Does anyone not refrigerate butter? (vegetables, Southern, tastes, better)

[gypsychic]

I leave my stick out too that I am working on. Keep in mind that the salted butter is fine left out as the salt is a preservative. Unsalted butter should be refrigerated or used up quickly.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by theatergypsy

I'm aware, I'm aware. It's entirely possible that the trash can in your kitchen could be attracting vermin as well.

Leaving butter out - that is, unrefrigerated - doesn't mean it is left uncovered. I'm pretty sure that the people responding to this question have been around long enough to "be aware" of the possibility of attracting vermin.

One year, I had carpenter ants in my kitchen cupboard, in the box of cereal, in the bag in the box of cereal, said bag having been folded down and clipped with a clothespin. I threw away the cereal, checked everything else, (no ants) wiped out the cupboard and set out Terro. No more ants.

I once had an infestation of red ants; those teeny tiny little things that you can't even see unless they are in a group. Know where they were? In the cupboard, in the can of shortening, despite the fact that there was a lid properly attached on the can. (They weren't near the butter on the counter)

So you see, if insects decide there is something you have that they want, they'll find it despite your best efforts. Not everything fits in the fridge.

But I expect that you'll discover these things for yourself. Do what you want with your butter - I leave mine out, on the counter, covered.

Uh, yeah...I don't leave ANY foodstuffs out without sealing/covering. I have a vintage domed clear glass butter dish that works for cakes of butter, and a ceramic oblong butter dish that works for stick butter. But, yes, naturally cover butter that is left at room temp. Any food left open can attract vermin.

[luzianne]

So when you guys say "butter" - do you use real butter, or margarine? I used margarine for years, which we always called butter even though it's really not, but now use real butter.

[saibot]

Originally Posted by luzianne

So when you guys say "butter" - do you use real butter, or margarine? I used margarine for years, which we always called butter even though it's really not, but now use real butter.

Real butter. 100% of the time.

When I was growing up, in the 1970s/early 80s, my family used tubs of margarine for spreading, and sticks of margarine for cooking. Looking back, that stuff was so nasty. My parents unfortunately believed the conventional wisdom of the time, that butter was bad for you and margarine was healthier. We did have real butter as a treat on holidays and everyone loved it so much.

[Gerania]

Originally Posted by luzianne

So when you guys say "butter" - do you use real butter, or margarine? I used margarine for years, which we always called butter even though it's really not, but now use real butter.

Yes, butter, not margarine.

[jim9251]

I leave a stick of salted butter in a ceramic butter holder thing with a lid, the rest is in the refrigerator. If I see butter on sale (sometimes $1.99 a pound) I will buy extra and freeze it.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by luzianne

So when you guys say "butter" - do you use real butter, or margarine? I used margarine for years, which we always called butter even though it's really not, but now use real butter.

Margarine?

Oh, Christ, no.

[cindersslipper]

Originally Posted by Zymer

Does nobody here train their furballs to staythehelloffa the counters and tables?

One stick of butter stays out almost all the time here, except for those rare and short periods when it *might* get so warm that it melts.

I *hate* trying to spread hard butter on bread/toast/pancakes/french toast.

We have a covered butter dish, but it hardly ever gets used, mostly the butter just sits on a small plate on a small tray that sits on the toaster.

(No animals are allowed on counters/tables, dogs are not allowed on chairs, couches or beds.)

All my life ive had extraordinarily polite cats, I thought I was just lucky till I realized it was me who had trained them!

However even the best behaved will prowl if they genuinely think you aren't looking.

My mother once baked a batch of fairy cakes only to come out and find the cat had taken a bite out of each and every one. Just one bite mind you - no one will notice...

Anyone who routinely keeps butter out clearly lives in a cool climate. You literally CANNOT keep the butter out in Australia, for about 8 months of the year, as it will be melted to liquid.

Butter "turns" quicker when in the heat - its not exactly rancid, and its not exactly fresh either. Its disgusting and for this reason your average Australian keeps all butter refrigerated, always.

I am about the only person I know who even uses butter, most use margarine only - again, kept in the fridge.

[Ceece]

I keep a covered butter dish on my counter, right near the toaster. I like it to be soft so it's spreadable. I also keep butter in the fridge until I need it for the butter dish, and for baking since it's easier to cut & measure when it's refrigerated.

[MarciaMarshaMarcia]

I live in a cool climate now... where I lived for most of my life, it would have been much too warm to leave butter out. Also, I only recently switched from "healthy style" margarine to butter...my husband always hated margarine, so one day I said...screw it! We're having butter! And I finally get to use my cut glass, covered butter dish.