It’s time to start your day. You pop a piece of bread in the toaster and reach for some butter. Is it chilling in the refrigerator, needing to be brought to room temp, or is it sitting on your countertop, ready for spreading?
How you answer that question might say more about outdated food safety practices than personal preference. An April article in the Wall Street Journal highlighted “Change Your Life for the Butter” author Joelle Mertzel and her mission (let’s call it a smear campaign) to liberate butter from U.S. refrigerators. The FDA recommends butter only go unrefrigerated for a day or two — a major sticking point for the L.A.-based “butter evangelist" whose own lab tests found no signs of spoilage after 30 days at temperatures up to 77 F.
And Mertzel is not alone: Many experts believe current guidelines are unnecessarily harsh. “In all honesty, I have left butter out and eaten it,” Jeanine Flaherty, Vice President of Food Safety & Quality Assurance at Vital Farms, tells TODAY.com. “Butter is high in fat and low in moisture, making it a less-than-perfect environment for certain bacterial growth, particularly if it’s salted.” Salt, of course, has been used to help preserve food since ancient Egypt. However, Flaherty is only comfortable recommending “a couple of days at most” for the butter-on-the-counter enthusiasts. “My biggest concern with salted butter would be the quality declining, such as flavor. Yeasts and molds, which are spoilage organisms, are likely to grow more rapidly when left out.”
Flaherty errs on the conservative side. Jill Allen, the Director of Product Excellence for theTillamookCounty Creamery Association, says it's fine to leave butter out, in a non-transparent covered dish to prevent oxidation, for two weeks. Make that four if it’s in a butter bell.
All the better for the purposes of a butter board, the polarizing entertaining trend that took off last fall when Justine Doiron (aka @justine_snacks), posed a fateful question to the internet. “Have you heard of a butter board?” she asked, swooshing two sticks of softened butter onto a wood cutting board. She dragged a piece of bread through it the way you might scoop up some hummus with a piece of pita. Social media was instantly full of hot takes: On TikTok alone, #butterboard now has over 472 million views and counting.
Whether it’s for a platter or a stack of pancakes, not everyone thinks puddles of butter are the platonic ideal. The legendary chef Jacques Pepin prefers to eat it cold, like the Danes, who even have a word for a layer that’s thick enough to show teeth marks when you bite into it: tandsmør, or “tooth butter.” (For comparison, #tandsmør has 283,000 views on TikTok.) But how to spread it without ripping up the surface of your carby treat? Pepin told WSJ he uses a vegetable peeler to shower his toast with shavings of cold butter like freshly grated Parmesan on pasta.
What about those who prefer to stick their butter in the fridge for flavor reasons but need a quick way to get a perfectly smooth consistency in case of a breakfast emergency? Allen shared an expert trick: First, set some water to boil and then cut butter up into chunks, placing them on a plate. Pour the boiling water into a glass measuring cup, empty it out and quickly place the now-warm cup over the butter on the plate. In about 10 minutes, Allen says, you’ll have “a much softer, pliable butter.”
This could come in handy as we head into summer and our houses heat up. Even those who prefer butter stay on the table at all times might want to reconsider their routine in the coming months. “If your butter gets too warm in your house, you might experience some fat and water separation that can lead to a butter that is gritty, mealy, grainy and leaky if re-cooled,” says Allen. She recommends shopping for the highest fat content you can find, which helps preserve the butter longer and minimize separation when left out on the counter. By law, U.S. butter must contain at least 80% butterfat (Tillamook touts 81%, while Vital Farms clocks even higher, at 85%). Less water content also improves the flavor when used in baking and cooking, and helps it soften faster when removed from the refrigerator.
The last word has to go to the chef who is credited with inspiring the butter board trend years before it went viral on TikTok. Joshua McFadden, the James Beard award-winning author of “Six Seasons: A New Way With Vegetables,” tells TODAY.com there’s no need for either side to get salty. “Why is this something that is still debated?” he asks. “Butter should be both, room temp and cold.”
Ghee wiz! A dual-dairy household could be the key to smooth sailing on all your butter adventures from here on out.
Emily Gerard
Emily Gerard is a writer at the TODAY show, by way of ABC’s Nightline and Vanity Fair magazine. She lives in Brooklyn where she entertains frequently. Her favorite dinner guests are dogs and you can find bountiful proof on her Instagram.
FAQs
Should You Leave Butter on the Counter? According to the USDA, butter is safe at room temperature. But if it's left out for several days at room temperature, it can turn rancid causing off flavors. The USDA does not recommend leaving it out more than one to two days.
How long can butter sit out on the counter? ›
The USDA recommends leaving butter out at room temperature for only a day or two. But if it's stored in all of the proper conditions listed above, it can stay fresh for up to two weeks. So don't leave out more than you think you'll be able to get through in that small period of time.
Can you put butter back in the fridge after leaving it out? ›
Can you put softened butter back in the fridge? You sure can! But as with any dairy product, there are always precautions to take. The USDA recommends keeping butter at room temperature for no more than two days to prevent spoilage.
What kind of butter does not need to be refrigerated? ›
Salted butter is less prone to going bad on the counter than unsalted butter. If you're a serious supporter of leaving butter out, go with the salted kind. It's important to note, however, that the amount of salt in different brands of butter can vary.
