What's the best way to store Butter?

"Air and light are what can spoil butter which is why some butter brands are in foil packaging to protect it even further ensuring its at its freshest when you buy it."

Where to store butter can prompt debates in many households. In the fridge so it lasts longer? Or at room temperature so it can be spread easier? It’s a dividing topic either way.

Many of us store our butter in the fridge due to habit and you’ve never really thought any more of it. Others swear by keeping theirs on the counter. After all, there’s nothing worse than preparing your toast in the morning and having to force cold butter down on your toast only to ruin it with your knife. To keep butter longer and at its best quality many of us keep our butter in the fridge.

You can get the best of both worlds by keeping your butter refrigerated, but keep 1-2 days’ worth covered in a dish on the counter or in the pantry. General packaging guidelines on most brands of butter specify keeping butter refrigerated but for better spreadability you can safely keep butter for a few days at room temperature as long as its covered, airtight and away from light. Because butter has a high fat and low water content, it makes it less attractive to bacteria than other dairy products; and for salted butter fans, the salt acts as a preservative helping to further protect it against bacterial growth.

Air and light are what can spoil butter which is why some butter brands are in foil packaging to protect it even further ensuring its at its freshest when you buy it; so when refrigerating butter keep it in its original packaging. Other tips that work well include keeping butter in the coolest part of the fridge – which is usually the cooler drawers, not the fridge door which is usually the warmest place; and avoid keeping butter near foods with strong odours such as onions or garlic as the butter can absorb the flavors.

A nostalgic way to enjoy butter is with a Butter Bell Crock. You can find these in most home and kitchenware stores. Usually made from stone, they work by placing cold water up to the fill line of the outer dish, then placing the small dish filled with butter inside. The small dish sits over the cold water, almost floating on top. The butter won’t melt or spoil, but is kept perfectly soft for fuss-free spreading. Stone or marble crocks work best as they keep cooler; however they are available in other materials.

For long term storage it is still safest to store butter wrapped or covered in the refrigerator. Butter also freezes well but to protect it further you should cover it with an additional foil or a freezer bag. Properly wrapped freezer butter can keep for several months.

We would love to know, where do you store your butter? Let us know on our Facebook page here.