Betty Bought Butter...

This article is a 2.5 minute read and uses 15 souces Betty Bought Butter But The Butter Was Bitter So Betty Bought Some Better Butter To Make The Bitter Butter Better. In 2021 dairy consumption hit a record high at 661lbs per capita. Butter Boards became a thing. Interestingly in this record-breaking number milk sales actually saw a slight decrease while butter went up. In 2021 Costco also created its Kirkland Grass-Fed butter. It may seem like EVOO is the go-to, but indicators are telling us that the kitchen staple butter is having a moment. Is all butter created equal? Of course not. Here’s the butter guide: 

Grass-Fed v Pasture Raised v Organic:Unfortunately, an “organic” label on butter doesn't mean much. It can be ignored. Most butter right now is pasture-raised. Pasture-Raised means cows are partly grass-fed and partly grains. Cows aren’t designed to metabolize grains. When cows are eating grains, it’s going to typically be a mix of GMO corn with other dried grains. Another way to think about it is that pasture-raised is about how the cow was raised (with pasture access), while grass-fed tells us how the cow fed (grass). According to a clinical trial in the Journal of Dairy Science, grass-fed butter contains five times more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than butter from grain-fed cows. Like butyric acid, CLA has anti-inflammatory properties. Watch THIS VIDEO (4m) for details about Kerrygold and Kirkland Grass-Fed Butter. 

Salted or Unsalted?The amount of salt added to butter will vary from brand to brand. Unless you're eating significant amounts of butter, the salt content shouldn’t really be a health concern. Unsalted butter is best for baking for its neutral flavor and not to accidentally oversalt a baked good.

Is Butter A Healthy Fat? Depends. While butter has been villain of cholesterol for decades, it’s having a bit of an anti-hero moment. Initially healthy fat meant plant-based unsaturated fat. Butter is an animal-based saturated fat. On that definition, avocados are really the only “healthy fat” along with maybe cashews. Keto and Paleo trends have expanded the “healthy fat” definition to include a wide variety of fats, including grass-fed butter. Butter does contain MCTs “medium chain triglycerides” that are also trending with a host of health benefits.    

Is There A Best Way To Store Butter?Room-temperature butter is much easier to use than out of the fridge. Unsalted butter will store at room temp on the countertop, but when it goes bad may depend on the temperature of the room. French butter bells help keep butter on the counter, or to quickly get cold butter to room temp try this lifehacker tip. 

When Do I Cook with Butter or Oil?Never fear. Bon Apetite has it all figured out. Grass-Fed Staple: Kerrygold seems to have earned the top-shelf winner. It’s one of very few grass-fed options that are widely available. It even seems to have a bit of a cult following and every blogger who has ranked butters on the internet agree it’s top-notch. 

Grass-Fed Newcomer: Costco’s New Zealand butter, some say it rivals Kerrygold. These are really the main two widely commercial grass-fed butter options. It’s worth to check local offerings. 

Best Pasture-Raised: Vital Farms. 

Best Every Day: Land O’Lakes is an American-style, classic butter from the Twin Cities. 

Best For Baking: Plugra is a popular European Style butter that’s made in Kansas City, Missouri, where it sounds like people are serious about baking. It’s focus is on being the perfect baking butter with a slightly higher fat percentage than US butter but a smidge lower than other European Style butters. The company was founded on the idea of "make what you can't get" so they made their perfect European Style butter.

Brooke's Take: This is my personal favorite countertop butter preserver. It insulates the butter with water to keep it cool but soft for longer (not an affiilate link). Emile Henry Butter Bell. Searching for a bespoke butter brand? Check out this butter subscription box going for $246.