SALTING AND WORKING OF BUTTER. 265 



to get in salt enough to suit the American butter markets, 

 2% being about the maximum amount of salt that can be 

 incorporated by the brine method. 



In some instances, brine-salting has been recommended. If 

 a light mild taste is desired, the brine method may give good 

 results. The greatest advantages of brine-salting are that 

 mottles in butter are practically avoided, and that the over- 

 run is usually increased a trifle. Especially is this so if the 

 temperature of the brine is medium high when added to the 

 butter. In order to get enough salt (2%) into the butter by 

 the brine method, it is necessary to churn it considerably in 

 the brine and to use two sets of brine. When brine is first 

 added the butter already contains considerable water. This 

 water practically has to be replaced by brine. This is difficult 

 to do, especially if the butter has been overchurned a trifle. 



By churning the butter in the first set of brine, the brine 

 will soon become diluted to such an extent that it will impart 

 but little saltiness to the butter. For this reason this first 

 set of brine should be removed and another one added. Then 

 churn again in this brine. This last set of brine will have 

 very little curd in it, and can be saved until the following day 

 and then used as the first set of brine. This first set of brine 

 may be used each day for soaking tubs. 



It is essential to leave the brine on the butter for from five 

 to fifteen minutes. Churning excessively in the brine, espe- 

 cially if butter is medium soft, will cause too much water to 

 be incorporated in the butter. After the butter has been ex- 

 posed to the second set of brine the proper length of time, it 

 should be drawn off and the butter worked in the usual manner. 

 Less working is usually given to butter which has been salted 

 by the brine method. It should be worked enough to dis- 

 tribute the brine evenly in the butter, and to bring the butter 

 into a compact form. If the butter salted by the brine method 

 is not worked sufficiently, it will after standing become streaky 

 in color. 



