Is It Safe To Leave Butter Sitting Out On The Counter?

Welcome to Burning Questions, The Takeout's video series in which we answer all your culinary quandaries and ponderings.

It's a truth universally acknowledged that a cold stick of butter straight from the fridge is a sad addition to any meal. You can't spread it on toast, it's useless on a stack of pancakes—what's the point? Better to let it sit out on the counter and stay perfectly spreadable for whenever you might need it. Still, you might feel some food safety alarms start going off in your brain when anything that is typically refrigerated leaves cold storage and gets exposed to our greater kitchen ecosystem. Is it safe to leave butter unrefrigerated? We spoke to experts on the topic to get answers. For the full investigation, head here.