Fresh butter contains 82-84% fat and no more than 16% water, has a uniform yellowish color, and when pressed with a finger, releases droplets of water and does not crumble. If the oil releases whey, it means that it was not washed well after shaking and will quickly deteriorate.
Butter is stored in the refrigerator - this is common knowledge. The storage temperature is no higher +6 degrees.
You have 2 correct solutions:
- If the oil packaging material has a transparent or translucent base, put the oil in an oil dish with an opaque lid. If you don’t have a butter dish, then wrap it in foil, this way it will be stored longer than in parchment, and the taste will not deteriorate, as if stored in a plastic bag. We advise you to make sure that there are no strong-smelling products nearby, so the oil quickly absorbs foreign odors.
- Otherwise, when the base is lightproof, store the butter in the refrigerator in its original wrapper. Typically, an opaque wrap is a bonding of foil to laminated paper. This helps prevent spoilage from exposure to light and air, and also protects the oil from absorbing odors and flavors from other foods.
Both salted and unsalted butter will keep well in the refrigerator for 3 weeks. If you plan to extend the period beyond 3 weeks, the product will retain its fresh taste better if you change the packaging material or transfer it to a new plastic container or clean plastic container.
The properties of the oil allow it to harden well. Additionally, you can improve the protection of the oil from temperature and external influences - simply wrap the product in an additional shell, heavy-duty plastic film or a tightly closed bag.
Properly wrapped salted butter will keep well in the freezer. up to one year. After this, it may begin to lose its fresh, creamy taste and pick up other smells or aromas from the freezer. Unsalted butter will keep in the freezer for up to three months.
When purchasing a product, immediately pay attention to shelf life. Moreover, by the time you purchase the oil, the oil has been in the store for several days. If you buy packaged butter in parchment or foil, the expiration date should be indicated on the packaging. As a rule, portioned butter is stored in parchment paper 10 days, in foil – 20 days.
How to increase the shelf life of butter?
Many families buy oil for a long term, because it is a product of everyday necessity and it is better to have it in reserve just in case.
- The freezer will help increase shelf life. In it at temperatures up to -18 degrees the oil can be stored for up to a year. For convenience, we recommend immediately dividing the butter into portions, placing them on a flat surface (cutting board, baking sheet) and freezing. Then simply put all the pieces into a bag and store in the freezer. As soon as you need oil, you can easily get the right amount for cooking.
- In the warm season, in the absence of a refrigerator, butter can be stored for 3 weeks. To do this, divide the butter into small pieces. (200 g each) and wrap in parchment paper. Place the pieces in an enamel pan, fill with brine (20 g salt per 1 liter of water), cover with a plate and press down (eg with a water bottle). Store the pan with oil in a dark, cool place (closet or cellar).
- Another way to store without a refrigerator: place the butter tightly in a clean jar, fill it with brine as indicated above or with 2 tablespoons of 5 percent vinegar and take it to a dark cellar. Oil can also be stored in a jar for three weeks.
In principle, butter can be stored at room temperature, the main thing is that it is not exposed to direct sunlight, which kills almost all of its value, and the butter itself turns yellow.
I suggest watching an interesting video on how to distinguish high-quality butter from spread.
During the period of colds and flu, doctors recommend eating 60 grams of butter per day, because this product is a real storehouse of vitamins and macroelements.
- Shelf life: 3 weeks
- Best before date: 3 weeks
- Shelf life in the refrigerator: 3 weeks
- Freezer life: 9 weeks
In the refrigerator at a temperature of +2 to +6 °C
People eat butter very often. It makes the taste richer and more nutritious. They knew how to make oil for a very long time. According to historians, this product began to be produced back in the 5th century in Ireland. And in the 8th century, the Norwegians even took it with them when going on a sea voyage. Since the 9th century, oil was already known very well in Russia.
In India, this product is used not only to add to food, but also to make various medicines with its help. Various herbs and plants are added to the melted butter. In the first half of the 19th century in Russia, oil was already produced at an industrial level. By this time there were already about 700 butter factories. The Russians made very high quality oil. For its production, milk and whole cream were used. The product was exported very successfully. In Rus' there was a belief that the taste of butter directly depended on the nutrition of the cow. To make the butter yellow-golden, the cow was fed yellow herbs.
Natural butter is made exclusively from cow butter.
Only a product with a fat content of at least 82% and made only from cream can be called butter.
Products containing other components are already considered spreads or. Yes, such “oil” is cheaper than natural oil, however, it contains large quantities of trans fats that are dangerous to humans.
