Buzz
We’ve all been there: the morning is fresh with possibilities. You reach for the butter to spread on your toast, only to find yourself destroying the slice with a cold, hard pat of butter. It’s a tragic moment. But don’t despair—there’s a solution. A butter keeper is designed specifically to keep your butter smooth and spreadable, no matter the time of day.
What exactly is a butter keeper?
A butter keeper, also known as a butter crock or French butter pot, has unclear origins regarding which town created it, but it is widely regarded as a French invention. This clever, simple piece of stoneware is made up of two parts: the base, which acts as the outer container, and the butter-holding lid that fits inside the base.
A small amount of clean water is added to the base, and butter is pressed into the lid cavity. The lid is then inverted and placed into the outer container. The butter crock stays on the counter at room temperature. When you need butter, simply grab the lid (attached to the inner container), flip it over to expose the butter, scoop out what you need, and then return the lid to its original position.
How do butter crocks function?
You may be wondering why butter in a butter crock doesn’t go bad at room temperature, while the stick of butter in your mom’s clear plastic holder might develop a hard outer layer in the heat of summer. (We still eat it, but the texture is... different.) The reason is that a butter keeper shields your butter from three key elements: light, oxygen, and heat. These factors cause oxidation, which can affect the taste, but the butter keeper slows down that process.
Butter keepers are typically made from stoneware or even marble, offering two advantages. First, the material is opaque, preventing light oxidation. Second, the thick walls of the stone or ceramic help insulate the butter from heat, keeping the interior cool even during hot days in the kitchen.
The most impressive feature of the butter keeper is its airtight seal—the third defense against oxidation. When the butter-holding cup is inverted and the rim meets the small amount of water in the bottom, it creates a seal. While there is a tiny bit of trapped air around the butter, it’s minimal compared to constant airflow. The butter keeper doesn’t stop oxidation entirely, but it slows it down significantly, allowing your butter to stay soft at room temperature for easy spreading on your bread, muffins, pancakes, or waffles every morning.
How to use your butter keeper
Butter crocks are available at many kitchen stores (and you can buy them online as well), and they all do the job just fine. Pick one that suits your needs in terms of capacity. My dad made mine in his ceramics class, and it holds just over half a stick of butter (sorry, he’s not accepting orders for the famous fly butter bell). I usually finish it within a week.
Before filling your butter keeper, give the whole setup a wash and dry. You’ll only need about half an inch of clean water in the base. A good trick is to add slightly too much water, then let the excess flow out when you place the butter chamber in.
Flip the lid so the butter cup side is facing up. I use a rubber spatula or a small spoon to press room-temperature butter into the cup. I recommend adding one or two tablespoons at a time. Smear the butter thoroughly against the sides to create suction, which prevents it from falling out and removes air pockets. Continue pressing and smearing until it's nearly at the top, but not overflowing, as that would disrupt the airtight seal. Wipe off any butter that may have gotten on the rim.
To avoid any mess, flip the lid over the sink and place it into the container with water. Your butter keeper is now ready to use. Whenever you need some butter, simply lift the lid and scoop out the desired amount. A few drops of water might drip, but it doesn’t affect the butter much. Just be sure to replace the water in the crock every couple of days—empty it and refill with fresh water. Once the butter is finished, clean and dry the butter bell thoroughly before refilling it.
