A habit that destroys the taste of butter: All it takes is proper storage

We probably all have butter at home. It’s an ingredient that comes in handy for baking, preparing main meals, frying, but also simply spread on bread. You can use it to soften sauces, make herb spreads. And you probably have it in your fridge at home. But did you know that experts say you should actually store it somewhere else?

Butter has a very specific taste. For most of us, it’s so automatic that we don’t even realize it. But it’s the habit that many of us make that ultimately robs butter of that taste. When this product is fresh and stored properly, it has extraordinary value in the kitchen. But the delicious buttery sensation disappears very quickly in the fridge.

It must not be kept warm, but neither must it be kept cold

Butter is most often found in the refrigerator in the home, specifically in the refrigerator door. But what most people don’t know is that too much cold is bad for this ingredient. We store butter in the fridge thinking that we are extending its shelf life, but we are destroying its delicious taste and consistency. Once out of the fridge, butter is often impossible to cut, let alone spread on baked goods.

Nor should you store butter in a place that is too warm. For example, in a box next to the microwave, it can melt and re-solidify, which destroys the shelf-life but also the taste of the butter. It is ideal to store the product in a cooler place, but one where the temperature does not fluctuate.

Never leave the butter uncovered

A common habit that ruins the shelf life and taste of butter is storing it unwrapped and uncovered. It’s important to always wrap butter back up in paper, then ideally store it in a box with a lid. Otherwise, the food has free access to oxygen, moisture, environmental odours and light. All these factors contribute to the rancidity process.

This process involves the oxidation or hydrolytic breakdown of fats and the formation of aldehydes and fatty acids. These significantly spoil the taste and smell of the butter. In addition, butter readily absorbs odours from other foods. If you store it uncovered, don’t be surprised if it doesn’t taste as good as it should the next day.

How to store butter correctly

The key to preserving the flavour of butter is to limit the access of oxygen, light and heat. It is therefore best to keep it wrapped in paper, food or aluminium foil, or in a resealable box. If possible, keep butter in a cooler room, such as a cellar or pantry, where the temperature is below 10 °C.

If you don’t have this option, put the butter in the fridge. However, place it as far back as possible on the middle shelf. This is where the temperature changes the least when you open the fridge. If you put the butter in the door, as most people tend to do, it will be in the worst possible place.