Mia Lane
Do you want to freeze butter and are wondering what is the best way to do it? With these tips she keeps the butter in the freezer.
There are many good reasons to freeze butter. For example, because the piece doesn’t keep very long in the fridge or because you always want to have butter in the house. The good news: It’s not difficult to freeze butter properly.
How long does butter keep?
Freshly bought butter can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks. However, it will eventually go rancid, because butter consists of milk fats, which can turn into foul-smelling butyric acid.
Before that happens, it makes sense to freeze butter and make it last much longer in this way. In this way, you can store the amount that you don’t need and have the option of spontaneously falling back on a supply.
Can you freeze butter without sacrificing taste?
Butter is great for freezing because it doesn’t lose flavor or texture in the freezer. Whether in whole pieces or in small portions: simply freeze the butter in the way that best suits your needs.
How long can you freeze butter?
At a temperature of minus 18 degrees Celsius, butter can be stored in the freezer for around 6 months and in the freezer for up to 10 months. You shouldn’t freeze them for longer, because even frozen butter can go bad over time. If you notice a sour odor or if the color has changed, stop eating the butter. It is also important to remember that after defrosting, you should use it more quickly than fresh butter.
Can you freeze herb butter or wild garlic butter?
Especially in summer when barbecuing, herb butter & co. belong on the table. The same applies as for pure butter: You can freeze it well, but you should use it within 6 months. If you collect the aromatic wild garlic fresh between March and May and process it into wild garlic butter, you will have a supply that you can fall back on for many months.
Freezing butter: This is how it works
These tips will keep butter in the freezer for months:
A whole packet should remain in the original packaging and also be placed in a freezer bag or – more environmentally friendly – in a plastic, glass or stainless steel can.
If you would like to freeze smaller portions, you can also divide the butter and pack individual pieces airtight in freezer bags or boxes.
Before freezing, the date should be noted on the packaging – so you always know when the butter has to be thawed at the latest. For individual portions, it is also a good idea to write down the amount if you want to use the butter for baking, for example.
How to quickly thaw butter?
When the butter comes out of the freezer, it takes a while to thaw. If you want to put them on the table for breakfast, for example, you should take them out the night before and thaw them slowly in the fridge. If you need soft butter for baking, you can defrost it at room temperature for three to four hours.
If you want to go even faster, you can also defrost the butter in the microwave, but only for a few seconds, otherwise it will become too runny. Alternatively, you can thaw the butter in a water bath or use a grater to grate the piece into small flakes, which will soften more quickly.
If you follow these simple tricks, butter can be easily frozen, thawed and enjoyed for months.
