butter
Photo by Efraimstochter on Pixabay (Pixabay License)

additional 60g of butter

Oils & FatsYear-round, though flavor and color vary seasonally based on pasture quality; spring and summer butter tends to be more golden and flavorful due to grass-fed cattle.

Rich in saturated fat and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) when sourced from grass-fed dairy; contains butyric acid and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).

About

Butter is a dairy fat product made by churning cream or milk to separate the butterfat solids from the liquid buttermilk. It consists primarily of milk fat (approximately 80%), water (15-18%), and milk solids (1-2%), with a melting point of 32-35°C (90-95°F). The emulsion of fat globules suspended in water gives butter its characteristic pale yellow to golden color, which varies by season and the diet of dairy cattle. Salted and unsalted varieties are common, with some regional preparations including cultured or clarified butter (ghee).

Culinary Uses

Butter serves as a fundamental cooking fat across numerous culinary traditions, used for sautéing, frying, baking, and finishing dishes. In European cuisines, it is essential for sauces (beurre blanc, beurre noir), pastries, and baked goods. In Asian cooking, clarified butter (ghee) is used for frying and tempering spices. Butter is also consumed spread on bread and used to enrich dishes by mounting (swirling cold butter into sauces at the end of cooking) for emulsification and richness. Its water content makes it less stable for high-heat cooking compared to oils, though clarified versions can tolerate higher temperatures.

Forms & Preparations

  • Unsalted (sweet) butter — Standard form with no added salt, preferred by bakers and chefs for precise salt control in recipes.
  • Salted butter — Contains added salt (0.5-2%), used for spreading on bread and as a preservative in finished butter products.
  • Clarified butter / Ghee — Milk solids and water removed through gentle heating, producing a clear liquid fat with higher smoke point and longer shelf life.
  • Cultured butter — Made from fermented cream, with tangy flavor and slightly lower water content, common in European baking.
  • Compound butter (beurre composé) — Butter mixed with herbs, spices, or other flavorings, sliced and placed on hot foods to melt and sauce.
  • Browned butter (beurre noisette) — Butter heated until milk solids caramelize, creating a nutty aroma and rich flavor for finishing dishes and baking.