Storing butter at room temperature

Ytaya

I'm sure, once upon a time, people kept butter at room temperature and didn't die of food poisoning. I was brought up on marg, so have no experience of this myself.

How long does butter keep outside of the fridge? (That is, how long does it take to smell rancid?) Do you need to keep it in anything special, or just the wrapper?

whatatwit

Mum and dad don't put their butter in the fridge, unless it gets really hot in summer.
They keep theirs in a covered butter dish, it doesn't get time to go off.
If you don't use a lot, then cut a block into quarters and just leave out a small amount at a time, keeping the rest wrapped up in the fridge.

Psykicpup

keeps for ages as long as the weathers not too warm in which case it is better in the fridge as it an get toooo soft

kippers

I keep mine in a butter dish and i don't keep it in the fridge as you can't spread it then.

I'm still here to tell the tale

thriftlady_2

I have never had any problems with keeping butter out of the fridge. I use a Cornish ware butter dish which I love. I put half a block in at a time. It gets used pretty quickly with 5 of us.

CLARABEL

i also keep mine out of the fridge in a terracotta butter dish. my dish can be soaked in water if it gets hot weather so that it cools the butter through evaporation!

My butter has never gone rancid, and lasts easily more than a week..

:T

Ytaya

Thanks, guys!

It seems like a butter dish is key. A quick scout online tells me that John Lewis / Lakeland want £13 - £30 for one, and Argos and Tesco Direct don't do them. Are butter dishes really that expensive?! :eek: Would any old stoneware pot with a lid do? I'm a single girl, I don't need oodles out at once.

AussieLass

Yes any stoneware pot with a lid will be fine. I'd just keep a little out at a time if you are the only one using it. I think a hot summer is predicted

heather38

i'm cheap and use one of these http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=15567&catalogId=10103&storeId=7&productId=11078&langId=-20&categoryId=16260&chosenPartNumber=80098583
it does me and i'm still here to tell the tale.

Mariel

How about a lock and lock? They usually keep things fresh for longer.

wolvesinwales

I always struggled getting this right but on a recent visit to Macro i found the solution, i bought a box of catering butter mini packs 10g in each i think. I just take a few out of the fridge at a time.
Plus they actually worked out cheaper than the equivalent weight in a single block.