What do you do with expired cream?
In this brief guide, we will answer the question “What do you do with expired cream?”, tell you how to spot spoiled cream and how to make butter from expired heavy cream. We will also discuss whether you can use cream that has gone sour and how to store it properly to avoid spoilage.
What do you do with expired cream?
You can make butter from expired heavy cream but you should check for signs of spoilage first.
Cream will last for 5-7 days once it has been opened given that it was stored properly. Unopened cream can last for one to three weeks past its expiry date if stored properly.
Cream is a dairy product so it is a perishable item like all the other dairy products and tends to spoil quickly if not stored properly.
How to spot spoiled cream?
Spoiled cream will have a sour taste once it has gone bad. It will also give off a rancid smell which may be so strong that you can smell it as soon as you open the refrigerator door.
You can also tell that it has gone bad by looking at its texture. Spoiled cream may have a runny texture with lumps in it. Look for any yellow or brown discolorations. Mold can also grow on it so keep an eye out for it.
How to make butter from expired heavy cream?
When heavy cream that is past its expiry date has no signs of spoilage, you can use it to make homemade butter.
Take the expired heavy cream and whip it up. Whip it at medium to high speed. It will become whipped cream once you see stiff peaks forming in it. Keep scraping the cream from the sides so that it whips up evenly.
After it has whipped, keep whipping some more. At one point, you will see it solidifying with buttermilk getting separated. It will basically be like butter sitting in buttermilk.
Once it has solidified enough, take a cheesecloth and place it over a bowl and place this mixture on top of it. This will separate the buttermilk from the butter.
Squeeze the cheesecloth with butter in it to remove all the excess fluid. Place this in the refrigerator for about a day to make sure all the fluid has been removed.
After this, you can take out the butter, use spatulas to form it into a block and wrap it in baking paper. You can keep this in your fridge and use it in cooking or use it as a spread.
You can also add chives and garlic powder in it during the whipping process for added flavor.
Can you use cream that has gone sour?
No, you can not use cream that has gone sour because sourness is a sign that the cream has gone bad. Cream has a shelf life of 2-3 weeks if placed in the refrigerator after it has been opened.
Pasteurized cream, on the other hand, can be used for 1-3 weeks past its expiry date because it does not contain the bacteria that usually spoils the cream. Pasteurization is a process by which harmful bacteria found in milk is killed by exposing it to heat.
Cream that tastes sour has definitely gone bad. The sour taste is a sign that there has been enough bacterial growth on it which is not safe for consumption.
Consuming spoiled cream can lead to food poisoning. Its symptoms are fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, malaise, headache, and dehydration.
Learn more about spoiled cream and its shelf life here.
How to store cream?
When the cream is unopened, you can store it in the pantry, in a cool, dry place for months. You should keep it away from heat and moisture. Do not keep it near the stove top.
Once it has been opened, transfer it to an airtight container and tightly seal it before putting it in the fridge. Place it at the back of the shelf away from the refrigerator door to avoid any temperature fluctuations.
You can also store it in the freezer in pretty much the same way except you might want to use a heavy duty freezer bag to avoid freezer burn.
One drawback of freezing cream is that it may alter its texture when it is thawed for use.
Other FAQs about Cream that you may be interested in.
How much creamer should I put in coffee?
How long does cream last once opened?
Can you use cream that has gone sour?
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we answered the question “What do you do with expired cream?”, told you how to spot spoiled cream and how to make butter from expired heavy cream. We also discussed whether you can use cream that has gone sour and how to store it properly to avoid spoilage.
