Butter Through the Ages · Material culture
Butter Crocks: How They Work & Where to Buy
Long before refrigeration, butter was kept fresh in earthenware crocks — sometimes submerged in cool water. The water-sealed crock you can still buy today was, by tradition, perfected in medieval Normandy, and remains the simplest way to keep butter spreadably soft on the kitchen counter.
How a Butter Crock Works
The secret to keeping your butter fresh and spreadably soft is to keep a butter crock on your counter. Pack softened butter into the bell-shaped cup, pour cold water into the base, and invert the lid into the base. The water forms an airtight seal that preserves the butter while keeping it at room temperature.
Crocks keep butter fresh at room temperature (up to about 80°F) for several weeks without spoiling. At higher temperatures the butter may slip out of the cup. The advantage over the refrigerator is that the butter is protected from air and stays soft — it won’t tear bread, and is easy to measure.
The crock is known by many names: French butter dish, butter bell, butter crock, butter keeper, butter bowl, butter pot, Norman butter bowl, butter saver (in French, le beurrier or le beurrier breton; in German, Butterdose).
Where to Buy
Direct from the Maker
Several crock makers also sell directly:
There are numerous other crocks available by searching online or browsing french butter crocks on Amazon.