do you need to refrigerate butter?

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will you get sick if you just leave it on your counter and eat it?

― Mike Hanle y (mike), Monday, 16 June 2003 15:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Butter dish to thread.

― Pete (Pete), Monday, 16 June 2003 15:34 (twenty-two years ago)

don't refrigerate it! just put it in a covered dish.

― s1utsky (slutsky), Monday, 16 June 2003 15:36 (twenty-two years ago)

(you'll know if it's too rancid to eat)

― s1utsky (slutsky), Monday, 16 June 2003 15:36 (twenty-two years ago)

As long as you keep insects out of it.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 16 June 2003 15:37 (twenty-two years ago)

the above is only my personal opinion & I accept no responsibility if anyone gets sick from my advice.

(x-post: nickalicious--that's why you gotta cover the dish! also dust etc)

― s1utsky (slutsky), Monday, 16 June 2003 15:38 (twenty-two years ago)

i prefer Olivio meself

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 16 June 2003 15:38 (twenty-two years ago)

If you and your family has died...your butter might have been rancid.< /Jeff Foxworthy>

― NA. (Nick A.), Monday, 16 June 2003 15:38 (twenty-two years ago)

when i was growing up, my best friend's mum never refrigerated the butter and i always thought it was the most unsavoury thing possible (coming from a household of strictly refrigerated margarine).

but now, i see the light. i leave it uncovered, and luckily insects have no interest in it. doesn't go bad either.

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Monday, 16 June 2003 15:38 (twenty-two years ago)

not if your brando

― Chris V. (Chris V), Monday, 16 June 2003 15:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Leaving butter out in room temp = urgent and key for a lot of things what you might bake (cookies, brownies, etc.).

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 16 June 2003 15:42 (twenty-two years ago)

If it's really really hot, refrigerate the butter. Or you will have a puddle. But if not, just use a dish - it's not a hygiene issue. Well I have never got sick from it.

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 16 June 2003 15:44 (twenty-two years ago)

It'll melt.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 16 June 2003 15:45 (twenty-two years ago)

do refrigerate eggs, though!

― Aaron A., Monday, 16 June 2003 15:50 (twenty-two years ago)

they'll hatch!

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 16 June 2003 15:51 (twenty-two years ago)

And yes it is U & K to take the butter OUT of the fridge well before using it for a cake etc. I have spent many miserable minutes trying to soften butter (easier if you have a microwave).

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 16 June 2003 15:51 (twenty-two years ago)

As long as you go through your butter fast enough, it won't go bad. I think the longest for me was three-four weeks to consume one stick, and the butter was still fine. Salted butter will last even longer.

This applies to a lot of foods - people are paranoid about food spoilage, but many foods will be just fine out of a refridgeraor for a few days or weeks, just make sure you eat it fast enough.

― fletrejet, Monday, 16 June 2003 15:54 (twenty-two years ago)

unfortunately the microwave threshold for softening butter is so narrow that you get either a puddle at the bottom of the dish or still-too-hard butter.

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Monday, 16 June 2003 15:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Only refrigerate eggs if you take a long time to eat them and even then if you are boiling them take them out half an hour or so before or they will crack in the pan.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 16 June 2003 15:55 (twenty-two years ago)

You just have to make sure you frigerate it thoroughly, and then it'll be grand.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Monday, 16 June 2003 15:56 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.frenchbutterdish.com/

― teeny (teeny), Monday, 16 June 2003 16:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Only refrigerate it if it is melting-butter hot, or if you prefer it. Otherwise, unless one lump lasts you several weeks there is no hygiene issue.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Monday, 16 June 2003 17:12 (twenty-two years ago)

When its hot like this keep the packet in the fruidge and cut chunks out into you butter dish every day or so and you will avoid rancid butter.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 16 June 2003 17:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Warm butter and toasted bread is a vital part of my morning breakfast.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 16 June 2003 17:28 (twenty-two years ago)

There are people who don't refrigerate eggs, seriously?

― Nicole (Nicole), Monday, 16 June 2003 17:29 (twenty-two years ago)

I have some friends who are amazed I leave the butter sitting out for extended periods of time (weeks). I'm equally amazed they have no spreadable butter sitting around. You can do serious damage to a piece of bread while trying to spread hard butter on it.

― lawrence kansas (lawrence kansas), Monday, 16 June 2003 17:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Butter I understand. Eggs? No.