How long can butter sit in a butter bell? ›
Also known as a butter bell or butter keeper, the butter crock is a two-piece contraption that keeps butter fresh on the counter for up to 30 days. The butter goes in the “bell,” which you place in the water-filled crock. This device keeps butter smooth and spreadable for whenever you need it.
Can butter go bad? ›
Does Butter Go Bad? Unfortunately, butter does eventually go bad. I spoke to a representative at Kate's Butter (my favorite brand of butter) who told me that butter's best-by date is one you should really pay attention to. Your butter will indeed begin to decrease in quality after the best-by date.
What is the best way to store butter? ›
The Best Way to Store Butter
Although many like to leave their butter out on the counter, Land O' Lakes says it's best to keep it in the fridge if you don't plan to use it within a few hours.
How long can you leave eggs out on the counter? ›
According to the American Egg Board, you can leave eggs on the counter about 2 hours at room temperature (or 1 hour if the temperature is 90°F or hotter). After 2 hours, you'd be safer to throw those eggs out and get a fresh dozen rather than chance it.
How long can you leave land o'lakes butter out? ›
How long can you leave butter out of the refrigerator? Do not to leave butter at room temperature for more than four hours.
Why does butter go bad when left out? ›
After a certain amount of time, the water molecules will interact with the fat in the butter, which leads to the decomposition of fats, a process accelerated by light that causes butter to become rancid and lose its fresh taste.
It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour for refrigerated butter to soften to room temperature. Speed things up by cutting the butter into 1-inch cubes: Take a stick of butter and halve it lengthwise. Flip the butter on its side and halve it lengthwise again.
Is it okay to freeze butter? ›
Properly stored butter can be frozen for up to four months if frozen prior to the USE BY date on the package. Butter may begin to lose its fresh butter taste and pick up flavors and odors from the freezer if stored for longer than four months. Once the butter is removed from the freezer, use it within 30 days.
How long can you leave butter out on the counter? ›
The USDA's FoodKeeper app offers this guidance for storing butter: "May be left at room temperature for one to two days; one to two months when stored in refrigerator; six to nine months if stored frozen." After that, the taste can turn rancid or sour, says the USDA.
Can butter make you sick if not refrigerated? ›
According to the USDA, butter is safe at room temperature. But if it's left out for several days at room temperature, it can turn rancid causing off flavors. The USDA does not recommend leaving it out more than one to two days. As such, Chad Galer, VP of Product Science and Food Safety at Dairy Management Inc.
How do you keep butter safe without a refrigerator? ›
Store your craft butter in an airtight container: To ensure your butter stays fresh, store it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. This will help keep it away from any moisture or odors in the kitchen.
Why put water in a butter bell? ›
However, a butter keeper actually utilizes water in the base to create an airtight seal. Plus, if your house is on the warmer side, you can fill your bell with cold water to help regulate the temperature of the butter inside.
Is Land O Lakes spread real butter? ›
Since the concept of squeeze spread isn't new, we found a way to make LAND O LAKES® Soft Squeeze™ butter spread stand out: It contains real butter. And that plays well with our target consumer segment.
What is the point of a butter dish? ›
A butter dish is essential if you want to keep your butter fresh for a longer time as well as ensure its softness so that it can be spread easily. In early ages, when there were no refrigerators, people used to keep the butter in earthenware pots which were sometimes immersed in water.
How can you tell if butter is spoiled at room temperature? ›
Any visible discoloration, change in texture, bad smell, or bitter or sour taste indicates bad butter.
Can butter cause food poisoning? ›
Eating spoiled butter can be harmful to your health and in some cases, can even cause food poisoning. Spoiled butter can contain harmful bacteria, such as E.
Butter is freezer-safe. In fact, freezing a butter package is the most effective way to preserve its safety for the longest time. Frozen butter can stay safe for consumption for approximately one year.
Does all butter need to be refrigerated? ›
Any butter that hasn't been pasteurized, like homemade, has to be refrigerated, along with butter spreads that you can usually buy in small tubs. So if you want to leave some of your butter out on the counter, only do it with the stick form, and only when it's been pasteurized.
Is it better to keep butter in the fridge or pantry? ›
Overall, it's best to refrigerate butter, but if stored correctly and consumed within a few days, it is okay to keep salted butter on the benchtop.
Can you store butter in a Ziploc bag? ›
Ziploc bags and water-sealed butter dishes work great too — just make sure to release the air inside of the Ziploc bag before sealing it. That's how you ensure longer-lasting freshness. If you're wondering whether butter can spoil in the fridge, FoodSafety says that it can last up to two months.
How long to leave butter out to soften? ›
Keep an eye on it, but the easiest way to soften butter is to remove a cold stick from the refrigerator and let it hang out at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes until it becomes room temperature or until just spreadable.
What is room temperature butter? ›
The generally accepted range of room temperature is between 68°–72°F. Room-temperature butter is around 67° and will hold an indent of your finger when pressed into it (rather than sinking right through).
Does the water touch the butter in a butter bell? ›
After a few goes, you'll figure out just how much water you need by sight, but to be clear...the butter should touch the water. What you're doing is preventing any air from coming into contact with the surface of the butter, effectively sealing it off from the air and preventing spoilage.
How long can milk sit out? ›
You can leave milk out of the fridge at room temperature for up to two hours, according to the USDA. “Leaving milk out too long can potentially lead to foodborne illness,” Amidor explains. “Pathogenic microorganisms like to grow in temperatures between 40 to 140 degrees.
