Trader Joe's Cultured Salted Butter Review: Fancy Enough to Impress a Baguette, Salty Enough to Be French

When it comes to butter, Trader Joe's always seems to deliver quality products, and their Cultured French Salted Butter is no exception. This butter is made with a traditional European-style fermentation process, which gives it a richer flavor and a smoother, creamier texture compared to your average butter. Whether you're spreading it on warm toast, melting it over veggies, or using it in your favorite recipes, this butter adds a depth of flavor that makes even simple dishes feel more gourmet.

At $4.69 for an 8-ounce package, Trader Joe's Cultured Salted Butter is an affordable way to enjoy premium-quality butter that can enhance both everyday meals and special recipes.

Product Description

Trader Joe's Cultured Salted Butter is made using cream that has been fermented with live cultures, a process that gives the butter its slightly tangy flavor and extra creaminess. It contains 85% butterfat, which is higher than typical American butter, making it richer and smoother. The light salting enhances the flavor without overwhelming it, allowing the natural richness of the butter to shine through.

This butter is perfect for cooking, baking, or simply spreading on a warm slice of bread. The cultured aspect gives it a subtle, tangy flavor that makes it stand out from regular butter, making it a versatile addition to any kitchen.

Honest Review of Trader Joe's Cultured Salted Butter

Flavor: The flavor of Trader Joe's Cultured Salted Butter is wonderfully rich and creamy, with a slight tang from the fermentation process. The cultured aspect gives it a more complex flavor compared to regular butter, making it taste more luxurious. The salt level is well-balanced, adding just enough seasoning to enhance the flavor without being too salty. Whether you're using it in cooking, baking, or simply spreading it on bread, this butter adds an extra layer of richness to whatever you're making.

Texture: This french butter has a smooth, creamy texture that's perfect for spreading, even straight from the fridge. The higher butterfat content gives it a rich mouthfeel, and it melts beautifully, making it ideal for sauces, sautés, and baking. It's noticeably smoother than standard supermarket butter, which adds to its versatility in both cooking and finishing dishes.

Price: It goes without saying that prices have gone up a lot recently. When this review was first published this was $2.99. It has since gone up to $4.69

Overall: Trader Joe's Cultured Salted Butter performs well in a variety of culinary applications. It works beautifully in baked goods, adding richness to pastries and cookies. It also shines in savory dishes, where its complex flavor can elevate everything from sauces to roasted vegetables. Whether you're using it for finishing or cooking, this butter holds up well and adds a depth of flavor that makes a noticeable difference.

Ingredients

Key ingredients include:

• Cream: Fermented with live cultures, the cream gives this butter its rich, tangy flavor and smooth texture.
• Salt: Lightly salted to enhance the natural flavor without overpowering the butter's creaminess.

How to Use Trader Joe's Cultured Salted Butter

1. Spread on Bread or Toast: This butter is perfect for spreading on fresh bread, toast, or crackers, where you can really appreciate its rich, creamy flavor.
2. Use in Baking: The high butterfat content makes this butter ideal for baking, where it adds richness to cookies, cakes, and pastries.
3. Melt Over Veggies or Pasta: Melted butter over roasted vegetables, pasta, or potatoes is a simple way to add a touch of luxury to your meal.

Recipe Suggestions

• Brioche French Toast: Use Trader Joe's Cultured Salted Butter to make a rich and buttery French toast. Its creaminess and slight tang will enhance the flavor of your breakfast.
• Butter-Basted Steak: Melt this butter in a hot pan and use it to baste a steak while cooking. The rich flavor of the butter will seep into the meat, making it even more flavorful.
• Buttery Shortbread: This butter's high butterfat content makes it ideal for baking shortbread cookies, where the richness and flavor really shine through.

FAQs about Trader Joe's Salted Cultured Butter

Trader Joe's Cultured Salted Butter vs. Kerrygold Butter: A Side-by-Side Comparison

For those of you wondering about whether to buy Kerrygold or this here are a few quick comparison points.

Flavor:
Trader Joe's Cultured Salted Butter has a rich, creamy flavor with a slight tang from the fermentation process, giving it a more complex taste compared to regular butter. The light salting enhances the flavor without overpowering the natural creaminess. This butter is made in Brittany, France.

Kerrygold Butter, on the other hand, is made from grass-fed cows, giving it a distinctive, buttery flavor with a slightly sweeter, fresher taste. Kerrygold has a creamier texture and a natural sweetness that makes it perfect for spreading and cooking. This is Irish butter.

Texture:
Trader Joe's version is smooth and spreadable, thanks to its higher butterfat content (85%), and it melts well for cooking and baking. It's firmer than Kerrygold when chilled, making it better suited for use directly from the fridge.

Kerrygold has a softer, more spreadable texture straight from the fridge, due to its lower butterfat content compared to Trader Joe's butter. Its softer texture makes it ideal for spreading on bread without having to wait for it to soften.

Source and Quality:
Trader Joe's Cultured Salted Butter is a European-style butter, cultured for a tangy flavor but not specifically from grass-fed cows.

Kerrygold is made from the milk of grass-fed cows, and the brand emphasizes the purity and natural diet of their cows, which contributes to its vibrant yellow color and distinctive flavor.

Price:
Trader Joe's Cultured Salted Butter comes in at a lower price point, typically around $4.69 for an 8-ounce package.

Kerrygold is slightly more expensive, usually priced at $4.99 or more for an 8-ounce block, reflecting its grass-fed, premium quality.

Conclusion

Trader Joe's Cultured Butter is an excellent addition to any kitchen, offering rich, creamy flavor with a subtle tang from the fermentation process. Whether you're using it for spreading, baking, or cooking, the butter's high butterfat content and cultured flavor elevate every dish. At $4.69, while the price has jumped dramatically, it's an affordable luxury that makes a noticeable difference in both everyday meals and special recipes. While it's not unsalted, the light salting enhances the flavor without being too overpowering, making it a versatile and valuable pantry staple.