― Nicole (Nicole), Monday, 16 June 2003 17:40 (twenty-two years ago)

This is, like, a major point of debate between me and my roommate. She holds with the warm butter argument and I hold with the "oh my god you're going to kill us all" argument. So now we have two butters -- one in a covered dish and one in the fridge.

― Chris P (Chris P), Monday, 16 June 2003 17:51 (twenty-two years ago)

A book about Chris and his roommate.

― NA. (Nick A.), Monday, 16 June 2003 17:53 (twenty-two years ago)

The sol'n of course is to buy a fridge with a working butter softener.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 16 June 2003 17:53 (twenty-two years ago)

In France the eggs aren't even refrigerated in stores.

― s1utsky (slutsky), Monday, 16 June 2003 18:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Eggs aren't refrigerated in UK stores, either. Nor in my kitchen.

As regards butter - I like that Clover stuff. It tastes nice and buttery and it spreads easily straight from the fridge. I sound like a bad advert for it, don't I?

― C J (C J), Monday, 16 June 2003 18:24 (twenty-two years ago)

In Canada, most grocery stores don't either, though they are supposed to. They only go in the fridge when they are moved out front.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 16 June 2003 18:25 (twenty-two years ago)

This thread seriously makes me want to hurl.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 16 June 2003 18:29 (twenty-two years ago)

THEY WILL HATCH, PEOPLE

― Aaron A., Monday, 16 June 2003 18:35 (twenty-two years ago)

then you get chicken = win win

― mark s (mark s), Monday, 16 June 2003 19:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Balut to thread!

Don't refrigerate butter or all manner of Jon Tickle Toaster type madness will erupt (ie Jon's toaster design is only semi-viable in a butter-refrigerating world where spreadability = 0.)

― Cozen (Cozen), Monday, 16 June 2003 19:22 (twenty-two years ago)

THEY WILL HATCH, PEOPLE

I don't about where you're coming from but my local chickens ain't gettnig enough loving to hatch no eggs foo'.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 16 June 2003 19:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Sometimes, you people... are so weird.

― Cozen (Cozen), Monday, 16 June 2003 19:24 (twenty-two years ago)

A lot of British people keep their eggs in the fridge. A lot don't. Try it Nicole - you might like it.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 16 June 2003 19:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Mmmmm yummy salmonella!

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 16 June 2003 19:30 (twenty-two years ago)

It's like salmon but ella!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 16 June 2003 19:32 (twenty-two years ago)

"ella" pronouced "illa" btw

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 16 June 2003 19:32 (twenty-two years ago)

You don't get salmonella from not refrigerating eggs, you asshat. Unless you're planning to eat them raw, but then I'm not sure that refrigerating them does any good if they're infected anyway.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 16 June 2003 19:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Cheryl Mendelson in Home Comforts says butter and eggs "must be stored in the refrigerator".

The only place I have any room for a butter dish is in the fridge.

― rosemary (rosemary), Monday, 16 June 2003 20:08 (twenty-two years ago)

I keep my butter on a small (possibly salad) plate that I then place on the top of my small plate stack in the cupboard.

― martha kansas (lawrence kansas), Monday, 16 June 2003 20:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I keep my butter in their original single-serving packets just as they were at Souper Salad.

― Aaron A., Monday, 16 June 2003 20:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Terrific 1910 research into storage of eggs

o Coated with paraffin: 70% spoiled.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 16 June 2003 20:43 (twenty-two years ago)

What about the age-old practice of storing sticks of butter unrefrigerated but submerged in a bowl of water, to prevent oxidation and keep airborne buggers at bay? Does anyone still do that? I think it works quite well.

― Paul Eater (eater), Monday, 16 June 2003 20:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Nobody has mentioned buttersicles. Keep them in the freezer for a tasty summer treat. You'll thank me you will.

― Chris P (Chris P), Monday, 16 June 2003 21:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 86 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Oh right. My advice doesn't apply if you have access to fresh eggs or to ones that have never been refrigerated. Here in the U.S., storebought eggs are invariably sold chilled, so they've already lost their never-been.

I've been getting amazing eggs from the farmers' market ... laid within the previous day or two, with giant orange yolks. If it weren't for the huge price difference I'd never go back to the store ones.

― Paul Eater (eater), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:28 (twenty-two years ago)

we got some like that from an organic farm in Essex the other week, they were fantastic, especially poached with a drizzle of truffle oil on them /ponce

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Your fridge runs more efficiently when it's full, fwiw.

