Kerrygold - Best butter I have ever eaten!

Legume

RRP said:

I always wondered why the butter served at my favorite steakhouse was far superior to the Land of Lakes butter we ate at home. I just assumed it was the ambiance of white linen tablecloths and napkins let alone knowing what the night out was going to cost! 

Wait, you go out for steaks?

RRP

Legume said:

RRP said:

I always wondered why the butter served at my favorite steakhouse was far superior to the Land of Lakes butter we ate at home. I just assumed it was the ambiance of white linen tablecloths and napkins let alone knowing what the night out was going to cost! 

Wait, you go out for steaks?

Nope - have not been there in the last 6 years! But for nearly 40 years we would go there no less than 6 times per year and some years many more times than that! 

Carolina Q

Hmm, these days, I don't buy salted anything! But I screwed up today and bought salted Kerrygold. I just finished making my homemade butter so I put some salt in it for a true taste comparison. Fidel's "recipe" calls for two teaspoons, but I have gotten so used to my low sodium diet, the one teaspoon of salt I added to the 3/4+ pound of butter I got from a quart of heavy cream was plenty. Might even use less next time.

Just tried some on a slice of homemade bread. I haven't tried the Kerrygold yet, but I'm tellin' you, it's gonna have to go some to beat my homebrew! Been a long time since I've had butter this good.  

If you haven't tried making your own butter, do yourself a favor. Oh, and keep it at room temperature.

Carolina Q

This pic is sideways, but the butter and bread were worth it!

EDIT: If you click on the pic, the new window has it oriented correctly. News to me. Vanilla is just weird!

RRP

Thanks, Michael. I will try these two half pounders before trying to make my own. When I made ghee 10 years ago I never refrigerated it which was one of the advantages of ghee.  Now you are saying you plan to leave your home churned butter out on the counter at room temperature. Aren't you afraid it will turn rancid? Or did you really mean you will stick it in the refrigerator at night and then sit it out to warm up each day?
BTW my only fear is my love of butter has prevented me from making my own bread as I know that could be my downfall! I might already be on a slippery slope having letting Kerrygold and now Plugra in to our home!  

Carolina Q

I hear you about the slope thing! Gotta be careful here too.

As I understand it, the butter WILL turn rancid after a week or so. My problem with refrigerating is that I never remember to allow enough time for it to warm up! And it's so much better at room temp. I'm going to try it with this water "butter keeper" thing and see how it goes.

Botch

Carolina Q said:

As I understand it, the butter WILL turn rancid after a week or so. My problem with refrigerating is that I never remember to allow enough time for it to warm up! And it's so much better at room temp. 

I hope that's just the home-made stuff you're talking about; I leave my "Land-o-Lakes" commercial butter out, in a ceramic (non-water-cooled) dish for weeks at a time, no problems that I know of.  

Carolina Q

Botch said:

Carolina Q said:

As I understand it, the butter WILL turn rancid after a week or so. My problem with refrigerating is that I never remember to allow enough time for it to warm up! And it's so much better at room temp. 

I hope that's just the home-made stuff you're talking about; I leave my "Land-o-Lakes" commercial butter out, in a ceramic (non-water-cooled) dish for weeks at a time, no problems that I know of.  

Love it!! Hope that's true with homemade because if I go thru 3/4+ pounds of butter in a week, I'm in trouble! LOL The rancid thing is just what I read on the internet. You can't trust those guys.  

fishlessman

Carolina Q said:

I hear you about the slope thing! Gotta be careful here too.

As I understand it, the butter WILL turn rancid after a week or so. My problem with refrigerating is that I never remember to allow enough time for it to warm up! And it's so much better at room temp. I'm going to try it with this water "butter keeper" thing and see how it goes.

we only splurge on weekends, splurging here is butter and cabots cheddar on the counter, rest of the week we tough it out from the fridge what does the water do in the crock

Carolina Q

fishlessman said:

 what does the water do in the crock

Keeps the air out. As I understand it, air and light are the enemy.

I found this for about $10 at BB&B (w/ one of their ubiquitous 20% coupons) It's not Le Creuset, but it's not 40 bucks either.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/everyday-white-reg-butter-keeper/1043741489?Keyword=butter+bell

fishlessman

Carolina Q said:

fishlessman said:

 what does the water do in the crock

Keeps the air out. As I understand it, air and light are the enemy.

I found this for about $10 at BB&B (w/ one of their ubiquitous 20% coupons) It's not Le Creuset, but it's not 40 bucks either.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/everyday-white-reg-butter-keeper/1043741489?Keyword=butter+bell

im going to look for one of those, seems im getting sensitive to the taste of  butter and oils on the verge, must have tossed three bottles oil last year and now have been freezing the butter for storage if over a couple weeks

jonnymack

Yeah I had some for the first time about a month ago. Awesome. 

RRP

Carolina Q said:

This pic is sideways, but the butter and bread were worth it!

EDIT: If you click on the pic, the new window has it oriented correctly. News to me. Vanilla is just weird!

So gravity doesn't overtake the butter while it hangs upside down? I assume my initial filling with Kerrygold will have to be warmed to get it to conform to the bell?

I'm off to BBB this afternoon with coupon in hand for one as I have already checked and they have them in stock.

gdenby

RRP said:

gdenby said:

Kerrygold is wonderful.

There is butter, and then there is !Butter!.

Check this out.

After watching the above, I happened to find some Vermont Creamery culture butter. Amazing, but pretty expensive. Currently, have some tubs of cultured butter from Nordic Creamery of Wisconsin. Almost as good. On toast, like savory butter, but smooth like cream.  My wife said "That's the problem. After you have something this good, you don't want anything else."