In Mongolia, India and some African countries, butter production is not limited to cow's milk. Butter is also made from the milk of yaks, buffalos, goats and sheep. Some peoples of our world have their own recipes for delicious butter. They often add various herbs and spices to butter: lemon juice, basil, garlic, honey, herbs, mango, nuts, mint, cardamom and others.
The benefits of butter
A butter sandwich for breakfast is a good start to the day. The oil energizes you throughout the day, helps you wake up and give strength to your body.
Butter is a unique product. It contains vitamin A in large quantities. To replenish one third of the daily requirement for this vitamin, it is enough to eat 50 grams of this product. It is very useful for the functioning of the immune system and vision. In addition to vitamin A, the oil also contains a host of other substances necessary for humans. It contains all the B vitamins, as well as many others. The body needs all these beneficial substances for healthy teeth, hair, skin and bone growth. Natural butter helps improve the functioning of the digestive system.
Also, eating oil has a positive effect on the nervous system and reproductive organs. 150 different acids and 40 percent oleic acid are included in this product. Natural oil contains proteins, carbohydrates, iron, calcium, magnesium, and many other useful substances.
When oil is consumed in moderation, it provides the body with calories that give the body energy and strength. During winter, the use of this product is simply necessary. To protect yourself from hypothermia, you should eat a small piece of butter in the morning. The renewal of brain cells and nervous tissue occurs precisely due to fats. For children as they grow, this is simply necessary. Otherwise, there may be cases of mental retardation and others.
Harm of butter
Despite the benefits of this product, do not forget about cholesterol. Many nutritionists say that butter causes cholesterol plaques to form on blood vessels. But if you replace it with other products, then in most cases they, too, will not be useful due to their composition. Oil contains fat-soluble vitamins that the body absorbs well. So each person needs to decide for themselves about the consumption of this product. It is important to know the shelf life of the oil. Of course, they are not recommended to be abused by people with high cholesterol and unhealthy blood vessels.
Using butter in cooking
Butter is used to make many confectionery products, such as pies, cookies, gingerbread, cakes and pastries.
Most often, butter is consumed with sandwiches. Various spices, vegetables and herbs can also be added. The oil can also be used as a dressing for first and second courses, and used to prepare sauces.
Storing butter
In the store on the counter you can find salted and unsalted butter. If salt is added, the product is more shelf stable. The shelf life of dessert oil, Yaroslavl oil, tea oil and with food fillers is 30 days at temperatures from + 5 to - 5 degrees. Other types can be stored 20 days. The shelf life of butter that is packaged in parchment is 10 days. If it is packed in laminated foil - 20 days. Sandwich butter and with fillings are stored 15 days. Briquettes that weigh 15, 20 and 30 grams can be stored 8 days. The shelf life of oil packaged in cups and boxes made of polymer materials is 15 days. Dessert butter can be stored 20 days, and the dining room and children's - 10 days. The shelf life of factory-made butter is 3 months in a refrigerator. Homemade butter can also be stored there. up to 20 days.
Shelf life of butter in consumer packaging based on GOST 32261-2013 “Butter. Technical specifications":
Shelf life of butter, days, no more |
||
Traditional | Amateur | Peasant |
Packaging in aluminum laminated foil or its substitutes, parchment or its substitutes, polymer materials, cups and boxes made of polymer materials with a removable lid, gift and souvenir packaging, net weight from 50 to 1000 g |
||
35 (20) | 35 (20) | 35 (20) |
60 (25) | 60 (25) | 60 (25) |
120 (30) | 120 (30) | 120 (30) |
Hermetically sealed cups and boxes made of polymer materials |
||
Temperature (3±2)°С (mode I) |
||
Temperature minus (6±3)°С (mode II) |
||
Temperature minus (16±2)°С (mode III) |
||
120 | 120 | 120 |
Portion packaging in aluminum laminated foil or its substitutes, hermetically sealed cups and boxes made of polymer materials, net weight from 10 to 50 g |
||
Temperature (3±2)°С (mode I) |
||
Temperature minus (6±3)°С (mode II) |
||
Temperature minus (16±2)°С (mode III) |
||
Note - The shelf life of oil packaged in parchment according to GOST 1341 and Troitsky parchment is indicated in brackets. |
||
Shelf life of butter in the refrigerator
Store-bought butter is best stored in the refrigerator.
Comfortable temperatures for storing oil range from 0 to +6°C. To protect the oil from absorbing foreign odors, you need to pack it in an airtight container or transfer it to an oil dish.