― teeny (teeny), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Not true, your fridge is even more effcient when it is empty. Because then it doesn't have to be on.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:36 (twenty-two years ago)

If you want to deep-fry things, you should put it in the fridge (after it's been soacked in batter). I recently found out how you can deep-fry ice-cream.

― nathalie (nathalie), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:38 (twenty-two years ago)

N. do you eat the shells?

No, I was wondering if you did.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:40 (twenty-two years ago)

only by accident, but rubbery shells are a bugger to crack.

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:41 (twenty-two years ago)

This is a vaguely unsettling thread.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Mm...that was a lovely nap.

American refrigerators are big because Americans are fat pigs. I mean, I shouldn't even have to point that out.

Correction: she says low-sodium soy sauce needs to be refrigerated, and that regular soy sauce can be kept at room temperature for about a month. She also says that although vinegar is said not to need refrigeration, *she* puts it in the fridge because she's found it can get mold on it when kept at room temperature.

You folks have no idea about the depth of Mendelson's mentalism: for example, she recommends a thorough fridge-cleaning on a WEEKLY basis. And here I am thinking I'm doing good when I do it every six months.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:51 (twenty-two years ago)

... and i can't believe how long it's been going for!

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:52 (twenty-two years ago)

the thread, i mean.

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:52 (twenty-two years ago)

regular soy sauce can be kept at room temperature for about a month

!! not about three years then?

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:53 (twenty-two years ago)

It's not a spoliage issue so much as a taste issue.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Obv Cheryl's days are twice as long as us mere mortals' or something.
Matt has been lugging Home Comforts round various rooms of the house for days and he seems to quite like it. Apparently I must be on my guard against this refrigeration mentalism.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:00 (twenty-two years ago)

in the presence of small mark s "hundred year old eggs" were routinely discussed as an actual real chinese delicacy

however they are not yet available from takeaways so i reamin sceptical

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Hundred-year eggs are amazing.

Also: tea eggs.

I've been a victim of flaky white soy-sauce mold, so now keep mine in the fridge. I have some ancient vinegars in the cabinet though that are still fine. I know though that if you have mold/fungus allergies you're supposed to beware of undistilled vinegar.

This Ms. Mendelson evidently lives near me: perhaps I can convince her to come over and demonstrate her version of fridge hygiene.

― Paul Eater (eater), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Undistilled vinegar? Is that infamous non-brewed condiment as sold in London chippies, and found to my horror in my new kitchen?

― RickyT (RickyT), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:13 (twenty-two years ago)

This thread is why I love this place.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Non-brewed? Explain please.

― Paul Eater (eater), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Non-brewed vinegar is usually a solution of acetic acid and water, with a little bit of caramel for colouring. Really not worth your while taste wise but v.v.astringent.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:41 (twenty-two years ago)

>American refrigerators are big because Americans are fat pigs. I mean, I shouldn't even have to point that out.

Americans are pigs, yes, but it also has to do with food shopping habits. Instead a multiple small food purchases they usually make huge food re-supply runs, buying $200-$300 worth of food at one go.

― fletrejet, Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Every other day.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Some $100 of which is spent on cold, rubbery eggs.

― Sam (chirombo), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 15:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Cool hand luke to thread.

― Sam (chirombo), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 15:01 (twenty-two years ago)

sorts of freakyassed bugs

eep.

overall this thread has convinced me never to let a Brit cook breakfast for me.

― That Girl (thatgirl), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 15:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Not only because of the egg thing, but because they're hamorgasmic.

― Nicole (Nicole), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 15:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Mr 'Freakyassed Bugs' Noodles is Canadian, isn't he?

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 15:59 (twenty-two years ago)

That really had nothing to do with the British comment. Freakyassed bugs just make me go 'eep'.

― That Girl (thatgirl), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 16:03 (twenty-two years ago)

That really had nothing to do with the British comment. Freakyassed bugs just make me go 'eep'.

I eeped very loudly at the time. And another thing, I've known chicken farms stinked for a long time, but several hundred eggs sitting in the open tends to be pretty stenchy too.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 16:27 (twenty-two years ago)

If you want to deep-fry things, you should put it in the fridge (after it's been soaked in batter)

b-but I don't have a bowl of batter big enough to put my fridge in!

― C J (C J), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 18:46 (twenty-two years ago)

I am quite happy to take any American to an egg aisle of our supermarket and see if they can smell anything. Eggs rarely smell unless opened.

