The Best Butter

[savvysearch]

Anyone have any good butter recommendations? For both salted and unsalted.

I've only tried the supermarket variety, the one with the native American, the deer, and the Albertson's generic brand. But I'm still searching for one that's equivalent to the types you get at fancy restaurants.

[kitwilliams]

Both my butters you can find at Trader Joe's...Plugra for baking and the Devon Clotted Cream Butter (is that what it's called? someone correct me if I'm wrong) is awesome for spreading on bread. Thickly spread, I might add.

[chef koo]

cultured butter is quite common nowadays at supermarkets. it's unsalted so ti's usually found in the freezer section. ones made in north america will say european style butter. if possible find one from france. normandy is typically regarded as the best. but don't go to your supermarket and ask for normandy butter. chances are they won't have a clue. if you go to your secialti food store and ask they'll most likely know.

[Verjuice]

If you shop at Albertson's, you might try checking their 'organic dairy' section for Horizon or Organic Valley brand butters. They're easy to find and they make a product that is superior to the generic. Both companies put out a European-style cultured butter that is quite good for a mass market product. And relatively inexpensive.

[Abra]

I'll second the Organic Valley Unsalted, which is cultured. It's my house butter, and a very good product with actual flavor.

[devlin]

I know this has been asked elsewhere before, but it's only recently been of interest to me because I found a source for Plugra sort of locally but still a distance enough to make it a pain in the neck to get. Can you freeze the stuff?

[Patrick S]

I grew up on Land o' Lakes but I stopped using it when someone told me at contains growth hormones (Is this really true? Obviously I haven't been affected by it, but do I really NEED growth hormones in my butter?)

Based on the publicity around milk, I'd guess just about any US butter has growth hormones in it unless it is organic or specifically says it doesn't contain hormones.

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Actually, ALL milk has hormones in it, regardless of where it comes from and whether or not it is 'organic.' All milk has bovine growth hormone (BGH) in it specifically. Some cows, however, are given a supplement of rBGH, or recombinant BGH, that is identical to natural BGH, except that it is produced by recombinant organisms and then given to cows as a supplement to increase milk production 10-20%. Whether a cow is given supplementary rBGH or not, the level of total BGH in the milk is still about the same, because the supplemented cows use the excess BGH. It should be pointed out that neither BGH or rBGH are enzymatically active in humans because its protein structure is very different from its human growth hormone analogue.

There are other issues here, for instance rBGH treated cows are more likely to develop mastitis due to their increase milk production, but personally I have very little concern about hormones in milk or butter, and would not pay more to get milk from cows that have not been given rBGH.

[rooftop1000]

I’m not so concerned with baking or pastry performance. Rather, I’ll simply spread it on a slice of good bread.

I've tried multiple butters. Without question, my favourite by itself (e.g. on bread) is Burro Ocelli. Of course, I would never think of smuggling it back into Canada!

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I fell in love with the butter from Iceland...so yellow so creamy....and I did smuggle some home to NJ

tracey

[snowangel]

Us lucky folks in the Twin Cities (and those in Southern Minnesota) are pretty partial to Hope Butter. The link is old, but the butter is as good as ever.

[Smithy]

I know this has been asked elsewhere before, but it's only recently been of interest to me because I found a source for Plugra sort of locally but still a distance enough to make it a pain in the neck to get. Can you freeze the stuff?

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Yes. I routinely freeze my Kerry Gold when I'm lucky enough to get it, then thaw it when it's time.

[little ms foodie]

I stock up on Plugra when i find it at a good price, my freezer always has some in it. It is my staple now.

[Lone Star]

I saw a French butter bell at Sur La Table last week. The butter is placed inside the "bell" or lid portion and is then placed in the bottom part which contains water and is kept on a counter top.

Has anyone used this device or have any recommendations?

[snowangel]

Search and ye shall behold! Responding to a couple of posts:

There is the Butter Bell topic

as well as the topic about

Pros and Cons of Freezing Butter.

[devlin]

Cool, thanks y'all.

[little ms foodie]

I saw a French butter bell at Sur La Table last week.  The butter is placed inside the "bell" or lid portion and is then placed in the bottom part which contains water and is kept on a counter top.

Has anyone used this device or have any recommendations?

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We've used a butter bell for a few years now and love it. We don't go thru butter that quickly so will usually put half a stick at a time in it. Change the water frequently and the butter is perfectly soft and ready to spread!

