Butter

The Question

I fucking love butter. Been looking for small scale dairies nearby with happy moos in pastures to try making my own. I cook with it. I put it on things. I bake with it. We usually have about 6 blocks in the fridge at any one time to replace the one not in the fridge when it gets used up.

One thing I've come to realise with my cooking though, I cook like a chef, and I don't mean skill level. I mean with the levels of butter I use. I sometimes wonder if I'm using too much butter in my cooking, if my delicious food is too rich to be eaten regularly.

How much *should* one be using for a dish? Frying an onion. Mashing some potatoes. Making a gravy. Butter butter butter.

Based on community cooking experience, there is no universal "right amount" of butter - seasoning should continue until your food tastes delicious, with many experienced cooks following the principle of seasoning "until the spirits of your ancestors say stop."

Best Method

Add butter as a finishing ingredient in the final 30-60 seconds of cooking rather than using it throughout the entire cooking process. This technique allows you to achieve maximum flavor impact with 1-2 tablespoons instead of 4-6 tablespoons used for initial cooking. Brown the butter separately in a small pan for 2-3 minutes until nutty and golden, then drizzle over finished dishes.

Alternative Approaches

Make cultured butter by adding 2 tablespoons cultured buttermilk to 1 cup heavy cream, churning after 12-24 hours of fermentation
Use brown butter as a finishing condiment, heating 4 tablespoons butter until foam subsides and solids turn golden brown (3-4 minutes)
Reserve high-quality European-style butter (82-84% fat content) exclusively for applications where butter flavor is essential, such as roux or pastry
Substitute neutral oils (grapeseed, canola) for initial cooking, adding 1-2 tablespoons finishing butter for flavor

Common Mistakes

Using butter throughout the entire cooking process wastes its flavor potential and requires 3-4 times more butter than strategic finishing applications. Starting with butter in the pan exposes it to extended heat, breaking down milk solids and diminishing the characteristic butter taste that develops when added fresh to hot food.

Food Safety Notes

No specific food safety protocols were discussed in the community responses regarding butter storage temperatures or handling procedures.