You'll be telling me next that you keep ice-dcubes in the freezer. Pshaw.

― Pete (Pete), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 09:05 (twenty-two years ago)

FFN is *so* the no logo of food, in that it's all about consumer power being more important that political power (which is possibly true, but annoys me something chronic). it did make me somewhat smug reading it, thinking "a-ha you yanks may run in fear of our unrefridgerated eggs, but at least our slaughterhouses aren't as bad as yours"

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 09:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Fact - 50% of animals that go into our slaughterhouses get away. Its all about that English fair play thing.

(It also means that when the cattle evolve a decent brain and revolt the English will be low down on their list for revenge).

― Pete (Pete), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 10:01 (twenty-two years ago)

You guys are weridos. Eggs not in the fridge? Melting sticks of butter sitting around the house? I buy my butter they way god intended me to: soft and spready in a tub.

-- That Girl (dallasdeadgir...)

That Girl and I are of the same mind here.

Eggs not in the refrigerator and butter (or margarine) out in the open is just asking for trouble right here in Texas. Especially during the summer. Even with the air conditioner running. You guys want to lap up all that quickly spoiling food, go right ahead. I'm sticking with my nicely 20th-century refrigerated food.

And tubs of margarine are perfect for spreading. They are what complete a platter of pancakes for me.

Oh yes, and my refrigerator/freezer combo needs to be big because I love to have lots and lots of produce on hand to munch on, I go to warehouse stores to stock up on meat, my household drinks soda, flavored waters, bottled water, orange juice, and tap water put into bottles, we need a top shelf cleared for insulin and those little catsup packets you get from fast food places, and we need space to fit our leftovers, dishes of Jell-O, watermelon slices, etc. So there. :oP

― Innocent Dreamer (Dee the Lurker), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 15:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Butter != margarine though! Different rules apply!

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 15:41 (twenty-two years ago)

I've been to Texas. It isn't hotter than a chicken ass. Eggs can handle heat as long as there aren't any cracks (which there often are, though, in storebought ones, even if you can't see them).

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 15:52 (twenty-two years ago)

(Okay, non-storebought ones, too. That was phrased oddly. There are frequently small cracks in storebought eggs because of all the jostling and so forth: there are often cracks in farm-bought eggs because they're fun to throw.)

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 15:53 (twenty-two years ago)

(For instance, you can play a game by tossing an egg into the midst of a bunch of chickens and place bets on which chicken eats it first! Not that I ever did.)

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 15:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Tep, what is yr expert opinion on hanle y's claim re toast in this thread:

Eggs : New Found Glory or Bad Company?

― mark s (mark s), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 16:00 (twenty-two years ago)

That's a great thread! There's even a mention in passing by masonicboom of some M*mus hijinks.

― lawrence kansas (lawrence kansas), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 17:14 (twenty-two years ago)

what, person eggs?

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 17:54 (twenty-two years ago)

It isn't hotter than a chicken ass.

I would hate to watch "Chicken Run" with you.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 17:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes but Tep, eggs aren't stored beneath a chicken's ass TO KEEP THEM EDIBLE FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME. duh.

― That Girl (thatgirl), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 18:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Hanle y's obviously way off: toast is a pad, not a tampon.

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 18:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, but they still survive the chicken ass for a long while and remain edible, whether that's the point of the ass or not.

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 18:40 (twenty-two years ago)

(I am clearly not making Dan any more likely to watch Chicken Run with me.)

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 18:41 (twenty-two years ago)

There are few times in my life that I am ever rendered speechless...

― luna (luna.c), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 19:39 (twenty-two years ago)

...and apparently this isn't one of them.

― NA. (Nick A.), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 19:40 (twenty-two years ago)

(I was just saying that, too).

Butter in the fridge, ya, unless I need to cook with it, then I'll take it out a few hours before, eggs, well, hell, *I* don't eat them, put them wherever you like.

I never did throw them into a herd of chickens to see which one would eat it first, but I did fall for the "hey Aimee, throw this egg up into the air and if you yell 'fly and be free', it'll hatch and the chicken will fly away" ruse laid on me by my brother when I was about 4. I got through about a dozen eggs before I caught on.

I was a stupid child.l

― luna (luna.c), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 19:42 (twenty-two years ago)

four years pass...

do u?

― jhøshea, Monday, 15 October 2007 23:07 (seventeen years ago)

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