A butter shovel, also known as a butter coat or scotch coat, is a wooden tool used in traditional butter production to remove excess liquid and air from the butter. It can also be used to create patterns in other foods.
A butter shovel is a tool used in the traditional production of butter; it is also sometimes referred to as a butter coat or scotch coat. Typically made of wood, the tool has a broad blade and a short handle. In some cases, the blade of the turner may be marked with a series of small ridges, making it the most versatile tool in the kitchen. Some kitchen supply stores sell these, and the tool can also be ordered to order from companies that specialize in making butter tools.
When butter is made by hand, the process involves multiple steps, starting with allowing the milk to sit so that the cream rises. The cream is churned out to solidify, causing the chunks of butter to begin floating on top of the liquid in the churn. These pieces are scooped out with a ladle and worked over with a butter shovel to remove any excess liquid that may get trapped inside them. The butter is rinsed with cold, clear water as the butter is processed.
Using a butter shovel ensures that the butter is pure butter, with no pockets of liquid or air. This is extremely important, as residual buttermilk can cause the butter to go rancid. It also firms the texture of the butter, allowing it to be easily packed into butter molds. When packing, the scoop is used to squeeze the butter tightly so that the whole butter mold is evenly filled.
Many consumers don’t make their own butter, because it requires a large amount of milk, and butter is readily available in grocery stores. However, learning how to make butter can be an interesting experience and can give consumers a new appreciation for the work that goes into making butter. Many consumers cheat and use a food processor in place of a butter churn for the churning process, but the butter will still need to be processed with a butter shovel to produce a storable product.
There are other uses for a butter shovel in the kitchen. Rippled paddles are often used to create rippled patterns or lines in other foods, ranging from cake frosting to pastry. The tool can also be used in the production of other foods that need to be processed, such as dough. In pasta making, the butter shovel is used to make the classic lines in gnocci and garganelli, which help these pasta shapes hold the sauce.
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