Everyone needs butter on a daily basis for cooking and having breakfast with bread. Many great recipes include butter, so everybody wants to store butter for longer. But many don’t know the perfect ways and have a common question, how to preserve butter?
You can store butter at three different temperatures: room temperature, refrigerator, and in the freezer. The best option to preserve butter for longer is to keep it in a freezer wrapped with foil paper.
However, some prefer something other than freezing butter when needed, as it takes longer to become soft if frozen. So, I also have other options for you. Learn the simple process of storing butter with more knowledge regarding keeping it for long.
3 Effective Way to Preserve Butter
According to USDA, one must keep butter in the refrigerator to keep it safe to eat for some days. But you can also freeze it or store it at room temperature. Here are the three ways of preserving butter in three different temperatures.
1. Storing in the Fridge
If you often consume butter like me, storing it in the refrigerator at a temperature of 40 degrees F would be best. This will allow you to use butter anytime you like without melting it with heat.
If the butter is intact, it can be preserved well for at least two weeks or until its expiration date. If you have opened the package, then wrap it properly with foil or put it inside an airtight bag or container to make it last for two weeks.
2. Keeping in the Freezer
If you use butter sometimes, preserving it in the freezer is best, as the frozen butter can last for months. The good news is that keeping it in the freezer for this long will not make its taste fade away. But remember, you must have to put it in an airtight bag or container. This will prevent it from consuming the smell of anything you have stored in the freezer.
3. At Room Temperature
You may have not heard this, but you can keep butter at room temperature for 48 hours! This may sound wild, but some special containers are made only to preserve butter at a normal temperature. Those special butter-preserving containers are French butter keeper and butter bell crock.
Can You Preserve All Kinds of Butter?
Yes, you can preserve all kinds of butter, whether salty, unsalty, or any other type. But the time and storage of them will vary. Some will last longer, while others will expire soon. But you would be surprised to know that only salted butter can be stored for days at room temperature if kept inside an airtight bag or box.
This is due to the power of salt. It doesn’t allow any bacteria to flourish easily. According to Healthline, it’s better to leave pasteurized salty butter outside the Fridge. However, you can still refrigerate or freeze it if you like.
How Long Can You Preserve Butter?
If stored properly, butter can last longer than its “best by date.” The expiration date of butter varies depending on its type and other factors like the temperature. This table shows the lasting periods of 10 different butters.
| Types of Butter | Lasting Period at Room Temperature | Lasting Period in Refrigerator (Opened) | Lasting Period in Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salted Butter | 3 to 5 days | Over 2 months | 10 months to 1 year |
| Unsalted Butter | 1 to 2 days | 1 to 2 months | 7 to 9 months |
| Sweet Cream Butter | 1 day | 2 to 3 weeks | 4 to 5 months |
| Cultured Butter | Few hours | 10 days | 20 to 30 days |
| Organic Butter | 1 to 2 days | 3 months | 6 to 9 months |
| Plant-based Butter | Not recommended | 2 to 3 months | Over 6 months |
| European-style Butter | Few hours | 10 days | Over 1 month |
| Spreadable Butter | 1 day | 2 months | 6 to 9 months |
| Whipped Butter | 1 to 2 days | 10 days | 6 to 9 months |
| Goat Butter | 1 to 2 days | 2 to 3 months | 6 months |
Is It Safe to Preserve Butter?
Fortunately, it’s completely safe to eat preserved butter. If kept in the freezer, the butter is safe to use for 9 months and sometimes for a year. However, some signs will tell you this particular butter can harm you immediately.
For example, if you use a less popular brand of butter, the chance is that it will last for less time. The signs that your butter is no longer edible include a pungent smell coming from it, discoloration, and growing mold. You’re advised to throw away that bag of butter immediately because consuming it is associated with high risks of stomach issues.
Tips to Keep Butter Fresh for Longer
Follow these 7 tips if you want your butter to last longer and taste quite fresh even after months.
- Keeping butter in a clean, airtight bag or container
- Refrigerate butter at 40 degrees F or under
- Protect butter using foil paper or a silicone cover
- Use a crock if you want to keep butter to last longer at room temperature
- Keep clarified butter only at room temperature
- Defrost butter without heating it by keeping it out all night the day before you want it in your breakfast
- When buying, check the expiration date, or else you may accidentally purchase butter that has a few days of expiry
Final Words
Butter is a common food ingredient that is found in almost every home. For its variable uses, people want to store them for an extended period. Luckily, you can keep butter for weeks, sometimes even a year (if it’s from the best brand).
So, I also added some tips that will be helpful to you. Keeping butter in the Fridge or freezer would be the best.
Do you have any other questions regarding storing or using butter?
Don’t hesitate to comment, and thank you for bearing patience till the end.
