Both salted and unsalted butter freeze very well. When freezing butter, keep it in its original carton and place it inside a resealable freezer storage bag to protect its delicate flavor.
To keep it tasting as fresh as possible, keep the frozen butter in its original wrapping. You can also wrap it in foil or plastic and put it in an air-tight container. This will make sure the butter doesn't absorb other flavors. You can freeze it in blocks, sticks or slice it into pats of butter.
Does Freezing Butter Ruin It? Nope. Butter freezes without losing flavor or texture. In fact, since butter can go bad after a few months in the fridge, it may make sense to store it in the freezer if you don't normally go through it quickly.
Tips & Techniques > How to Thaw or Soften Butter
Frozen butter takes at least 8 hours to thaw in the refrigerator or about 3 to 4 hours to thaw at room temperature. If a recipe calls for softened butter, frozen butter should be left out at room temperature for several hours or overnight.
Left unwrapped, either salted or unsalted butter will keep in the refrigerator for at least 8 weeks. Salted butter, in fact, will last an additional 4 weeks, since salt acts as a preservative. Once you open the wrap, however, butter should be used with in 3 weeks.
Is it OK to use expired butter? Unless you can see any visible signs of expiration or notice a sour, unpleasant smell, it's generally safe to use expired butter. “Except for use-by dates, product dates don't always refer to home storage and use after purchase.
You'll know if your butter has spoiled because it'll smell rancid. You might also see some discoloration and changes in texture. Mold is also another really good sign that your food has turned.
Butter may begin to lose its fresh butter taste and pick up flavors and odors from the freezer if stored for longer than four months. Once the butter is removed from the freezer, use it within 30 days.
Typically, butter will last in the refrigerator for up to two weeks but will keep at room temperature for up to two days if stored in an airtight container away from direct sunlight. In the freezer, butter will last for up to nine months.
Butter is best frozen in its original packaging. Just place the unwrapped sticks in their box right in the freezer. If you've already opened the butter, then you should wrap each stick tightly in plastic wrap or foil and place them in a freezer bag to store.
Freezing butter is a great way to make it last even longer. Butter has a pretty long shelf life in the fridge already (about 4 months for unsalted and 6 months for salted) but you can extend that time even further by freezing your sticks of butter when you get home from the grocery store!
Freezing Butter in Its Original Packaging
If you know you'll be freezing butter in bulk, it's easiest to freeze in its original packaging. Simply wrap the box of butter in a couple layers of plastic wrap, seal inside a freezer bag or freezer container, label, and freeze.
Butter has a “best before” date, not an expiration date, because its shelf life can be extended for a month up to a year if stored properly. If you freeze or refrigerate butter and use the right storage methods, then it is safe to eat. However, once it turns rancid with off smell or taste, discard it immediately.
When thawed, frozen butter can be used just like fresh butter, such as in baked goods or as a spread. However, you should discard butter if it has developed freezer burn, off colors, or a bad smell.
According to the USDA, butter (opened or unopened) can be kept in the refrigerator for one to three months. It can also be frozen for up to a year. The taste and texture will change considerably after that point, so aim to only buy as much as you think you can use within a year.
This rule is simple. If you prefer unsalted butter, refrigerate it. Same goes for whipped butter. If it creeps above 70 degrees Fahrenheit in your kitchen, all butter should go into the fridge to avoid going bad — even into the freezer if you want to store it for a few months.
In the fridge, it will last about a month past the package date if unopened and about two weeks past the package date once opened. How long does butter last in the freezer? Butter can also be well-wrapped and frozen for six to nine months.
It is often because the butter hasn't been stored correctly – warm temperatures, light and moisture can all cause butter to deteriorate quickly and become rancid. If the darker yellow layer is quite thin and the aroma isn't too sour, then you can just cut away the outside layer before using.
Studies have shown that butter has a shelf life of many months, even when stored at room temperature ( 6 , 10 ). However, it will stay fresh longer if it is kept in the refrigerator. Refrigeration slows down the process of oxidation, which will eventually cause butter to go rancid.
Signs of Bad Butter and Ghee
Discoloration is a sign of rancid butter. Good butter has an even yellow color from inside out. Slice a small portion of your butter, if the inside looks brighter or lighter, then it has gone bad. Black spots on butter are signs of mold formation.
Margarine turns yellow.
The surface becoming darker is a classic sign of oxidation, and you've probably seen the same happen to butter. If the layer of yellowness is paper-thick, you can scrape it off, but if it's much thicker, it's better to get rid of the container or tub.
Most milk can be frozen. However, milk should be transferred to an air-tight, freezer-safe container prior to freezing. Many types of milk will also separate and become grainy after being frozen, but this can easily be fixed by using a blender.
Yes, you can freeze eggs. Eggs can be frozen for up to a year, although it is recommended to use them within 4 months for freshness. Many people find themselves being left with spare egg whites or yolks after a recipe requiring just one or the other, or even throwing out unused eggs when the box hits its expiry date.