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/ 6 oz unsalted butter

Oils & FatsYear-round; however, grass-fed butter exhibits seasonal variation in flavor and color, with spring and early summer butter showing superior flavor and golden hue from cattle grazing fresh pasture.

Rich in butterfat and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E; contains butyric acid, a short-chain fatty acid with potential metabolic benefits. Primarily composed of saturated fat, with smaller amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

About

Butter is an emulsion of milk fat, water, and milk solids produced by churning cream from cow's milk. Native to temperate dairy regions worldwide, butter has been produced for millennia through the mechanical separation of fat from buttermilk. Unsalted butter, the most versatile culinary form, contains no added sodium and allows precise control of salt levels in recipes. It typically comprises 80-82% butterfat, 15-17% water, and 1-2% milk solids, with a pale yellow to deep golden hue depending on the animals' diet and season. The flavor ranges from delicate and sweet in spring butter (when cows graze fresh grass) to richer and more complex in winter butter from stored feed.

Culinary Uses

Unsalted butter serves as a fundamental ingredient across cuisines, functioning as a cooking fat, emulsifier, and flavor component. It is essential in pastry and baking for creating laminated doughs (croissants, puff pastry), enriching cakes and cookies, and producing creamed batters. In savory cooking, it browns to create fond for sauces, mounts into dishes for richness and sheen, and serves as the base for beurre blanc and hollandaise. Melted butter is used for basting, dipping, and drizzling; clarified butter (ghee) appears in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines. The ability to control saltiness makes unsalted butter the preferred choice for fine cooking, pastry work, and applications where salt balance is critical.

Forms & Preparations

Whole/stick form — Standard unsalted butter sold in 1/4-pound (113g) sticks, used for portioning and measuring in recipes.
Clarified butter (ghee) — Butter with water and milk solids removed, yielding pure butterfat with higher smoke point and extended shelf life; used for high-heat cooking and frying.
Browned butter (beurre noisette) — Butter heated until milk solids caramelize, developing nutty flavor and dark color; used to finish dishes and in cooking where deeper butter flavor is desired.
Compound butter (beurre composé) — Softened butter mixed with herbs, spices, citrus, or other ingredients, then formed into logs or pats; used as a finishing element for hot dishes.
Cultured butter — Butter made from fermented cream, developing tangy flavor and complex notes; used in pastry, cooking, and finishing applications where depth of flavor is valued.
Drawn or melted butter — Butter heated to liquid form, used for dipping shellfish and vegetables, brushing baked goods, or incorporating into emulsified sauces.