The shelf life of oil in the refrigerator does not exceed 20 days from the date of manufacture.
Shelf life of butter in the freezer
If you want to extend the shelf life of the oil, you can put it in the freezer. Oil can be stored in the freezer during a year at temperatures from -18 to -24°C.
To freeze/defrost butter several times, it is better to first divide it into several parts and package each of them separately.
Shelf life of butter at room temperature
At room temperature, the shelf life of the oil can be extended up to 2-3 weeks in a very cool and dark place, such as a cellar.
When storing oil at room temperature, it is important that the product is protected from light and sunlight. Under such conditions, the oil will retain its color and beneficial properties.
You can freeze butter.
At the same time, butter “stems”, and vegetable oil usually thickens. When returning to normal temperatures, both oils regain their original structure.
Keep in mind that butter absorbs extraneous odors, so you need to carefully consider the container for it. A plastic bag over the packaging works fine. Vegetable oil should be well covered.
It is advisable that freezing be done once. Before freezing, if you have a large piece or a large bottle of butter, pre-sort them into portions so that the main volume of the product is stored once frozen at a constant temperature.
★★★★★★★★★★
Butter can be stored in the freezer for 6 months (and sometimes more) without compromising its taste or quality. During Soviet times, butter was sold frozen in 20-25 kg boxes and stored in freezers; it was taken out as needed, cut with fishing line and sold to enthusiastic Soviet buyers.
The same can be said about vegetable oil, in particular sunflower oil. Frozen vegetable oil thickens and acquires the consistency of melted lard. But if you take it out of the freezer and put it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, it “thaws” and returns to its original taste and consistency. However, vegetable oil cannot be frozen several times. It spoils and becomes bitter.
But if freezing butter extends its shelf life, then putting vegetable oil in the freezer for this purpose is absolutely useless.
At subzero temperatures, the components of vegetable oil are not preserved and freezing does not affect the shelf life of the oil.
However, store vegetable oil in a dark place at room temperature. When heated, its beneficial qualities disappear.
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Is it possible to freeze butter and vegetable olive oil?
Since childhood, I remember how butter was frozen. Now we store this oil in the refrigerator. But we store the vegetable this way, at room temperature without access to light. Although I tried storing it on the balcony. Nothing happened to it, it just thickened a little and turned white inside. After it warmed up, it returned to normal.
Olive oil will also withstand freezing (cooling to -30C and below). But, since it is not refined, an insoluble precipitate will probably form. However, this will not greatly affect the quality.
Butter and vegetable oil can be frozen.
Is it possible to freeze butter and vegetable oil?
I haven’t tried to freeze vegetable food, but what’s the point if it’s in an airtight container? I worked at a factory, they didn’t do this, although there is a technology for cold pressing and freezing (vintarization) during extraction, but that’s not what we’re talking about. And what will happen to it, well, if it’s natural and squeezed, a sediment will fall out, but the technology is old and practically not used. The main thing is to put it in a dark place, on a table, so that there is no access to the sun. But butter. Here I'll tell you a secret. I worked at a dairy plant and know the system. The principle is this. During the season when there was a lot of milk and it was cheap, they made butter, its cost was low, then it was frozen, and this was done not only by producers, but also by companies that sold products. It was stored for six months in refrigerators, and when it was out of season and the price rose, sales began. To be honest, the product did not lose its commercial qualities.
Little secret. If you freeze butter and then try to cut it frozen, real butter will break, crumble and break off, but plasticine with palm fat will do nothing from the cold, and the more of this fat, the greater the plasticity of the butter in the frozen state. A great way to check what they are selling you under the guise of oil. One more secret though. Big manufacturers don't make real butter. The natural product is from small factories and farms, but there are only a few of them, they are sold to a select few, it is very difficult to find, it is impossible from large retailers and the cost is an order of magnitude higher. And everything on the shelves is 99.9% surrogate
Butter is a healthy dairy product that is high in calories and nutritional value. Many housewives are happy to use it to prepare hearty sandwiches and canapés, as a basis for frying, add it to hot main courses, and dough for sweet pastries. However, in order to get the maximum benefit from the oil, you need to know how to properly store it at home.
In a refrigerator
How long butter can be stored in the refrigerator depends on the packaging of the product and its composition. Thus, butter in a foil package is stored for 20 days from the date of preparation, in a parchment paper package - 10 days. Salted sandwich butter can last in the refrigerator for a month.
The ideal temperature for storing butter is 0 … +6 °C. To prevent it from oxidizing and absorbing the aromas of other products, it is necessary to wrap it in airtight packaging.
