How Long Does Compound Butter Actually Last In The Fridge?

Butter is pretty amazing on its own, but it becomes even more magnificent when you mix in other ingredients. This is the key to making compound butter, which is chilled, high-quality butter featuring herbs, sweeteners, and other add-ons. Once the compound recipe is complete, you must store butter in the refrigerator as you normally would. In many cases, herb-infused compound butter can last up to two months in the refrigerator. However, storage time really depends on the ingredients you've included in the compound butter recipe.

For example, swapping dried herbs for fresh ones can cause compound butter to spoil at a faster rate. In this case, compound butter may only last up to five days before decreasing in quality. When it comes to compound butter containing garlic, it will typically keep for up to two weeks in the fridge. If you incorporate sun-dried tomatoes into the mix, the compound butter should be consumed within one week. Of course, how you store the butter can make a huge difference when it comes to longevity.

One of the most common methods for storing compound butter in the refrigerator involves parchment paper. Not only will this method preserve butter for as long as possible, but it also makes it much easier to serve. Transfer the butter from the mixing bowl to a sheet of parchment paper, then wrap the parchment paper around the butter. Next, form it inside the parchment paper into a cylindrical shape and seal the ends by twisting the paper together. If you're making a few different versions of compound butter, be sure to label the parchment paper with a marker to avoid mixing them up.

It's also possible to freeze compound butter, which means you can enjoy the recipe for approximately three months. Keep in mind that you must freeze butter correctly to avoid quality issues. A convenient option is to take an ice cube tray and deposit butter into each compartment. However, butter will need to be covered to keep in the freezer, so only use an ice cube tray if you have a lid for it. If not, put the butter into a sealable container and place it in the freezer.

Storing compound butter correctly allows you to enjoy it for longer, but you should also know how to tell that it's no longer safe to eat, as recommended by Southern Living. The fatty nature of butter does offer some robust protection against spoilage, but nothing good lasts forever. That's why cold storage is crucial for all types of butter, as it will spoil much faster when exposed to room temperature conditions.

You can usually tell that butter has gone bad just by smell alone. Butter has a mild, almost imperceptible smell, although compound varieties will smell most like whatever ingredients they include. Conversely, spoiled butter will have a sharp, acidic odor that will probably put you off eating it. In the event you do eat it, you'll notice that it also has a sour flavor, which is a clear indication that the compound butter should be discarded. Similarly, off-putting colors or mold growth also signal that it's time to whip up a new batch of compound butter and do away with the old one.