Powdered butter

[Sprout]

I just found a page that sold powdered butter. I am trying to build up some food storage for a rainy day, and was wondering if anyone had ever used it. Is it worth buying? Of course it won't be exactly the same, but is it close? It's not a butter flavored powder, it's actual powdered butter. It says to reconstitute, add 1 part powder and 1 part water to make 1 part butter. It's almost entirely fat, (because it's butter), so I was wondering if it would still give baked goods the proper texture. My brain keeps telling me it should, but I just can't seem to force myself to believe it...

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I asked the resident baker, Shrek, he's never heard of it and is just as interested in finding out.

 

[Andy M.]

I wonder what the shelf life is for this stuff. Since it's a fat product, rancidity can be an issue.

I have a back up supply of butter in my second freezer.

 

[4meandthem]

I freeze my butter too.Never had an issue.

 

[taxlady]

My mind is boggling. How can you have powdered fat?

I keep spare butter in the freezer. According to Joy of Cooking, unsalted butter keeps longer in the freezer than salted butter. I guess that's because salt lowers the freezing point of water.

 

[mcnerd]

Powdered butter has 0.05 grams of fat in it and only 19 calories in a Tablespoon. You are really missing something if you have never tried it. Because it has basically no fat in it you have a long storage life. Emergency supplies will sell it in #10 cans, but you can buy it at your local grocery store in the spice section.

Its great just sprinkled on any item that you want butter on. I use it on freshly steamed veggies especially.

And don't forget there is also tons of other things that are "powdered". My favorite is powdered peanut butter, powdered sour cream, and powdered buttermilk.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I looked it up online and saw prices from $8-16 a pound. I won't even spend that much on my beloved Tillamook brand (<$3 a pound)

 

[taxlady]

Powdered butter has 0.05 grams of fat in it and only 19 calories in a Tablespoon. You are really missing something if you have never tried it. Because it has basically no fat in it you have a long storage life. Emergency supplies will sell it in #10 cans, but you can buy it at your local grocery store in the spice section.

How can it be butter with that little fat?

And don't forget there is also tons of other things that are "powdered". My favorite is powdered peanut butter, powdered sour cream, and powdered buttermilk.

I don't understand. Peanut butter is mostly solids and fat; sour cream - maybe. Buttermilk is mostly water, so that makes sense. I used to buy powdered buttermilk for recipes that require buttermilk.

How about making ghee/clarified butter? That keeps unrefrigerated for a long time, as long as it is kept airtight.

 

[Sprout]

Powdered butter has 0.05 grams of fat in it and only 19 calories in a Tablespoon. You are really missing something if you have never tried it. Because it has basically no fat in it you have a long storage life. Emergency supplies will sell it in #10 cans, but you can buy it at your local grocery store in the spice section.
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That sounds wonderful for butter lovers who are trying to cut calories. The brands of powdered butter I was looking at had considerably more fat per serving than that, though. They had 3-5 grams of fat per tbsp. However, this is a good thing from my perspective. I really don't care for the taste of butter unless it is in something sweet, typically a baked good. In baked goods the fat in the butter greatly contributes to the moisture and texture of the finished product, so if it wasn't there, they wouldn't be the same. It still doesn't have as much fat per tbsp as regular butter, but I think I'll give it a try in baked goods. As soon as pay day rolls around I'll order some. I figure I'll go right for gold and try it in Toll-house chocolate chip cookies. I suspect with less fat they won't spread quite as much, but we'll I could be wrong. If it creates a reasonable texture in them, it's bound to work in just about anything. It will be a couple weeks, but I'll post the results when I find out.

Oh, and here is a sight that explains how powdered butter is possible (and I'm sure the same process could be used for peanut butter), and how it is made shelf-stable. https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/information_center/butter_powder.htm
Thanks for your input!

