Unsalted butter is a testament to quality and flavor. There’s nothing to mask its purity. Royal Guernsey Creamery unsalted butter consists of just ONE ingredient: cream from our very own cows. Unlike many unsalted butters on grocery store shelves, our butter contains no added ingredients for preservation -- it's all cream and nothing but cream.
Most U.S. unsalted butter has something extra on the ingredient label. Terms like "natural flavoring" or "naturally cultured" often pop up; this is due to the addition of lactic acid, diacetyl, or a combination of both. These ingredients are mixed in towards the end of the butter churning process. There main job? To lower the pH of the butter, making it more shelf-stable and infusing it with an acidic flavor balanced by diacetyl -- the compound responsible for butter's characteristic taste and aroma.
We take a different path. We believe in letting the natural flavors of our cows' cream shine through, leading the way to how our butter tastes. We do not add any preservatives to our unsalted butter, embracing the pure, unadulterated essence of our cream. This choice that sets our butter apart, offering you a taste that’s as close to nature as you can get.
This dedication to natural flavor and purity does come with a small caveat -- our unsalted butter doesn’t have the same shelf life as its counterparts. Without the added preservatives to extend its lifespan, our butter is best kept frozen until you're ready to let its flavors dance in your next culinary creation. Storing it in the freezer ensures that the butter remains fresh and maintains its quality.
So, why freeze? The answer is simple. Freezing butter keeps it at its peak freshness, ensuring that every slice, dollop, or spread is delicious. Freezing inhibits microbes from growing and is the only way to get a longer shelf-life for our unsalted butter. While it's certainly acceptable to keep it in the refrigerator, be aware it won’t last as long as butters that use preservatives. When you're ready to use your unsalted butter, take what you need out of the freezer and let the butter shine.
You may be curious about how our salted and flavored butters have a longer shelf. Well, it’s in the name: salt. These butters are formulated with fine-flake sea salt at an inclusion rate slightly over one percent. Most U.S. butters are between one to three percent salt. We prefer staying close to one percent so that the salt balances with the flavor of the sweet cream without being overpowering, sharp or gritty.
We’re not just making butter; we’re crafting an experience. An experience that connects you to the land, to our cows, and to a way of making butter that’s rooted in tradition. By choosing our butter, you’re not just choosing quality - you’re choosing a product that’s made with an unwavering commitment to flavor above all else.
Remember, keep it frozen, keep it fresh, and, most importantly, keep enjoying the taste of our artisan butter. Happy cooking, baking, and spreading!