You can leave the butter in its original packaging if it meets the sealing requirements, or wrap it in thick foil and parchment paper.
It is not recommended to store butter in polyethylene or cling film - these materials do not protect well from the ingress of air, which can provoke the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the product.
Butter will remain usable if, on the eve of the expiration date indicated on the packaging, the product is wrapped in a new sheet of foil.
If you have an oil can with a tight-fitting lid, keep the oil in it. Utensils made of ceramic, porcelain, stainless steel or opaque food-grade plastic are best suited. It is better to avoid a glass oiler - the product will spoil very quickly.
Butter will remain usable if you wrap the product in a new sheet of foil just before the expiration date indicated on the package. This way, you can eat this oil for another 10–15 days without fear for your health.
How long you can store it in the refrigerator depends on how high-quality the product you purchased. So, choose only oil that was made a maximum of a week before purchase.
If you prefer the goods by weight, be sure to evaluate the color of the bar (it should be yellowish) and ask the seller to cut a small piece.
Good oil will not crumble and will release a small amount of water.
In the freezer
First, make the preparations - cut the bars into small portions, place them on a cutting board and place them in the freezer for a couple of hours. After this, package the preparations in special bags for freezing.
Frozen butter can be thawed at any time and used to prepare your favorite dishes.
Without cooling devices
The issue of storing butter away from the refrigerator is relevant for travelers and those who like to spend weekends in nature. Even in summer, the oil can be kept away from the cooling benefits of equipment for 3 weeks without compromising quality. Various tricks that many good housewives know about will help with this.
- Brine. Cut the butter into portions, wrap each in foil or parchment, place the pieces in a saucepan and fill with cold water with the addition of table salt (20 g of salt per 1 liter of water). Cover the pan with a lid and place a heavy press on top. Store brined oil in a cool, dark place, regularly draining the old brine solution and adding fresh brine.
- Vinegar “clothes”. Soak a piece of gauze or any other clean white cloth in vinegar. Wrap the butter tightly in the material and place in a food container with a lid. Place 2-3 pieces of refined sugar there.
- Heating. Cut the butter into small pieces, place them in an aluminum or steel pan with a thick bottom and place on low heat. Skim off any foam that appears and continue to heat the oil until it becomes clear. Cool the finished ghee, pour it into a clean heated jar (leave the milk protein sediment at the bottom of the pan - this is a production waste) and close. This oil can be stored at room temperature away from light sources for a long time.
Proper storage of butter will not only extend the life of the product, but also protect you and your family from food poisoning. If you have even the slightest suspicion that a product is spoiled, immediately throw it in the trash. And to prevent such a nuisance, it is best to store the bulk in the freezer, and keep only a week’s supply in the refrigerator.
Source: http://ymadam.net/dom/hranenie/slivochnoe-maslo.php
How to properly store butter
Eliminate foreign odors
The oil absorbs any odors very quickly. Therefore, during storage, it is important to ensure its isolation from other products, as well as reliable packaging. Foil or parchment paper works best for this.
Choose the right packaging
Butter purchased in bulk is divided into portions and wrapped in parchment. In this form, at temperatures from 0 to +6 °C, it will retain its original taste for 7 days.
Oil packed in foil stays fresh longer, a little over 2 weeks. And it is advisable to refuse common cling films and plastic bags. The oil in such packaging quickly begins to suffocate, turn yellow, and become bitter.
Note: the shelf life of the oil can be extended by as much as 2 weeks if you repackage the product after 14 days. In this case, it is transferred to a washed butter dish or wrapped using new foil.
Use an oil can
The butter, which is planned to be consumed in the next 2–4 days, is placed in a butter dish. There are certain requirements for this type of cookware:
- It must have a lid and close tightly.
- Choose an opaque container as the oil begins to deteriorate when exposed to light.
- Preference should be given to a porcelain or stainless steel oil dish. But plastic containers are difficult to wash, and they also strongly absorb odors, which are very difficult to get rid of. It has been noticed that butter spoils faster in plastic containers.
Long-term storage - only in the freezer
It is worth keeping oil in the refrigerator, which will quickly be used in food. For longer storage, place it in the freezer.
Salted butter lasts longer
Sandwich butter that tastes salty can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Salt inhibits the proliferation of bacteria that participate in the oxidation process.
Storing butter in the freezer
All valuable qualities of the oil will be preserved for 1 year if the temperature in the freezer is within - 18 °C. At -12 °C the product shelf life is 9 months.
