6 tbsp butter
Rich in fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K2) and butyric acid; contains approximately 7 calories per gram and is primarily saturated fat, with smaller amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
About
Butter is an emulsified fat product made by churning cream or milk, traditionally from bovine sources, resulting in a solid or semi-solid fat at room temperature. It consists of approximately 80-82% butterfat, 15-17% water, and 1-2% milk solids. The production process involves agitating cream until the fat globules coalesce, separating from the liquid buttermilk. Butter's flavor profile ranges from sweet and creamy in lightly salted versions to rich and complex in cultured varieties, which undergo lactic acid fermentation before churning. Varieties include unsalted (sweet cream) butter, salted butter, cultured butter (with tangy notes from fermentation), and clarified butter or ghee (with milk solids removed).
Culinary Uses
Butter is a fundamental cooking fat and flavor enhancer used across virtually all culinary traditions, from European pastry and baking to Indian cuisine (ghee), French sauces, and Asian applications. It serves multiple functions: as a cooking medium for sautéing and frying, an emulsifier in sauces (beurre blanc, hollandaise), a leavening agent in baked goods, and a finishing fat for enrichment and shine. In baking, butter's solid state at room temperature creates flakiness in pastries and laminated doughs; in cooking, its lower smoke point (around 350°F/177°C for whole butter, higher for clarified versions) makes it suitable for medium-heat applications. Commonly paired with garlic, herbs, and lemon for compound butters, or used as a creaming agent with sugar in cake production.