How to Carry Butter in the Summer

[Eli]

In the past I’ve carried a pound of butter in the 16oz Nalgene jar (heavy) during expedition style trips or in a ziplock bag (leaky) during the winter when it won’t melt. I’m curious if any backcountry butter fans have a solution for secure summer butter storage on trail.

[dirtbag]

Powder butter? I use it for my meals.

[Paul Wagner]

Olive oil.

[Eli]

I’m specifically looking for ways to carry normal melt-y butter.

[Ken Thompson]

Nalgene.  They just work best

[DAN-Y/FANCEE FEEST]

I’ve used ghee in fillable toothpaste type tubes. I suppose regular soft butter could be put into them also.

[John Dickson]

Clarified butter or Gee.

[HkNewman]

Knew a thru hiker with the trail name “Butters” because he always packed a stick of butter, while giving away the other 3 packs to other hikers (they come in 4).  He said it’d stay good for almost a week.

He swore by the Nalgene in a plastic bag, placed in the middle of the pack method.  2,500 miles without a slip up …

[Roger Caffin]

We have always carried our butter in an wide-mouth 8oz Nalgene bottle, and never had it leak. Ditto jam. Mind you, we carry the bottle upright. Does get a bit warm in the Australian summer.

Now, olive oil – little experience, mostly bad! You need to use a narrow-neck bottle for that.

Cheers

[Stumphges]

Ghee

[James Marco]

I don’t usually bring plain jane butter, often ghee. Anyway, family camping often requires both bread and butter for campfire toast in the morning (with eggs, bacon, honey, and cinnamon.)
Try this for butter, just whip it around with a stick if it melts and seperates:
https://www.consolidatedplastics.com/Nalgenesupsup-Narrow-Mouth-and-Wide-Mouth-Bottles-C3558.aspx
I use a couple small mouth 4oz nalgene bottles for olive oil. Ghee and home made clarified butter is about the same..

[HkNewman]

Ghee

Ghee is great but the average melting point is 76°F … as I’ve found out the hard way in one resupply package.  More on ghee ..

James said:

Ghee and home made clarified butter is about the same

The discussion got me wondering why restaurants weren’t using ghee and seems more are due to high burning point.   There is a slight difference reportedly in clarified butter and ghee from my link below  ..

 

Ghee is essentially butter that’s clarified, then cooked longer than the clarified butter you’d find in French kitchens. As a result, it’s nuttier and more intense in flavor. In the process, milk solids get strained out, making ghee lactose- and casein-free. Without those perishable milk solids, ghee keeps well even in sweltering weather.

So there may be a slight taste difference (YMMV). .

Link:

https://www.bonappetit.com/story/cooking-with-ghee

Maybe (IMHO) butter keeps somewhat solid a bit more for traditional spreading … though for the backcountry it’s irrelevant

(ed: add sentence after link)

 

 

 

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

Ghee. I don’t mess with the mess of stick butter in summer. In winter I will though.

[BlackHatGuy]

To me, there is a big taste difference between ghee and butter. I cook with ghee (and will add spiced ghee to some of my backpacking meals), but it is in no way, to me, a substitute for butter for taste.

[Chris R]

We use the “Lock and Lock” tubs for butter but that’s on canoe trips where it can be buried deep in the food pack to keep it insulated.

[Erik G]

+1 on the Nalgene wide mouth bottles in appropriate size for the trip. Not worth the risk of a leak IMO. Put it in your consumables weight if it’s really bothering you ;)

[James Marco]

I probably should note that ghee and butter have a different taste. I was referring to the base ingredient.

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

On the comment about butter lasting, it will last a long time unrefrigerated. Only in modern times do we chill everything. Same with eggs (unwashed). Problem is…butter melts at high enough temps and gets messy.

If you get the right butter powder, it is freeze dried, hence it rehydrates well.

https://trailcooking.com/2021/03/24/backpackers-pantry-making-butter-out-of-butter-powder/

I actually did make butter out of it, and you couldn’t tell the difference easily.

[Brad W]

Leak proof Nalgene container if choice in ziplock for safety. It won’t go rancid in the time it takes to consume. I for one do not like the taste of ghee, especially in my coffee. Powdered butter is an option but again, not nearly the same taste.

[Author]

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