Unnatural oil with additives, the so-called spread, can be frozen for no more than 3 months.
To prevent the butter from spoiling in the freezer, it must be packaged into pieces, each of which should be wrapped in foil or parchment. You can additionally protect the product from foreign odors if you place the packaged pieces in a thick plastic bag and tie it tightly.
Secrets of storing butter without a refrigerator
It happens, especially during a hike, a trip to the country, or when the refrigerator breaks down, that you need to keep the oil fresh. People's advice will tell you what can be done. Butter will not spoil within 3 weeks if you use one of the suggested methods.
Cold water
Take an enamel or glass container and place the oil in it. All that remains is to pour cold water and close the lid. The oil will not spoil for a very long time, provided that the water is replaced twice every day.
Salt
It prevents the growth of bacteria, so you can save oil by placing it in a container and filling it with salt water. The solution should be changed daily to avoid yellowing and rancid taste.
Complicated option. Cut the creamy product into pieces, wrap in foil or parchment. Take a pan in which to place the packed pieces. Prepare a solution of 1 liter of cold water and 20 g of salt, pour oil into it. Cover with a plate on top and place the press. Replace water once a day. Place the container with oil in a dark place.
Vinegar
You need to do the following: moisten a clean cloth in vinegar, wrap the creamy product in it. Place everything in the pan, and pay attention - be sure to leave a piece of sugar next to the bottom. Cover the dish with a lid.
Another vinegar-based method. Place the oil in a glass container, then add cold water and vinegar.
Note to the hostess
It so happened that they didn’t pay attention and left the butter on the table. As a result, under the influence of sunlight, it turned yellow on top. But all is not lost - the damaged piece can still be saved. In this situation, do this:
- Carefully cut off the top layer of oil that has turned yellow.
- The rest is placed in the pan. Heat it up and wait for the butter to melt.
- When the oil boils, add 3 slices of fresh apple.
- After a minute, remove the pan and leave the oil to cool. Remove the apple pieces.
- When the oil has cooled, you need to put it in an oil dish and keep it out of the sun's rays.
And finally, some tips on how to distinguish real oil from a surrogate:
- Good oil has a light, whitish or slightly yellow tint.
- Real oil has virtually no odor, and it melts in your mouth.
- When cut, a frozen product will break off into pieces, but not crumble.
- A natural creamy product, after taking it out of the refrigerator, will never have droplets of moisture on the surface.
- If you put a piece of butter in a heated frying pan, it will melt slowly, without crackling or unpleasant odor.
Why is it worth buying domestic oil? We recommend watching this video.
How to store sunflower oil
How to store olive oil
All about flaxseed oil: benefits, rules for selection and storage
All about coconut oil: how to choose and store
(: 1, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Source: https://HozSovety.ru/hranenie/kak-hranit-slivochnoe-maslo/
How to store butter
How to store butter, what is the shelf life of this product? Butter is a product that is used by almost everyone. They fry it, make sandwiches, and it is a common ingredient in many types of baked goods. Therefore, it is quite reasonable to ask about the shelf life and storage of this dairy product.
Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh cream or milk until it reaches a solid form. It is most often made from the milk of cows, but can also be made from the milk of sheep, goats, buffalo and yaks.
According to GOST 32261-2013, butter is produced in two types: sweet cream and sour cream, which in turn are divided into salted and unsalted. The main difference between these two types of butter is the raw materials that are used to make the butter.
Sweet butter is made from cream, while sweet and sour butter is made from cream fermented with lactic acid bacteria.
Based on the percentage of milk fat, it is divided into three main types:
Traditional;
Amateur;
Peasant.
Read on topic: Why butter is useful, composition and calorie content
Shelf life of butter
The expiration date is the date after which the oil cannot be supplied for sale to the retail chain. It depends on the type of oil, fat percentage, and packaging shape. Below are tables of the shelf life of butter depending on the packaging.
Oil can be stored for 24 months at a temperature not exceeding -25 degrees.
It is more difficult to track the expiration date of oil that the manufacturer has already shipped to the retail chain in a box. If it is stored in the store at a temperature of 3±2 degrees, then the shelf life is only 10 days.
