America's Test Kitchen - Should You Buy a Butter Bell / Container? | (America's Test Kitchen S24 E26)
The video discusses the importance of proper butter storage to prevent it from absorbing unwanted flavors and odors. Two types of butter storage containers were tested: butter bells and dishes. Butter bells, originating from France, keep butter fresh at room temperature by forming an airtight seal with water. The Original Butter Bell Crock was favored for its design and effectiveness, keeping butter fresh for two weeks. Butter dishes were also tested, both in the fridge and at room temperature. They performed better than original wrappers, with the LocknLock rectangular food container and tray emerging as the best, keeping butter fresh for up to a month in the fridge. This container features tight-sealing flaps and measurement markings, making it practical for extended storage.
Key Points:
- Butter bells keep butter fresh at room temperature for two weeks.
- The Original Butter Bell Crock was the top choice for butter bells.
- Butter dishes can keep butter fresh for up to a month in the fridge.
- The LocknLock container was the best for fridge storage, with tight seals.
- Proper storage prevents butter from absorbing unwanted flavors.
Details:
1. 🧈 The Importance of Proper Butter Storage
- Butter must be stored in airtight containers to prevent it from absorbing flavors and odors from nearby foods, which can compromise its quality.
- In professional kitchens, butter is often used rapidly, minimizing storage issues, but at home, butter can last for weeks, increasing the risk of flavor contamination.
- To prolong freshness and maintain flavor, butter should be wrapped in foil or stored in a butter dish with a lid and kept in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
- Using airtight containers or wrapping in parchment paper can further protect butter from absorbing unwanted flavors and odors.
2. 🇫🇷 Exploring the Butter Bell
- Two styles of butter storage containers were tested: traditional dishes and French butter bells.
- Butter bells, which originate from France, are designed to keep butter at room temperature using an airtight seal created by packing softened butter upside down in a crock and adding a small amount of water.
- While butter dishes are more conventional, butter bells offer a unique method that maintains butter's freshness without refrigeration.
3. 🔍 Testing Butter Bells
3.1. Butter Bells Testing Methodology
3.2. Testing Results and Preferences
4. 🥇 Comparing Butter Storage Containers
- All tested containers outperformed original wrappers in maintaining butter freshness.
- Butter dishes effectively kept butter fresh at room temperature for up to two weeks and in the fridge for about three weeks.
- The LocknLock rectangular food container and tray excelled by maintaining butter freshness for a full month in the fridge.
- LocknLock's design features tightly sealing flaps and an upside-down orientation, enhancing freshness and convenience, and includes measurement markings for precise use.
- Testing criteria included duration of freshness at room temperature and refrigeration, ease of use, and additional features like measurement markings.
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