With butter prices rising regularly, we’re always on the lookout for a good deal on this tasty staple. It’s tempting to buy a whole bunch of Buttersticks when we find a good deal, but will we use it all up before it goes bad? Butter typically has a shelf life of 3 to 4 months, and while it’s likely to last longer, it doesn’t retain its quality forever.
That’s why freezing butter is more popular now than ever. What’s even better is that it freezes well . The freezing process requires little to no effort, and the butter can stay in the freezer for half a year or even longer.
Interested in freezing butter? Continue reading.
How do you freeze butter?
Freezing butter is the easiest thing there is. Just put the butter stick (or sticks) in the freezer and that’s it. There is no need to repackage the buttersticks, the original packaging can be used without any problems.
However, if you plan on keeping the butter in the freezer for more than a few months , you might want to consider an extra layer to prevent freezer burn . That extra layer could be a freezer bag or wrapping the stick in aluminum foil. I choose the former as the bags are reusable.
If thawing a single stick of butter is too much for you, cut the stick into several slices before freezing. Wrap each slice in aluminum foil and it’s ready to go in the freezer. For longer freezing time, place the wrapped slice back into a freezer bag.
Read Also: Can you freeze spinach?
How long can you freeze butter?
As is often the case when it comes to freezing food, the answer depends on who you ask. Organic Valley says both their salted and unsalted butters retain their best quality for up to one year ( OV). LandOLakes, on the other hand, says the freeze time is up to 4 months ( LL ). What are the pros?
One thing is for sure: the longer you freeze the butter, the worse quality you should expect . There is no set point that says this dairy product is perfectly fine after 4 (or 8) months in the freezer, but its quality starts to degrade a week later. The process is gradual and it is impossible to say at what point the quality of the butter will not be good enough for consumption. Partly because deciding whether the product is good enough or not is also a matter of personal preference.
Tip
If your butter has been in the freezer for months and shows signs of freezer burn, you should only use it for recipes that require melting. In recipes like this, the slightly inferior quality of the butter shouldn’t make that much of a difference. We do the same for many other dairy products like brie or cottage cheese.
How do you thaw frozen butter?
You can thaw frozen butter in several ways:
- Overnight in the fridge. This is the recommended method. Simply move the stick from the freezer to the fridge the night before you need it. In the morning it is thawed and ready for use.
- Use a grater. Grating frozen butter is something most people wouldn’t think of, but it works beautifully. Grate (with the big holes) as much butter as you need and leave at room temperature. She thawed in a few minutes.
- cold water bath. If you want to thaw the butter as quickly as possible, place the stick in a freezer bag and soak in lukewarm water. The outer layer will thaw fairly quickly. So if you need some butter on your sandwiches, this is a great method.
- Throw it in frozen. If you are using butter in a cooked recipe or need melted butter, you can often pour it in frozen. It will quickly thaw and melt.
- Melt on the stove. Perfect for baking recipes where you often need to melt the butter both ways.
- microwave oven. Remove the butter completely from the packaging and place in the microwave in short time increments (10-15 seconds). Turn the pages over after each time step. Heat in the microwave until the butter is soft but not melted.