Shelf life table for individually packaged butter
| Shelf life of butter (no more than days) | ||
| Traditional | Amateur | Peasant |
| Packaged in foil, parchment, polymer materials, cups and boxes made of polymer materials with a lid | ||
| Temperature 3±2°С | ||
| 35 (20) | 35 (20) | 35 (20) |
| Temperature minus 6±3°С | ||
| 60 (25) | 60 (25) | 60 (25) |
| Temperature minus 16±2°С | ||
| 120 (30) | 120 (30) | 120 (30) |
| Hermetically packed in cups and boxes made of polymer materials with a lid | ||
| Temperature 3±2С | ||
| 45 | 45 | 45 |
| Temperature minus 6±3°С | ||
| 75 | 75 | 75 |
| Temperature minus 16±2°С | ||
| 120 | 120 | 120 |
| Packaged in portioned packaging made of foil, parchment, polymer materials in cups, boxes with a lid from 10 to 50 grams | ||
| Temperature 3±2°С | ||
| 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Temperature minus 6±3°С | ||
| 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Temperature minus 16±2°С | ||
| 60 | 60 | 60 |
| Note - The expiration date of oil packed in parchment is indicated in brackets |
These expiration dates also apply to oil that was individually packaged at the factory from blocks no later than the end of their expiration date.
The shelf life of oil that was produced during the grazing period, regardless of the type and content of milk fat, and which was packaged and packed immediately in foil and complies with all microbiological and organoleptic indicators, is 270 days, provided that the temperature regime is not higher than minus 18 degrees and relative humidity within 70-90 percent.
All foods spoil faster if they are not stored properly, causing them to spoil before their expiration date. But you need to remember that many products have a longer shelf life if the manufacturer guarantees their quality.
This also applies to butter, even if you bought it on the last day of the expiration date indicated on the package. Under proper storage conditions prior to purchase, the oil may remain safe for some time. Still, most of us do not buy several packs of butter at once.
The main thing after purchase was to ensure proper storage at home.
On each package, the manufacturer always indicates the storage conditions of its product depending on temperature and humidity.
Butter is a product that absorbs any odors well. Therefore, it is imperative to store oil at home in the refrigerator separately from products with a strong and specific odor. This is either a butter dish with a lid, or wrap the butter in foil or parchment.
How to store butter in the refrigerator
As a rule, in modern refrigerators the temperature is maintained within the range from minus 1 to plus 6 degrees, depending on the brand of the unit. It also depends on the model where the lowest temperature in the refrigerator compartment is. In many modern models, this temperature is the bottom of the refrigerator chamber.
If you bought butter by weight and a large piece, then when you come home, it is better to immediately divide it into smaller portions that can be used within several days.
Each piece of loose butter should be wrapped in foil or parchment. The one you will use can be placed in an oil dish. The rest, wrapped in foil or parchment, put in the freezer.
At temperatures from 0 to plus 6 degrees, butter wrapped in parchment can be stored for about a week. In foil, the shelf life without visible signs of spoilage under the same conditions can be as long as 2 weeks.
You can extend the shelf life by placing the oil on the shelf with the lowest temperature.
How to store butter in the freezer
The freezer significantly extends the shelf life. Modern freezers maintain temperatures down to minus 18-24 degrees.
Before putting the oil in the freezer, you need to make sure that it does not absorb the odors of food stored nearby.
If the oil was purchased not in individual packaging, but by weight, it must be wrapped in foil or parchment. Then put the oil in a bag or container with a lid. This is guaranteed to protect it from foreign odors.
The shelf life of oil in the freezer is long and ranges from six months to 9 months.
How to store butter without refrigeration
Situations happen in life, for example, when you go on a road trip or a hike. How to keep the oil fresh in this case? There is a way out: you need to fill it with plain cold or salt water.
In the first case, the oil is placed in a jar with a lid and filled with ordinary cold water. In this case, you need to change the water twice a day.
In the second case, prepare salt water by taking a tablespoon of salt per liter of cold water. The water is changed once a day.
You can pour the oil either unrolled or by wrapping portioned pieces in parchment.
Some housewives store oil in vinegar. To do this, vinegar is diluted with water and a clean cotton cloth is soaked in it, in which pieces of butter are then wrapped.
Then you need to put them in a jar or pan and put in a piece of refined sugar.
You can fill it with water acidified with table vinegar.
The oil can be stored for several days in a jar, which is placed in a pan with cold water. Cover the neck of the jar with a damp cotton napkin and lower its ends into a pan of water. Cover the top with a lid.
How to extend the shelf life of oil
Do not leave butter on the counter at room temperature for a long time. This way it deteriorates faster. Immediately after use, put the remaining piece in the refrigerator.
Store oil inside the refrigerator compartment, not on the door, where temperature changes occur more often due to the opening and closing of the refrigerator.
It is better to put oil that you will not use soon in the freezer.
