read that people are purchasing powdered butter but I don’t think that this butter option is going to be as appetizing. I can remember as a child having powdered milk. The Taste was horrible even though my mother tended to mix it with whole milk to reduce the sour taste that was present in the powdered version. I would still stick with canned butter that is actual butter and not powdered even though there’s a chance that it would last longer in a disaster situation. Just remember that a survivalist still will appreciate tasty ingredients in their recipes.
What are the ingredients of canned butter?
Preserved butter has two simple ingredients: pasteurized ice cream and salt. If you try to purchase canned butter that has a lot of unnatural ingredients, there’s a chance that it’s not going to be as fresh as you would like it to be once you have open the can.
Having pasteurized cream is important because that’s going to totally reduce the chances of you having to do with botulism due to bacteria.
Since can’t butter is made in factories, there’s a chance that has been inspected by the government depending on the country where it had been manufactured. Factory production is the most efficient way to can. It is performed by industrial equipment. The canning does not involve the sterilization of jars at someone’s home, along with the screwing on of lids.
Nevertheless, if you can butter on your own, you still need to ensure to use pasteurized cream because it’s the type is going to have a low content of bacteria.
I’ve noticed that a lot of canned butter products use ultra-pasteurized cream. This type of cream has been cooked at 280 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 2 minutes which provides it with a fresher taste. Also, it is easier to whip if need be.
This fluffy canned butter that uses pasteurized cream has a longer life span versus the average canned butter. Some feel that pasteurized cream is not as tasty, however, I beg to differ in this matter. You really are not going to be able to taste the difference between pasteurized and unpasteurized because since it simply eliminates most bacteria.
Besides cream, salt is another content in canned butter. Salt has been used for hundreds of years to preserve food since long ago, refrigeration was not available to the level that is available now. I have read that salt is actually one of the ingredients that can last the longest out of any ingredient that is in the realm of being food.
Should you buy Canned Butter or Should You Can it Yourself?
Since there are not a lot of ingredients involved with canned butter, is it something that you could be making on your own. I feel that as a survivalist, you want to reduce your workload. Preserving items manually is counterproductive when there is a viable option already that is industrialized.
Here are the steps involved to can your butter on your own:
- You need to sterilize the jars for your butter.
- Now, melt your butter so that you can simply pour it into your cans.
- You’ll need to strain it to make it a clarified butter which is the type that is used in Indian cooking such as Ghee.
- Add it to your sterilized jars and seal them.
I’m not sure how you feel, but this seems like a lot of different steps where something could go wrong in your sterilization process. There are many different countries that offer canned butter, such as Australia, New Zealand, and Holland. It’s better if you just order canned butter online and call it a day. Then you’ll be able to concentrate on your other survivalist tactics instead of worrying about sterilizing correctly jars.
Even government agencies warn against canning butter on your own. They’re not convinced that the online tactics that you can read about such as using dry heat is going to sterilize fully your jars before you add the butter.
How Good is Canned Butter from Holland?
One of the best countries that offers canned butter is Holland. People talk endlessly about Dutch canned butter options. For instance, there is the Wijsman and Zn Dutch butter brand at 99Ranch stores in places like San Diego. To view the pricing of canned Wisjman butter, click here.
In some forums, people had mentioned a French Demi-Sel called Bretel. This is not a Dutch canned butter but it is one that is manufactured in France. They feel it’s great because of the fact that it has a low quantity of salt and it is still able to be preserved for long periods of time within its can.
The reason why Butters that are manufactured by Holland and other European countries are so popular is that they’re cultured more than American brands. What is great about European butter, is it has a bitter taste that is appreciated by those of us that like to bake even as a survivalist. As a Survivalist, you might find it boring just to have canned food all the time. But you’re probably not going to be able to tell the difference between butter and canned butter so save yourself the headache and purchase some online.
Canned Dutch butter has a Tangy taste that is sour. Nevertheless, it is Rich enough for making complex baking products. Buy some now on Amazon.
American butter is highly regulated by the USDA, They require that butter contains 80% butterfat. This can reduce the tastiness of the butter.
Is Real Feather the Best Canned Butter for the Survivalist Crowd?
I did a lot of research to find out which canned butter is the best butter all around in New Zealand. It seems to be the Red Feather butter (click to view pricing on Amazon).
Canned butter from New Zealand is super fresh. The red feather brand is made by Ballantyne. They specialize in canned butter.
It is important that you have a tasty butter even if it’s been canned so that your baking product will be satisfactory to your taste. If you’re a survivalist, you are going to be under a lot of stress especially if you’re trying to leave a disaster area. If you’re able to bake some goods that are more like home cooking, are you going to feel much happier and less stressed.
Relieving your stress level is actually better than being consumed by ensuring that you have enough protein and vitamins to survive. You should worry about our mental health as well as our physical health.
Since canned butter can be tasty, this gives you the store butter outside of a fridge. Plus, most canned kinds of butter do not have artificial flavors or colors which can be absorbed into the body causing possible health problems. Furthermore, you can get it in the salted or the unsalted form if you shop around. Nevertheless, it seems as if a lot of Manufacturers avoid the unsalted or demi salt because it reduces the preservation time.
Where Can You Purchase Dutch Canned Butter?
You can purchase Dutch preserved butter usually online. which is perfect for someone that’s just going on a camping trip fishing trip. In these scenarios, you will appreciate a quick fix instead of having to worry about dealing with poorly covered butter. Butter is almost essential for cooking in the forest especially when it comes to breakfast time when someone is wanting to cook eggs and hash browns
In other words, canned butter is not only for survivalists, all of us that enjoy the outdoors, appreciate items that do not have to be refrigerated.
