Butter

Keep refrigerated in original wrapper or airtight container. Salted butter lasts longer than unsalted. Can be frozen in original packaging or wrapped tightly in foil.

High in saturated fat and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K

For flaky pastries, keep butter very cold and work quickly to prevent melting

Room temperature butter (around 65-68°F) creams best with sugar for cakes and cookies

Brown butter by cooking until milk solids turn golden brown for a nutty flavor

Clarified butter (ghee) has a higher smoke point and is better for high-heat cooking

European-style butter has higher fat content (82-86%) than American (80%), creating richer results

Fresh bread, rolls, and biscuits

Vegetables like corn, green beans, and Brussels sprouts

Seafood, especially lobster, scallops, and fish

Pasta and risotto for richness

Herbs like parsley, thyme, sage, and garlic for compound butters

Using melted butter when recipe calls for softened, resulting in dense or flat baked goods

Over-softening butter in microwave, which can cause uneven melting and affect texture

Substituting salted for unsalted without adjusting recipe salt, leading to oversalted dishes

Burning butter when browning—watch carefully as it can go from golden to burnt quickly