Remember that proper storage of any food is the key to health safety and reduction of your family expenses.
How to determine if the oil is spoiled
Proper storage in compliance with all requirements helps to avoid food poisoning.
The most reliable way to determine that butter has gone bad is your own organoleptic sensations. Spoiled oil may become moldy and have an odor that is not typical for this product: it may be musty, pungent, or smell damp. The butter may not retain its original shape: it may spread, become heavier than the actual weight of the piece.
If the oil can still be saved, then it is necessary to cut off the damaged areas on all sides and melt it.
Butter is a useful and healthy product that most of us use every day. How safe it will be for our health depends on how we store it.
Source: https://edalekar.ru/kak-hranit-slivochnoe-maslo.html
Methods for storing butter
I believe that butter should be stored in a butter dish, because it was not for nothing that this item was invented.
This is much more aesthetically pleasing than keeping it in foil or paper wrappers, although the shelf life of this product is not that long, even if you create optimal conditions for it.
Short storage
Most people cannot imagine their diet without butter. This delicacy has an excellent taste, and its benefits are obvious, because it contains essential fatty acids, minerals, vitamins A, D, E and K, and our body absorbs up to 98% of its composition.
However, if you leave the oil in direct sunlight or simply forget it on the kitchen counter for several days, all the beneficial substances are oxidized, and the product acquires a yellow color, a bitter taste and an unpleasant odor in the shortest possible time. It can no longer be consumed as it can cause food poisoning. Therefore, it is necessary to create suitable conditions for the oil - then its shelf life will be exactly as indicated on the packaging.
How long can this product be stored? Typically, manufacturers write on the packaging a shelf life of 20 days if it is wrapped in foil and 10 days if packaged in parchment paper.
Products with fillers can be stored for no more than 15 days.
Salted sandwich butter has the longest shelf life—up to a month—since such conditions are not suitable for microorganisms that trigger the oxidation process.
It is best to buy a product with a recent production date, and if it is not possible to check the date (for example, for a loose product), ask about its fat content, color and consistency.
High-quality butter should consist of 82-84% fat, have a yellowish color, not crumble when cut and release droplets of water if you press it with your finger.
If whey appears instead of water when pressed, it is better to refuse the purchase, since such a product will have a minimum shelf life.
Having brought your purchase home, you must immediately create acceptable conditions for it by placing it in the refrigerator. The optimal storage temperature is 0-6 ºС. To prevent the oil from oxidizing and absorbing foreign odors, it must be wrapped in an airtight package.
You can leave it in the refrigerator and in its original packaging, if it is foil or parchment. But it is better not to store this product in polyethylene, since then its shelf life will be too short.
Therefore, loose goods should be transferred to foil or parchment paper.
The oil can be kept in the refrigerator and in a butter dish if it is opaque and has a tight lid. This product is best stored in dishes made of porcelain, ceramics, stainless steel or food-grade plastic. And under no circumstances should you use a glass butter dish, because it will spoil your creamy treat in the shortest possible time.
By the way: the shelf life of oil in the refrigerator can be extended if after 2 weeks you repackage it in a clean butter dish or a new piece of foil. Such conditions will ensure guaranteed storage of butter for at least another 15 days.
Long-term storage
In the case of butter, the basic principle of food storage works: lower temperatures provide longer shelf life. This product can be stored in the freezer for 12-14 months: temperatures down to -18 ºС will help preserve it without losing its creamy taste and aroma.
Before freezing, cut the butter into small pieces, place them on a baking sheet and leave them in the freezer for several hours. Then the blanks should be removed and packaged in bags. If necessary, the supplies in the freezer can be taken out, defrosted and used for their intended purpose.
However, a year, although a fairly long shelf life, is far from the limit. The shelf life of this product increases by an order of magnitude if it is not kept in the freezer, but heated, that is, processed into ghee, which is also called ghee.
Such a product is extremely beneficial for the body and does not require special storage conditions.
Adherents of Ayurveda, in which many medicines are made on the basis of ghee, claim that its shelf life breaks all records, and the temperature can be close to room temperature.
How to melt butter correctly? Prepare 1 kg of product (preferably not store-bought, but homemade) - it will yield about 700 g of ghee. Cut it into small pieces, place them in an aluminum or steel pan with a thick bottom and place on low heat. If the bottom of the container is thin, it would be better to heat the oil in a water bath.
When the contents of the pan give abundant foam, you need to carefully remove it and continue to heat the product until the liquid becomes completely transparent. This will cause a milk protein sediment to form at the bottom of the pan.
