How long butter last

That's a joke. You don't have to do that. Extra Crispy Logo. Can Butter Go Bad? Save Pin FB More. Pad of half-melted butter on butter disk. By Maxine Builder and Maxine Builder. View Series. All rights reserved. Close Sign in.

Use a butter dish or better still, a butter crock to keep light and air out—the more air-tight, the longer the taste is preserved. Most butter crocks have a chamber that holds cold water which sits on top of the surface of the butter keeping it cool and fresh.

Unsalted butter or whipped butter, however, should be stored in the back of the refrigerator to prevent them from going bad—although it's fine to take the butter out to soften an hour before using if needed.

Homemade, raw milk, or any butter that is not pasteurized should also always be refrigerated. By Michelle Preli August 21, Save Pin More. Blocks of butter and butter knife on parchment paper. Comments 2 Add Comment. Martha Stewart Member. December 8, Butter not margarine can be washed if it starts to turn a little sour. But sometimes we're guilty of keeping butter in our fridge and forgetting about it.

If we are talking about a couple of weeks, sure, it's probably fine. But does butter expire? The dates on the packages are a good place to start. For the shelf life of butter, follow that "sell by" or "best by" date you see on the cover. It's usually okay to still eat the butter a week beyond that date, but if you're thinking of eating it a month beyond that date, you'd have to store it correctly.

Butter needs to be stored properly at, or below, 40 degrees Fahrenheit. If you keep it at room temperature for too long, the oils in the butter will go rancid.