# Is this gross? (Using butter left out at room temp.)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 15, 2011, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953 "2011-05-15T01:45:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/1 "2011-05-15T01:45:26Z")

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My sons and I love us some garlic toast. We have it with a significant amount of our meals.

The standard proceedure in our house is; we’ll take a glob of (real) buttrer put it in a cup with some minced garlic and salt. Then we just nuke it in the microwave for a few seconds.

Whatever is not used is left in the cup sitting on the counter untill some else needs to use it again. This cup can last from seven to ten days.

So is this practice gross? My sis seams to think so. My arguement is that Britts don’t refrigerate their butter. But I don’t know. What do you guys think?

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**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/2 "2011-05-15T01:48:33Z")

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Butter doesn’t need refrigeration for a week.

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**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/3 "2011-05-15T01:52:18Z")

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In the winter, I leave butter in a cabinent against a north-wall. Usually about 50-60 deg F in the cabinet.

summer, when the house in the 70’s deg F, I don’t leave butter out for more than day. I cut the sticks into qtrs and put them in as cool as place possible overnight so the butter will spread easily on toast.

AFAIK, I never been sick from rancid butter.

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**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/4 "2011-05-15T01:54:57Z")

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Butter does not have enough water in it to promote quick bacterial or mold growth. It will eventually go rancid - the fats in it will oxidize, changing the taste - but it won’t kill you and it will taste “off”, so you’ll know.

People have been safely making and using butter since long before home refrigeration was an option.

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**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/5 "2011-05-15T01:55:31Z")

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Leave it out until it goes rancid, then, don’t do that again.

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**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/6 "2011-05-15T01:57:25Z")

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I would worry when putting vegetation in an anaerobic situation. Botulism is nearly impossible to detect without getting sick. I know there have been problems with storing garlic or basil in olive oil at room temp. As far as just plain butter stored in a butter dish, I do it all the time.

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**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/7 "2011-05-15T01:59:36Z")

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Get one of [these](http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-353847/Emile-Henry-Citron-Butter-Pot). Basically you put your butter in the cup and then turn it upside down in a cup of water which provides a seal to keep the air out. No putrification!

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**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/8 "2011-05-15T02:03:49Z")

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> [@USCDiver](#):
>
> Get one of [these](http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-353847/Emile-Henry-Citron-Butter-Pot). Basically you put your butter in the cup and then turn it upside down in a cup of water which provides a seal to keep the air out. No putrification!

$33? Well that’s money well spent.

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**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/9 "2011-05-15T02:11:21Z")

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> [@Sitnam](#):
>
> $33? Well that’s money well spent.

[$8 sound better?](http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-284-Stoneware-Butter-Keeper/dp/B0000VLURQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305425444&sr=8-1)

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**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/10 "2011-05-15T02:14:41Z")

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Growing up, we _never_ refrigerated butter.

And here I am.  
mmm

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**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/11 "2011-05-15T02:16:14Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Garlic-in-oil associated botulism: episode leads to product modification.  
> Morse DL, Pickard LK, Guzewich JJ, Devine BD, Shayegani M.  
> SourceBureau of Communicable Disease Control, New York State Department of Health and State University, Albany.
> 
> Abstract  
> In February 1989, three cases of botulism occurred in persons who consumed garlic bread made from a garlic-in-oil product. Testing of leftover garlic-in-oil showed it to have a pH of 5.7 and to contain high concentrations of Clostridium botulinum organisms and toxin. This was the second episode of botulism associated with a low acid garlic-in-oil product which needs constant refrigeration. In response, the Food and Drug Administration has taken steps to prevent a recurrence by requiring that microbial inhibitors or acidifying agents be added to such products

An abstract I found

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**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/12 "2011-05-15T02:23:58Z")

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The issue is more the introduction of the garlic into the butter may possibly cause issues (such as sitchensis quoted above)

Beyond that, no there is no problem leaving the butter out. If it gets too hot, it’ll melt and you’ll go “Dang, shouldn’t do that”. But as WhyNot said, people have been making and leaving butter out since before refrigerators even existed.

Also, Brits only has a single t.