 

[Sprout]

I looked it up online and saw prices from $8-16 a pound. I won't even spend that much on my beloved Tillamook brand (<$3 a pound)

While it's not truly dehydrated, some of the moisture is removed, so I looked at price per tbsp serving. A #10 can of powdered butter at $21.50 gives 192 tbsp servings at about 11.2 cents per serving. A lb of fresh butter at 2.50 gives 32 servings at about 7.8 cents per serving. I'd love to know where you're shopping, though! Around here it's pretty rare that I see even store-brand butter for under 3 bucks a lb! It is still more expensive, but if it is something that I can keep in storage (we live in an apartment with limited freezer space, but a fair sized pantry) and it works, it might be worth keeping a can around.

 

[taxlady]

...

Oh, and here is a sight that explains how powdered butter is possible (and I'm sure the same process could be used for peanut butter), and how it is made shelf-stable. https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/information_center/butter_powder.htm
Thanks for your input!

That doesn't really explain much.

"... Then, the powder is made by cleverly processing milk solids with the butter."

They say it stays fresh because they add an anti-oxidant, but say what they use as an anti-oxidant. If it's tocopherol (vitamin E) that's okay, but it might be something obnoxious.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

While it's not truly dehydrated, some of the moisture is removed, so I looked at price per tbsp serving. A #10 can of powdered butter at $21.50 gives 192 tbsp servings at about 11.2 cents per serving. A lb of fresh butter at 2.50 gives 32 servings at about 7.8 cents per serving. I'd love to know where you're shopping, though! Around here it's pretty rare that I see even store-brand butter for under 3 bucks a lb! It is still more expensive, but if it is something that I can keep in storage (we live in an apartment with limited freezer space, but a fair sized pantry) and it works, it might be worth keeping a can around.

I was upset yesterday when my butter went up to $2.89/lb. It had been steady at 2.39 for a couple of years. I get it at Costco. The Tillamook brand is just about the same price now...I'll be buying that until it goes up and then back to Costco. Oh! I'm in Montana...with the cows.

 

[taxlady]

I was upset yesterday when my butter went up to $2.89/lb. It had been steady at 2.39 for a couple of years. I get it at Costco. The Tillamook brand is just about the same price now...I'll be buying that until it goes up and then back to Costco. Oh! I'm in Montana...with the cows.

I buy several pounds of butter and put them in the fridge when they go on sale for $2.99/lb. The best special we ever get is 2 lbs for $5. And our dollar is just about at par with yours at the moment.

 

[4meandthem]

Powdered Butter?............Can you snort it?...........J/K

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Powdered Butter?............Can you snort it?...........J/K

Sure, but it makes you crave popcorn for a week.

 

[taxlady]

I buy several pounds of butter and put them in the fridge freezer when they go on sale for $2.99/lb. The best special we ever get is 2 lbs for $5. And our dollar is just about at par with yours at the moment.

D'oh!

 

[Sprout]

I was upset yesterday when my butter went up to $2.89/lb. It had been steady at 2.39 for a couple of years. I get it at Costco. The Tillamook brand is just about the same price now...I'll be buying that until it goes up and then back to Costco. Oh! I'm in Montana...with the cows.

Oh how I miss the Northwest, with a Costco in every city! The nearest ones here are 35-40 minutes away. My husband works for Costco, but at a distribution center, so he can't even shop after work. We only make it down every few months.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Oh how I miss the Northwest, with a Costco in every city! The nearest ones here are 35-40 minutes away. My husband works for Costco, but at a distribution center, so he can't even shop after work. We only make it down every few months.

Thank him for me for a job well done! I love Costco! Get most of my books there.

 

[Constance]

Powdered butter has 0.05 grams of fat in it and only 19 calories in a Tablespoon. You are really missing something if you have never tried it. Because it has basically no fat in it you have a long storage life. Emergency supplies will sell it in #10 cans, but you can buy it at your local grocery store in the spice section.

Its great just sprinkled on any item that you want butter on. I use it on freshly steamed veggies especially.

And don't forget there is also tons of other things that are "powdered". My favorite is powdered peanut butter, powdered sour cream, and powdered buttermilk.[/QU

Right on! It's good stuff. I don't know about using it for baking, but it's great for flavoring.