When you're toasting or preparing your morning toast, there's nothing more annoying than having to wait for your butter to come to room temperature (although cold can be tricky to spread). If you always forget to soften your butter to the perfect consistency (this takes about 30 minutes to an hour), there's an underrated kitchen essential you might want to consider: a butter crock. A butter crock keeps your butter at the perfect texture for up to a week, without having to store it in the fridge.
Butter shakers have been around since the late 1800s. To use them, simply pour water into the bottom of the container. When half-full of butter is added, the butter shaker seals, keeping the butter fresh. Like many trends, the practice is making a comeback and is a bestseller at Modern Prairie, Melissa Gilbert's e-commerce home and lifestyle brand and store.
Modern Prairie
“We know that if you leave butter out, it will get sticky and go rancid,” says Nicole Haas, co-founder of Modern Prairie, “and using a crock pot helps minimize this issue, sealing in the butter and giving it a spreadable golden color.”
Using softened butter is essential for baked goods like cookies, cakes, biscuits, etc. It is safe to leave butter out for a few days (without a crock pot) as the fat and salt will prevent bacterial growth. However, if not stored in a covered dish, it may become contaminated.
Haas recommends changing the water in the container every two to three days for best results, and if the butter gets too soft, place it back in the refrigerator until it returns to the desired consistency.
Not only are butter crocks functional, they're also a great fit for the cottagecore kitchen trend that's catching on in 2020. Keep one in your kitchen for easy access while you cook, and keep one on your dining room table when you're hosting guests. Displaying your butter crock is sure to intrigue your guests (meaning you can brag about starting a new trend).
“We have beautiful wheel-rolled stoneware pieces that look earthy and beautiful for days, right at the front of our counter, and of course near the toaster,” Haas says. “We also bring them out to the table when we have family and friends over, and they're one of our most talked-about pieces because they surprise and delight everyone.”
If you're going for a farmhouse aesthetic, pair your butter dish with a vase of fresh flowers, neutral tones, stoneware dishes and glasses to keep the look cohesive.
“It's a really simple concept, it's something anyone can use, and it has a fun story to it,” Haas said. “Plus, it makes something magical, spreadable, and delicious. Who wouldn't want that?”