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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/13 "2011-05-15T02:33:12Z")

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> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#):
>
> Growing up, we _never_ refrigerated butter.
> 
> And here I am.  
> mmm

Ditto for me, I just have a plain old butter dish that doesn’t do much more then keep dust off of it. I just used some butter today from a stick that’s been sitting in my butter dish for probably two months. Tasted just fine. As you said, been leaving butter out my whole life. Now that I’m single, it stays out significantly longer since I really don’t use it very often, but I’ve never even _seen_ butter go bad.

To answer something specifically in the OP, if that’s fresh garlic, I wouldn’t leave it out. If it’s dried minced garlic, I’m not sure, I’d probably refrigerate it to be safe.

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**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/14 "2011-05-15T02:41:39Z")

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I’ve kept butter on the counter in a butter bell, and I’ve kept it on the counter in a regular dish. Both worked equally fine, especially if the butter’s being used up in a week.

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**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/15 "2011-05-15T02:45:28Z")

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The garlic-in-oil thing refers to jars of oil that have garlic floating in them, and they generally stick around a lot longer than a week. I honestly wouldn’t worry about it, but if it concerns you, then yes, use dried granulated garlic or garlic powder, instead.

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**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/16 "2011-05-15T02:57:41Z")

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for decades in butter friendly areas of the USA a covered butter dish on the table was fine. this was just the stick of the unaltered butter.

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**Author:** ![Old\_Eel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/977dab/32.png) [@Old\_Eel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Old_Eel)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/17 "2011-05-15T03:05:50Z")

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I’d leave butter out if I didn’t have pets.

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**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/18 "2011-05-15T03:12:36Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Botulism from Chopped Garlic: Delayed Recognition of a Major Outbreak  
> MICHAEL E. ST. LOUIS, M.D.; SHAUN H.S. PECK, M.B., F.R.C.P.; DAVID BOWERING, M.D.; G. BARRY MORGAN, B.S.A.; JOHN BLATHERWICK, M.D., F.R.C.P.; SATYEN BANERJEE, Ph.D.; G.D.M. KETTYLS, M.D. F.R.C.P.; W.A. BLACK, M.D. F.R.C.P.; MAY E. MILLING, M.S.A.; ANDRE H.W. HAUSCHILD, Ph.D.; ROBERT V. TAUXE, M.D.; and PAUL A. BLAKE, M.D., M.P.H.
> 
> - Author Affiliations
> 
> Atlanta, Georgia; Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia; and Ottawa, Ontario  
> Abstract  
> Diagnosis of botulism in two teenaged sisters in Montreal led to the identification of 36 previously unrecognized cases of type B botulism in persons who had eaten at a restaurant in Vancouver, British Columbia, during the preceding 6 weeks. A case-control study implicated a new vehicle for botulism, commercial chopped garlic in soybean oil (P \< 10-4). Relatively mild and slowly progressive illness, dispersion of patients over at least eight provinces and states in three countries, and a previously unsuspected vehicle had contributed to prolonged misdiagnoses, including myasthenia gravis (six patients), psychiatric disorders (four), stroke (three), and others. Ethnic background influenced severity of illness: 60% of Chinese patients but only 4% of others needed mechanical ventilation (P \< 10-3). Trypsinization of serum was needed to show toxemia in one patient. Electromyography results with high-frequency repetitive stimulation corroborated the diagnosis of botulism up to 2 months after onset. Although botulism is a life-threatening disease, misdiagnosis may be common and large outbreaks can escape recognition completely.

Here is another abstract for a case where 36 were sickened due to chopped garlic stored in oil.

Now obviously you haven’t died of botulism but any time you store uncooked food in a low acid anaerobic environment, especially a root vegetable which already has so much contact with soil, you’re risking botulism. If I were you I would just keep a small dish in the freezer.

This also goes for your herb garden. If you want to make some homemade pesto or fancy basil, garlic, olive oil. Eat it or store it in the freezer.

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/19 "2011-05-15T14:59:00Z")

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I’ve never used fresh garlic in garlic butter. The powder tastes significantly different from the fresh garlic I’ve found, and I can’t imagine it would taste the same in butter.

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**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-gross-using-butter-left-out-at-room-temp/581953/20 "2011-05-15T17:07:08Z")

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I am not sure what I would do with butter I’d added things to, but for plain butter I use a normal butter dish in the winter (covered to keep out dust and cat) and a butter bell in the summer. I find a butter bell keeps the butter too solid to be spreadable in the winter, and a normal butter dish lets it get too warm in the summer, and it goes rancid.

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