Is my butter ruined?

[GVD22]

DD put my butter, that was purchased yesterday, in the pantry. I just found it today. I know people used to leave butter out on the table back in the day. Is it possible it's still safe to consume?

[Hillary in KS]

I think it's fine. :)

 

I still leave my butter out on the counter in a butter dish. (Not ALL of it, of course. Just a stick at a time.)

[dsmith]

It's fine, really. We used to keep it out at the bakery I worked at. Never had a problem. I came home after a week away with our fridge broken who knows how long, and the butter was fine. Nothing else was.

[Tap]

It is fine. Just toss it back in the fridge and use it as you normally would.

 

If it makes you feel any better....in grocery stores, palettes of dairy products often sit out all night on the sales floor before being put back in the cooler.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I keep mine out all the time, except in the hottest summer days (when it melts into a big puddle).

 

I've had it taste funny, but that was after sitting out for over a week during warm weather (we were on vacation).

[Laura Corin]

I never refrigerate the butter that I am in the process of using. It's fine left out for several days at least. Think about all those centuries of butter use before refrigeration.

 

Laura

[Julie in CA]

Another vote for "just fine!".

I keep my butter out all of the time.

[2cents]

It's fine. We leave ours out a lot.

[GVD22]

Thanks so much! I'm glad I asked before throwing it away.:)

[Harriet Vane]

It's fine. It takes MUCH longer for butter to go rancid than for milk to go sour. I learned the official scientific reason years ago in a foods class in college, but don't remember it. Bottom line, butter can be left out quite a while. I usually store mine in the fridge, but keep a stick on a butter dish on the table continuously (never goes in the fridge).