To leave the butter out?

[YeahYesYup]

Was reading some article yesterday about things you didnt know about food and came across one fact that said butter is only ok to be out of the fridge for a few days before the possibiliy that it might go off etc.

I hate butter in the fridge (real butter not marg of course) as it is too hard to spread and i always leave it out on the side wrapped up so none of it is exposed, no matter the weather and depending on whether i use alot or a little sometimes it probably takes me a good month to use it all.

I've never been ill from it (as far as i know!) am i being risky keeping it out of the fridge?? It is mostly me and DD that eats it as DP uses marg and DS doesn't like butter, but i put it in mash potato and other dishes.

It's never looked or tasted dodgy, does everyone keep it in the fridge?

[quote Frannyhy]I use this.

www.lakeland.co.uk/1496/Insulated-Butter-Dish[/quote]
Haven't read whole thread but I second this. I've had this butter dish for years and it keeps my butter fresh on the counter no matter the time of year. We probably go through a block about once a fortnight.

DPs used to leave butter out in a dish and it would melt in the summer. It would also start to taste a bit off after a while.

I keep mine in the fridge but only really use it for cooking or toast so the hardness isn't an issue. I will take a block out in advance to soften if I'm making a cake.

@movingonup20 I am already overweight if I ate a block a week I'd definitely be obese 🤣
If I buy a really nice loaf of seeded bread though I do get through it alot quicker, seeded bread toasted with lashings of butter mmmm!

OMG seeded bread and butter = food porn

I have always left butter out, in the butter dish. I put the whole block in, but at most it only lasts 3 days in our house as we eat a lot of butter 😁

I once read that fats left at room temperature for some time go rancid. It won't make you "ill" , but rancid fat is bad for the body in some way, I think because it reduces the value of vitamins or other nutrients from food. It is also not good to try and spread large chunks of cold butter, as you eat too much of it. So I just put a smaller amount of butter in a covered dish (say a fifth of a pack) so it is easy to spread thinly, and keep the rest in the fridge till needed..

How does it smell? Rancid butter has a pretty distinctive odour, so if it smells ok it probably is!

I would keep a chunk out for easy access with the rest in the fridge to be replenished as needed, but I reckon you can trust your nose on this one.

I agree, you will know if it's gone rancid.

Unless you're suffering anosmia, I suppose.

Depends how cold your 'room temperature' is. My kitchen is on the cold side so it's still pretty solid even if left on the worktop

I got a butter dish last year, and now the butter stays out. It's wonderful - no more hard butter!

I am definitely going to invest in a proper butter dish after reading all these replies, I use like a Tupperware type box usually but it must do the job as it's never smelt or tasted dodgy.

I thought I'd be in the minority but glad a majority of people keep it out too!

If you leave it out too long it may go mouldy. Don't ask me how I know...

I keep it anywhere the cats can’t get hold of it.

I have this butter dish. I use it the other way up though so the butter sits on the flat bit and the domed bit sits on top as the lid

Salted butter is fine to leave out as the salt helps to preserve it. Unsalted you have to be careful with.