How long can butter be kept in the refrigerator

Butter is a food ingredient with a very low melting point. Even at a very cool temperature of 15 degrees, butter will melt in a few hours. If you leave it directly in the room, it will probably turn into liquid when you take it out again. We usually store butter in the refrigerator, which can keep it for a long time and it can be eaten as long as it is within the shelf life. Also, although it is stored in the refrigerator, it is best to put it in the freezer, as freezing will change its moisture content.

When refrigerated at 2-8°C, it can be stored for 6-12 months; when frozen below 0°C, it can be stored for 12-18 months. Butter will soften naturally at room temperature and will soften at 15 degrees Celsius. The higher the temperature, the faster it softens, and the faster it spoils. At room temperature around 20°C, it will go bad in 2-3 days.

How to store butter properly

Wrap it in tin foil or wax paper, separate it from foods with strong odors, and refrigerate it. Tin foil can prevent the butter from being oxidized by light and air and going bad. If you are going to use butter, cut off a piece and return the rest to the refrigerator immediately. Try not to freeze it repeatedly—it softens and reduces the shelf life of your butter.

If the butter you buy is in block form, the kind that you can hold in your hand without getting your hands dirty, store the block butter in a refrigerator. If what you buy is in liquid or semi-liquid and semi-solid state, store it at room temperature. Of course, you can also store it in the refrigerator.

Is it better to store butter in the freezer or refrigerator?

Best to keep refrigerated. Try to use up the butter as soon as possible after buying it, and do not store it in the freezer for a long time. Although freezing can make the butter last longer, freezing it will affect the texture of the butter and change its water content, so that when the butter softens, it will become grainy due to water droplets.

How long does it take for butter to soften at room temperature?

The most common way to soften butter is to leave it at room temperature and let it soften slowly. The softening time varies depending on the amount of butter and the room temperature (if the butter is in the freezer, it will take longer).

Generally speaking, butter may soften in half a day at room temperature in the summer, or even in 2 or 3 hours at high temperatures. However, the room temperature is lower in winter, so this method may not be able to soften the butter. You will need the help of additional temperature, such as softening it in water or in a microwave. This method can be done in a few minutes.