Nothing is worse than attempting to spread hard, cold butter on a piece of toast. Your butter needs to be soft in order to produce fluffy cake batter. A chilled butter stick with herbs and spices? Almost unthinkable achievement. We could always keep our butter on the kitchen counter, it seems like, which would make life so much simpler. But is it really safe to keep butter out in the open? Yes, to a certain extent, is the quick response. Butter can be stored at room temperature for a longer period of time than other dairy products. The structure is to blame for that.
Butter At Room Temperature
Churning, the process of dividing milk or cream into its solid and liquid components, produces butter. The milk's inherent fat is the part that is solid, and the liquid that is left behind is buttermilk. When the buttermilk ferments, it turns into the ingredient you use to make ranch dressing or fried chicken. The solid fat is substantially more shelf stable when there isn't that liquid present than there was when the milk was fresh. More than other forms of dairy, the high fat content inhibits the growth of microorganisms. In order to be sold in grocery stores in the United States, butter must have at least 80% fat. Butter can become bad even though it is less likely to encourage bacterial development and become unfit for consumption. When butter is exposed to room temperature for more than a day or so, it might turn rancid as opposed to deteriorating. The butter's fat molecules will become damaged and change in chemical composition as a result of the constant presence of oxygen. Although it will taste unpleasant and a touch sour, it won't harm you the way eating eggs tainted with salmonella might.
Tips To Store Butter
Thankfully, there are kitchen tools you can use to keep your butter soft without inviting any extra oxygen. Butter dishes with lids will keep out the air and allow your butter to stay fresh for a few days. Another tool that has been used for centuries is a butter crock. This ceramic gadget allows you to fill the bell-shaped top with butter and place it in a ceramic cup filled with a little bit of water. The water seals the container and keeps out oxygen and any pesky bacteria. If you replace the water once or twice a week, your butter will stay fresh and spreadable for up to month.
Shelf life Of Butter In Fridge
The fridge is your greatest option if you want to retain your butter for a longer period of time or don't want to spend money on another equipment. Unopened bars of butter can be kept in the refrigerator for three to four months, and opened butter can be kept for up to two weeks after the expiration date.