How To Use A Butter Bell The Right Way

If there's one pantry staple that has a home in nearly every kitchen, it's butter. Beyond being a luscious spread for your morning toast, butter is a key ingredient in silky buttercream frosting and is the secret to making rich, velvety sauces. In moderation, it's also an excellent source of calcium, certain key vitamins, and even healthy fats. The only issue surrounding this beloved condiment is how to store it.

Putting it in the fridge leads to rock-hard results that rip through bread or stall your baking project when you have to slowly soften your butter properly. Some argue that the best way to store butter is in a dish, but others claim this isn't safe. Fortunately, there's an age-old solution that embraces the best of both worlds — the butter bell. These ingenious ceramic butter crocks have kept butter fresh and cold since their invention in 16th century France.

Butter bells consist of two main parts — a cylindrical ceramic jar and a matching lid with a bell-shaped cup attached to the underside. The idea is to fill the bell-shaped cup to the brim with butter, then add several inches of cold water to the jar. When the lid is on the jar, the bell is partially submerged in water, creating a low-oxygen environment that discourages microbe growth. Since butter is about 80% water-insoluble fat, it won't absorb any excess moisture while submerged. When you need some butter, just scoop some from the bell before placing it back in the jar.

Though using your butter bell is fairly straightforward, there are a handful of guidelines that will help prevent some of the common pain points of these deceptively simple contraptions. The first is to wash your butter bell with hot water and dish soap after you buy it and every time you need to replace the butter. This helps eradicate any bacteria that may be hiding in the jar or the bell and that could cause your butter to go rancid.

The second guideline is twofold — make sure your butter is soft and pack it firmly into the bell. Soft, pliable butter with no signs of melting will lightly cling to the inside of the bell, especially once you've pushed out any air pockets. A rubber spatula is great for pressing everything into place and smoothing the surface of the butter. Next, make sure to add cold water to the jar, again to prevent bacteria growth, but also to keep your butter from melting and dropping into the water (which defeats the purpose of the bell).

Finally, be sure to replace the water every other day or so. Despite ceramic's insulating properties, even ice-cold water will eventually warm up and develop mold. Replacing it regularly not only provides fairly sterile refrigeration, it allows you to check your butter for signs of spoilage, such as bad smells. When properly maintained, you can safely store butter in your butter bell for up to 30 days.