life of frozen butter

[faif2d]

I guess the title says it all. I have read that butter should not be stored frozen longer than 6 mo. As you all know oils are one of the hardest things to store and I would like to stay away from the canned butter because of the cost. Does anyone have any practical experience that they can share?? My chest freezer is set at -5 to 0 degrees F if that would make any difference.

[iggy]

I have close to 15 pounds of butter in the freezer right now. We were going through a pound a day when husband was popping corn (in my largest stainless bowl) a night! He isn't on a popcorn binge any more.

I buy butter when it is $2.50 or less a pound. Mostly pay $1.99 a pound.

The longest any of it has been in the freezer ~ probably 4 months. Never thought it had a freezer expiry date though. It is wrapped so tight, figured it wouldn't get freezer burn, or dry out like ice cubes & ice cream do/does.

Because the price is bound to go up, I will continue to get it when it goes on sale. Could always vacuum seal it I guess.

[CurtisG]

I dont havent done it but butter is easily canned yourself in mason jars.
You have to roll the canned butter around while it cools so that it wont be separated when it finally returns to "solid".
My wife bought a new canner and i want to store up some butter when it's on sale. Probably have to do some experimenting as to how many sticks will fit into what size canning jar.
Edit: my wife does the canning, i just stand and watch!

[phylm]

I have canned butterr that is storing fine. You can get instructions on University sites online. It involves sterilizing your canning jars in the oven, melting the butter in a pot on the stove, pouring it into the hot jars, wiping jar edges carefully, sealing, then shaking periodically as it cools to keep the butter from separating. Works fine, tastes like butter, and I am not paranoid about canning most anything.

[prairiemom]

I have canned butterr that is storing fine. You can get instructions on University sites online. It involves sterilizing your canning jars in the oven, melting the butter in a pot on the stove, pouring it into the hot jars, wiping jar edges carefully, sealing, then shaking periodically as it cools to keep the butter from separating. Works fine, tastes like butter, and I am not paranoid about canning most anything.

Which universities? Because every extension site I've seen says it's not proven safe. Yes, it tastes fine. But botulism has no taste, so you will not know that you've eaten something unsafe. Butter is a low-acid food, so it MUST be pressure canned. And because it is fat, it does not seal reliably under pressure.


http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/FN_Food_Preservation_2009-01.pdf

I've stored butter in the freezer for 14 mos with no problem.

[cHeroKee]

The most practical, safest and efficient way to store butter is the dry forms of butter.

"Canning" butter in jars is merely storing butter in canning jars. One is not heating the butter enough to destroy and prevent growth of all spores of Clostridium botulinum (that causes botulism) and other pathogens during room temperature storage on the shelf. Also. butter is not sufficiently acid enough to destroy and prevent growth of all spores of Clostridium botulinum (that causes botulism) and other pathogens, either. This is why it is dangerous to "can" melt butter in jars.

[faif2d]

OK I can go to 14 Mo, that is much better than I had been using. Now I have to wait for a really good sale! Thank you for the info.

[Justme]

My research has lead me to the same conclusions as prairiemom and cHeroKee. home bottled butter can not be considered safe, it may be if it doesn't happen to get contaminated with deadly organisms but there is no way of knowing if it is and the processing doesn't eliminate such organisms. To assume it is safe because you haven't had problems before is like playing Russian Roulette.

But does anyone know if commercially canned butter is safe?

[cHeroKee]

But does anyone know if commercially canned butter is safe?
They use a process called acidification rather than pressure canning to assure that botulism does not occur. The spores cannot survive in pH 4.6 or lower. You can simply add lemon juice or vinegar. Basically you need a 10 ft tall pressure cooker delivering 2 atmosphere of pressure and lots of heat to over come the density/heat penetration issue.

[Schatzi]

So the Red Feather butter is safe? I have a bunch in my food storage--and lots of frozen butter.

[cHeroKee]

So the Red Feather butter is safe? I have a bunch in my food storage--and lots of frozen butter.
Red Feather is safe. Their products are a high-<wbr>heat process, something that can't be done at home.

[Earthling]

I've got butter in my freezer that is at least two years old with no problem. I notice the stuff much older than that doesn't look as good but tastes fine when used.

[CurtisG]

Yikes. I guess i wont be canning butter.

[phylm]

Whatever rows your boat. I survived the many years of canned everything---meat, vegetables, tomatoes and fruit That my grandmothers and mother canned in a water bath canner. I appreciate my pressure canner, but I haven't joined the Zero-Risk lifestyle yet. You're invited to my funeral.

[Mother55]

I stocked up on butter when it was $1.89 pound. I bought a lot! It has been in my freezer for at least 4 years and we are using it every day--it tastes just fine. I also have about 20 plastic bottles of olive oil in my freezer to extend it's life. During a famine, the fats are the first to be in short supply, and important for energy and to make the stored grains palatable.

[faif2d]

Excellent! I just have to wait for a sale to stock up. I also have a number of bottles of olive oil in the freezer because that is supposed to have a longer life. I have replaced almost all of the bottles of water that I used to have in the freezer with olive oil. I also think I will add some coconut oil as that is supposed to have a long shelf life unfrozen. It can only get better when frozen.

[jennvan40]

I don't know if its been mentioned here before but coconut oil is a great thing for food storage. Its solid at room temp but has a low melting point. There are a lot of types and brands to choose from that are shelf stable. Also palm oil is another option.

[arbilad]

Coconut oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil.
What I like about storing olive oil, though, is that even after it goes rancid you can turn it into lamp oil. So no need to worry about rotating it fast enough. All you need are some wicks and jars.

[phylm]

I am hoping to get our pigs before hit-the-fan time, so we can grow our own fat. We both grew up on baking and deep-frying with lard, and there is nothing like it. Incidentially, I am now 79, and my blood vessels are 95% plaque free. (Made my doctor very angry when I refused statin drugs, before he found that out.) My husband's family, and he, are cursed with a big cholestrol/plaque problem, and I helped him recover completely from congestive heart failure with EDTA capsules. It is such an inexpensive miracle substance.