How to Use a Butter Crock (and Keep Butter Soft Without the Fridge)

Fridge-cold butter and fresh bread is one of life's small tragedies. You go in for a gentle spread and come out with a hole in your toast.

The French solved this a long time ago with the beurrier, also called a butter crock or butter bell. It keeps butter soft and spreadable on the worktop for days, using nothing but a little cold water. No electricity, no plastic tub, no torn toast.

How does a butter crock work?

There are two parts: a base that holds a little water, and a lid with a cup that you pack with butter. Turn the lid upside down into the base and the water creates an airtight seal around the butter. Air is what makes butter go stale and rancid, so cut off the air and it stays fresh, while room temperature keeps it soft.

How to fill a butter crock, step by step

1. Soften the butter. Leave about 125g of butter out for an hour or two until it's soft enough to press, but not melting.
2. Pack it in. Press the butter firmly into the cup with the back of a spoon or the knife, pushing out any air pockets. Air pockets are where water creeps in.
3. Add cold water. Fill the base to the water line, roughly 2 to 3cm. Cold water is better than tap-warm.
4. Put it together. Turn the butter-filled cup upside down and settle it into the base. The butter shouldn't touch the water; the water just seals the gap around the rim.
5. Change the water every two or three days. This is the bit people forget. Fresh water keeps the seal clean and the butter fresh.

Salted or unsalted butter?

Both work. Salted butter keeps a little longer at room temperature, as salt is a natural preservative. Spreadable blends with added oil can be too soft and may slide out, so stick to proper block butter.

How long does butter last in a butter crock?

Most people get through a crock in a few days, which is ideal. With the water changed regularly, butter will stay fresh for up to around two weeks in a cool kitchen.

Where should I keep it?

Somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight, away from the hob and the kettle. If your kitchen gets above about 24°C in summer, pop the crock in the fridge on the hottest days and take it out an hour before breakfast.

Help, my butter fell into the water

It wasn't packed tightly enough, or the kitchen was too warm. Repack with firmer butter, press out every pocket of air, and use very cold water.

Is a butter crock better than a butter dish?

A butter dish keeps butter soft but open to the air, so it goes stale and picks up fridge or kitchen smells faster. A crock seals it, so it stays fresher for longer.