I paid right at $5 for 8 ounces so Kerrygold isn't cheap as far as butter goes! 

Nordic Creamery Spesiell Kremen cultured butter, $4/8 oz. Buy 5 lbs, shipping free. And you get a nice "better than ice" pack.

Carolina Q

RRP said:

So gravity doesn't overtake the butter while it hangs upside down? I assume my initial filling with Kerrygold will have to be warmed to get it to conform to the bell?

If the butter fell out, they wouldn't be selling many of these, eh? Allow the butter to soften, then pack it in so there are no air pockets.

They are located in the section with dinnerware and glasses, not with kitchen gadgets.

Dredger

This is very similar to mine. It holds a regular size stick of butter. http://www.amazon.com/Trudeau-09607081A-Porcelain-Butter-White/dp/B00NUXQKHG/

RRP

Carolina Q said:

RRP said:

So gravity doesn't overtake the butter while it hangs upside down? I assume my initial filling with Kerrygold will have to be warmed to get it to conform to the bell?

If the butter fell out, they wouldn't be selling many of these, eh? Allow the butter to soften, then pack it in so there are no air pockets.

They are located in the section with dinnerware and glasses, not with kitchen gadgets.

I just bought it! $9.99 less $2 discount.

Cookinbob

I read this thread and had to try it. $3.19 for 8 oz at Wegmans. Deelish, but now I need some good sourdough toast.

BTW, we got a butter crock about 5 yrs ago, have not bought margarine since. 

RRP

Cookinbob said:

BTW, we got a butter crock about 5 yrs ago, have not bought margarine since. 

Since you have a 5 year head start on us how often do you change the water? The instructions in this unit say to replace the cold water every few days.

4Runner

Both salted?  KG doesn't say on that picture

RRP

4Runner said:

Both salted?  KG doesn't say on that picture

they have unsalted. 

DoubleEgger

Picked up some at Publix a few minutes ago. Cheapest recommended product I've seen on the forum in a while! 

Carolina Q

Okay, so I brought some of the Kerrygold to room temp and just did a side by side taste test with the butter I made yesterday. Tried some straight up and then I spread some on a slice of that loaf of homemade bread pictured above. I honestly didn't notice any difference! None! Both are delicious!

Cost wise, KG is $5 per 8 oz. here. A qt of heavy cream cost $5.49 and made about 14 oz of butter. Regardless, I just think it's cool that I can make good butter myself - and that it's every bit as tasty as "the good stuff" from across the pond! And the butter bell is awesome, no matter what kind of butter you use.

RRP

Thanks for your comparison, Michael. This morning was the first time to use my new butter bell on toast and was that NICE - it was so easy to spread! I probably will use more butter now due to the ease and can spread it on thicker!

cazzy

Tried it tonight on some French bread!  Awesome!  Very rich and creamy.

Thanks for sharing

RRP

cazzy said:

Tried it tonight on some French bread!  Awesome!  Very rich and creamy.

Thanks for sharing

You're welcome! 

If you plan to make Kerrygold or Plugra or home made butter a regular item in your home then I really recommend the butter bell so as to keep a workable quantity on your counter at room temperature. 

Tomorrow are St L style spare ribs with corn on the cob as the side. I just already know that the Kellygold will be introducing us to a whole new taste sensation with that corn that even 7 days ago we had never heard of, much less tasted! 

cazzy

RRP said:

cazzy said:

Tried it tonight on some French bread!  Awesome!  Very rich and creamy.

Thanks for sharing

You're welcome! 

If you plan to make Kerrygold or Plugra or home made butter a regular item in your home then I really recommend the butter bell so as to keep a workable quantity on your counter at room temperature. 

Tomorrow are St L style spare ribs with corn on the cob as the side. I just already know that the Kellygold will be introducing us to a whole new taste sensation with that corn that even 7 days ago we had never heard of, much less tasted! 

How long will it keep at room temperature in the butter bell?

RRP

cazzy said:

RRP said:

cazzy said:

Tried it tonight on some French bread!  Awesome!  Very rich and creamy.

Thanks for sharing

You're welcome! 

If you plan to make Kerrygold or Plugra or home made butter a regular item in your home then I really recommend the butter bell so as to keep a workable quantity on your counter at room temperature. 

Tomorrow are St L style spare ribs with corn on the cob as the side. I just already know that the Kellygold will be introducing us to a whole new taste sensation with that corn that even 7 days ago we had never heard of, much less tasted! 

How long will it keep at room temperature in the butter bell?

It says 5 days or so, but the thing is the bell is small and tapered and I doubt I could get any more than 2 oz packed in the tiny bell. Just the same that is plenty to spread most times on your toast, fresh bread, or whatever else that you might want to have readily spreadable delicious butter for right then! The bell isn't a long time storage container, but 5  days isn't a short time either. Mine was $8 with the discount coupon from BBB. Try it - you won't be sorry! 

Carolina Q

Mine says it holds 8 oz. No idea how long it will last, but I didn't see any limit mentioned. It does say to change the water daily. Botch's post above said his commercial butter lasts WEEKS - withOUT a bell! No way mine will need to last that long.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/everyday-white-reg-butter-keeper/1043741489?Keyword=butter+bell

RRP

Carolina Q said:

Mine says it holds 8 oz. No idea how long it will last, but I didn't see any limit mentioned. It does say to change the water daily. 

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/everyday-white-reg-butter-keeper/1043741489?Keyword=butter+bell

Mystery solved - we have two different butter bells! Mine only holds half of a cup and was $9.99.
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/s/mrs-andersons-butter-keeper?ta=typeahead