[CMA]

I had a source for Cabot Farms Vermont Salt-Free Butter that is no longer stocked in my area of NYC. It was nice to have such a high quality butter (noticeably more creamy and delicious than Breakstone's, Hotel Bar, Land O' Lakes (IMHO) ) available nearby. Not sure of the fat content, but from the taste I would suspect it is high. Very recommended.

Edited July 7, 2005 by CMA (log)

[savvysearch]

Plugra sounds vaguely familiar. Does anyone know if they sell it at Whole Foods or Gelsons or Trader Joes? I assume you can't get it at Albertsons.

[fiftydollars]

Is Challenge Butter any good?

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Better late than never...

I like Challenge butter because it is still wrapped in foil. Apparently, manufacturers of butter have been pressured by consumers to make their quarters microwaveable, which means no foil. I am glad Challenge has so far resisted this trend and I find their product is often fresher (or at least less likely to have off flavors) than other products simply because it is wrapped in foil. This is not to say Challenge is the best butter out there, but it is pretty good, widely available, and usually pretty fresh.

[fiftydollars]

I know this has been asked elsewhere before, but it's only recently been of interest to me because I found a source for Plugra sort of locally but still a distance enough to make it a pain in the neck to get. Can you freeze the stuff?

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In most applications you will not notice a difference between thawed and never frozen butter, but freezing does have an effect. I find that previously frozen butter, including Plugra specifically, tends to be more crumbly. This doesn't bother me in a lot of applications, but with some pastry stuff, like croissants, it can make things a little more difficult.

[devlin]

Plugra sounds vaguely familiar. Does anyone know if they sell it at Whole Foods or Gelsons or Trader Joes? I assume you can't get it at Albertsons.

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As one of the folks who mentioned Plugra, I'm afraid I can't help with the venues you name. I get mine at a small specialty Italian store in Louisville. I haven't noticed any at the local Whole Foods, but that may change from one Whole Foods to another.

[evongvisith]

A local market now carries a selection of European butters that I’d like to try. I’ve only used Lurpak and Plugrá, but since I’m not familiar with these others I’d like your impressions of any you’ve tasted. Positive or negative comments…doesn’t matter. I have brief descriptors of each but they’re designed to sell butter, so I’d really appreciate some non-commercial viewpoints. I’m not so concerned with baking or pastry performance. Rather, I’ll simply spread it on a slice of good bread.

Thanks

Celles Sur Belle - France

Lescure - France

Le Gall Fleur de Sel - France

Cadí - Spain

Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter - Ireland

Nova Acores - Azores

Burro Occelli - Italy

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Of these, I've only tried Kerrygold myself, so I don't know how it stacks up against the others, but it is better than Challenge or any of your widely available supermarket butters by far. Nice and creamy, has a distinct but mild flavor, is easier to spread from the fridge than most other butters, and it helped make my colcanon taste rich and delicious

[D. B. Brown]

Has anyone tried the French butter "Echire " ( pron. eshiray) ? ? ?

Served in little baskets, I guess ?

According to Pierre Franey: "A butter so highly regarded that it has it's own Governmental Appellation d'Origine Controllee. It is produced, not in Normandy, where cream and butter are so renowned, but in a region called the Charente (also the nation's producer of Cognac)." . . . "the butter made in this area is like butter made nowhere else. It is rich and smooth and, well 'buttery'." . . . .

EDIT - If you google "Echire" you will find some vendors. They say you should freeze it, if you don't plan to use it right away.

Edited July 7, 2005 by D. B. Brown (log)

[Patrick S]

Plugra sounds vaguely familiar. Does anyone know if they sell it at Whole Foods or Gelsons or Trader Joes? I assume you can't get it at Albertsons.

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As one of the folks who mentioned Plugra, I'm afraid I can't help with the venues you name. I get mine at a small specialty Italian store in Louisville.

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Do you get your Plugra at Lotsa Pasta? I used to live down the street from there, and I seem to recall seeing it there.

[Jon Tseng]

Chucking double cream into an ice-cream machine for ten mins gets you a pat of lovely creamy-tasting butter

Not quite as good texture as commercial (a temperature thing I guess), but at least you know what went into it!

J

[little ms foodie]

Plugra sounds vaguely familiar. Does anyone know if they sell it at Whole Foods or Gelsons or Trader Joes? I assume you can't get it at Albertsons.

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I buy mine at Whole Paycheck and TJ's