That's it, you can finish melting the oil, let it cool a little, and then pour it into a clean, dry and always hot jar (the sediment should remain in the pan). We close the jar with a plastic or iron lid and store it in a dark place.
After you finish rendering the product, it will remain pure fat, which will be stored for a very long time. Moreover, the longer you store ghee, the more valuable health properties it will acquire.
So people who are accustomed to burning oil receive not only food that can be stored without refrigeration, but also an extremely valuable medicine.
Storage without refrigeration
So, everything is clear with storage in the refrigerator and freezer, but what to do if these household appliances are not nearby? This need often arises during long forays into nature or to a country house without amenities. It must be said that the oil is quite capable of being stored without refrigeration for quite a long time: its shelf life is about three weeks. But for this you need to create specific conditions for him.
- Brine. Cut the product into portions of 150-200 g, wrap them in parchment or foil, put them in a saucepan and fill with cold salted water (about 20 g of salt per 1 liter of liquid). Cover the butter with a plate and place the press on top. It is advisable to store such a structure in a dark place, the temperature in which should be as low as possible. Salt water needs to be changed more often, ideally every day.
- Wetting with vinegar. Wrap a piece of butter in a cloth soaked in vinegar and pack it in an airtight container. You can put a few pieces of refined sugar on top.
- Filling with vinegar. Place the foil-wrapped oil in a jar and fill it completely with vinegar. Then the jar should be tightly closed and stored in a cool, dark place.
Your brownie.
(No, be the first)
Many housewives, accustomed to purchasing food for future use and for a long time, are interested in the question of how long butter can be stored in the refrigerator and freezer, and how to store it correctly. And most importantly: how to determine its quality when purchasing. Indeed, according to statistics, oil is counterfeited almost as often as alcoholic products, and the composition stated on the packaging does not always correspond to reality.
Rules for storing butter
It is well known that when exposed to sunlight and high positive temperatures, oil oxidizes, losing its beneficial properties and creamy taste. The optimal temperature for its storage is +6 degrees and below, which requires a refrigerator.
But if you have large supplies of the product or for some reason you live without a refrigerator (for example, at the dacha or on a camping trip), then the storage instructions will be different.
In a refrigerator
First of all, the shelf life of butter in the refrigerator depends on how and what it is packaged in.
- Translucent and clear packaging allows light to pass through, which is harmful to the product, so it is advisable to place it in an opaque plastic container or wrap it in foil if you expect to store it for more than three weeks.
- Opaque foil packaging with laminated paper does not require any additional precautions - the oil in it can easily remain for the three weeks required by storage rules. If the period may be longer, it is still better to put it in a tightly sealed container.
Recommendations for using containers are given for a reason. The fact is that there may be other products in the refrigerator, including those with a strong or specific odor. To prevent the oil from absorbing these odors and acquiring a foreign taste, you need to try to protect it from them.
You can also increase the shelf life of butter in the refrigerator by using a durable, odor-proof shell, for example, thick plastic film or a bag with a special lock or clip.
In the freezer
Today, finding real oil is a real challenge. Many people make it with their own hands from village milk or buy a lot at once from farms. In such cases, it is necessary to store it for a long time, and this is only possible at subzero temperatures.
A freezer with temperatures down to -18 degrees is ideal for this, in which the product can be stored in the correct packaging for about a year. True, this only applies to salted butter, since microbes develop worse in a salty environment. Unsalted will last for 3-5 months, after which it will begin to lose taste and absorb odors from the freezer.
Since real butter freezes in the refrigerator, before storing it for long-term storage, it is advisable to divide it into portions, pack each separately and remove it as needed.
Without refrigerator
If you buy oil for the country house or on a trip, be sure to pay attention to the date of manufacture and shelf life in the store. Usually it is 10-20 days depending on the packaging, but provided it is in the refrigerator. Do not take a product that is already past its expiration date.
- A large piece of butter should be divided into pieces of 200-250 grams and each tightly wrapped in parchment paper or baking paper. Then you need to prepare a saline solution by dissolving 20 grams of salt in one liter of water and pour it into the pieces placed in a saucepan or glass jar. It is advisable to press them down with a weight, close the dishes with a lid and place them in a cool, dark place.
- You can wrap the portioned pieces in a clean cloth soaked in table vinegar, place them in a resealable container, sprinkle sugar on top and close. Also store in a cool, dark place out of direct sunlight.
It can just sit at room temperature for about a week. The main thing is that the sun's rays do not fall on it, otherwise it will lose its nutritional value, turn yellow and begin to sour.
