The Only Way to Store Butter, According to Kerrygold

We asked the Kerrygold experts to weigh in on this age-old debate.

Taking perfectly soft butter and spreading it on a nice carb of choice is one of life’s simple pleasures. Whether it’s for eating or baking, using butter with a higher butterfat content can result in a much more decadent experience. Unlike American butter, European-style butter is churned for longer and possesses between 82 and 90 percent butterfat. This makes it great for applications where the butter flavor is key, such as flaky croissants or fluffy mashed potatoes.

So once you have your bars of proverbial gold in your possession, what’s the best way to store them? Since these dairy products can be twice as expensive as American-style butter, ensuring freshness is key. Maybe you’ve watched enough Brit Box programming and noticed butter crocks on counters and not in refrigerators. We’ve confirmed that leaving your butter out for four hours at room temperature is okay, but can a higher quality butter live on your counter?

How Long Can You Leave Kerrygold Butter Out on the Counter?

We reached out to Irish brand Kerrygold for its take on where to store its butter, and the answer surprised me. Similar to Land O’ Lakes, Kerrygold does not recommend leaving butter out of the refrigerator for longer than four hours. This recommendation extends to its butter, both unsalted and salted, as well as its cheeses, according to the Kerrygold website.

“Dependent on the individual environment, elements such as temperature, light, and odor may have a negative effect on the quality and freshness of your Kerrygold product if left out for a prolonged period of time,” says a Kerrygold USA representative.

Leaving butter out at room temperature can encourage bacterial growth since it's within the temperature danger zone of 40 to 140 degrees F (5 to 60 degrees C). Light and heat are the main drivers of spoilage, so store your dairy in a crock that isn’t see-through or clear.

While both the FDA and USDA strongly recommend storing butter in the fridge to prevent rancid taste, it seems like storing your butter in the proper vessel like a butter crock or bell to preserve the golden goodness might be a solution for those who don't want to change where their butter lives.

“Ultimately it is up to the individual consumer whether they choose to eat their Kerrygold product after being left out for longer than four hours, but…we do not recommend doing so.”