Freezing butter - when and how do you do it right?

Freezing butter: practical supply, can be kept for months!

Old butter goes rancid

Butter contains various milk fats. Over time, under the action of oxygen, these are broken down into the over-smelling butyric acid and other equally unpleasant substances. The butter is going rancid. Therefore, butter should not be stored in the refrigerator much past the best-before date. If a longer shelf life is required, another storage method must be found.

Butter, the ideal frozen food

Butter can be frozen wonderfully. The frost, which often robs frozen foods of some of their quality, is amazingly gracious with butter. It extends its shelf life by many months, but still leaves it with its good taste and typical consistency. It couldn't be better.

Four good reasons for a frosty stash

The shelf life of freshly purchased butter that is stored in the refrigerator can be several weeks. Even so, there are four good reasons to put a piece of it in the refrigerator.

there are regularly leftovers because the consumption is low
as a reserve for spontaneous cooking and baking pleasure
after buying larger quantities from the offer
when butter cannot be used up in time

This is how a whole butter packet is frozen

The price of butter fluctuates, so it is worth buying several packets for a low price. Freezing hardly takes any time.

Leave the butter in the original packaging
Also put in a freezer bag and close tightly

Freezing bits of butter

Freezing small pieces of butter is also possible, sometimes even useful. For example, if only a small amount of butter is needed for the Sunday breakfast. Or when your favorite recipe only calls for 100 grams of butter. Occasionally, part of the butter pack is left over and is not needed again very quickly.

Simply cut the butter into portion sizes that suit your own needs.
Put the butter pieces in freezer bags or small freezer cans.
Don't forget the lettering.

Tips

You can also mix small amounts of butter left over with flour before freezing. If necessary, a roux can be quickly made from them.

Shelf life in the freezer

The shelf life of frozen butter is given as 10 months. If in doubt, it should be used for cooking after a long period of storage. The heat reliably destroys harmful germs. In general, thawed butter should be used up as soon as possible.

Thawing and Consumption

In the refrigerator, the butter thaws completely within 2 to 3 hours. This type of defrosting is recommended if the butter will then be consumed over several days.

The frozen butter thaws even faster at room temperature. If you want to bake a cake with it, you can't go wrong.

Smaller pieces of butter can also be placed frozen in cooking dishes.

Conclusion for quick readers

Limited shelf life: butter cannot be stored for long; it becomes rancid under the influence of oxygen
Extending the shelf life: Freezing is a good way to extend the shelf life of butter
Frost tolerance: butter retains its taste and consistency in the freezer
Reasons for the freezer: storage of leftovers; Butter reserve; Offer purchases; Shelf life extension
Whole pack: place in the original packaging in a freezer bag; Place tightly closed in the freezer
Pieces of butter: Pieces of butter can also be frozen; fit in portions in freezer containers
Tip: Mix small amounts of butter with flour; later make roux out of it in no time at all
Shelf life: Frozen butter has a shelf life of 10 months
Thawing: Thaw gently in the refrigerator in 2 to 3 hours; consume as soon as possible
For cooking: rapid thawing at room temperature; Use small pieces frozen