French butter dish - how do you stop this from happening?

The butter falls out of the dish and into the water! What's the trick to make this not happen?

I'm really enjoying having fresh, spreadable butter... but ... frustrated by soggy bread from excess water. Crammed the butter in the dish with great enthusiasm, so it's not falling out from lack of forcefulness when loading. There must be something faulty with the dish?

trampledbygeese
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20 Comments

Robin
Robin September 29, 2020
Is the water supposed to touch the butter?
 
Robin
Robin May 31, 2020
Is the water supposed to touch the butter?
 
Thingamajig
Thingamajig February 24, 2019
Found a company that makes them and they said this...

Q: My butter falls out of the bell into the water.
A: That means that you're not packing it tightly enough into the bell. When filled properly the butter will not fall out. Another possibility is that the water or possibly the butter is too warm and needs to be a little cooler.

Thinking back, either/or was our issue when it happened in our butter crock.
 
amj44
amj44 September 28, 2020
HOUSE NOT HOT. IT WORKED WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED. I FRESHEN MY WATER EVER TWO DAYS WITHOUT FAIL. ALSO PUT ONE ICE CUBE IN WITH WATER. AM SO DISAPPOINTED THAT I PAID $40.00 FOR SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT WORK. NOT A HAPPY CAMPER.

 
Gammy
Gammy November 13, 2018
My kept falling out, too. I gave up and use a traditional butter dish with a lid now... problem solved and my butter stays soft. Now I use the base (where the water goes) as my stovetop salt pig.
 
cookbookchick
cookbookchick December 1, 2014
Nancy, it's more commonly called a "butter bell." Google it and you will see many in various colors and patterns. The butter is placed in the top portion which is then turned upside down into the bottom which holds an inch or so of water. Thus the butter is sealed off from the air by the water, keeping it fresh while at room temperature. The point is to have a bit of butter (these things hold maybe half a cup) always soft and ready for spreading on toast or whatever.
 
robin L.
robin L. November 13, 2018
mine keeps falling down, too.

 
amj44
amj44 September 28, 2020
NANCY MOST LIKELY KNEW IT WAS A BUTTER BALL AS EACH REFERS TO IT AS SUCH. AND ALSO SAW THE VARIOUS COLOURS AND PATTERS IF SHE PURCHASED ONE SHE WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH. SHE ALSO KNOWS ABOUT AMOUNT OF BUTTER. MINE WORKED WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED. FRESHEN MY WATER EVERY TWO DAYS WITHOUT FAIL. ALSO PUT ONE ICE CUBE IN WITH WATER. AM SO DISAPPOINTED THAT I PAID $40.00 FOR SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT WORK. NOT A HAPPY CAMPER. AM 76, RESEARCH AND READ PRIOR TO PURCHASE.
 
nancy E.
nancy E. December 1, 2014
What is this thing you are all talking about?
 
amj44
amj44 September 28, 2020
A MARBLE BUTTER KEEPER.
 
cdilaura
cdilaura December 1, 2014
Usually the only time the butter falls out is when the weather is really warm or if it isn't packed hard enough. We recommend letting the butter soften a bit before loading. And if it seems to warm or your kitchen gets too warm, it may help to put in the fridge for a bit to make sure it doesn't soften too much. Hope that helps!
 
trampledbygeese
trampledbygeese December 1, 2014
Thank you for the advice.

The butter was soft, it was freshly churned and at room temp. I pressed the butter as per normal, then scouped and pressed it firmly into the bell. Homemade butter does seem a bit harder than store bought stuff when kept cool but is just as soft at room temp. Maybe that's the problem?

The weather here is two sweater weather outside, one sweater inside - inside 70F or considerably less. That shouldn't be too warm for butter, should it?
 
ktr
ktr December 1, 2014
I love your sweater description of the weather! And, I'm jealous; it was -19°F on my way to work this morning. I'd say that makes it about 5 sweater weather.
 
amj44
amj44 September 28, 2020
DO BOTH. I FRESHEN MY WATER EVER TWO DAYS WITHOUT FAIL. ALSO PUT ONE ICE CUBE IN WITH WATER. AM SO DISAPPOINTED THAT I PAID ALMOST $40.00 FOR SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT WORK. NOT A HAPPY CAMPER.
 
cookbookchick
cookbookchick December 1, 2014
It happens to me occasionally, too, don't know why. On the water question, I try to freshen the water every two or three days.
 
drbabs
drbabs December 1, 2014
Gosh, trampled, this has never happened to me, but I'll hazard a guess. After you put the butter into the dish, compact it well (so there's no gap for the water to get under). Use cold water and change the water frequently. I hope this helps.
 
trampledbygeese
trampledbygeese December 1, 2014
Thank you for the advise. Good reminder on the frequent changing of the water. How often do you change yours?

I did pack the butter in the bell very firmly with very few if any air bubbles or gaps.

I'm wondering if the butter part of the dish is simply too smooth and the suction created by taking it out of the water pulled the butter out. It's not warm enough in the house for the butter to have melted.
 
amj44
amj44 September 28, 2020
MY BELL IS ROUGH. I CHANGED WATER FAITHFULLY EVERY TWO DAYS ( COLD WATER ). I ALSO PUT A SMALL ICE CUBE IN WATER. AM BEGINNING TO WONDER IF THEY ARE MORE TROUBLE THEN THEY ARE WORTH. MINE COST OVER $40.00.
 
amj44
amj44 September 28, 2020
NO IT WASN'T YOUR SUCTION. NOR TOO HOT IN HOME. BUTTER CUP SHOULD BE ROUGH TO HOLD BUTTER. MINE DOES NOT HAVE BUBBLES EITHER.
 
amj44
amj44 September 28, 2020
HATE TO SAY THIS HOWEVER, DIRECTIONS COME WITH EACH ONE ( CAN ALSO GET ONLINE ) SO HOPEFULLY THEY CAN READ ENGLISH, PRESUMING THEY DO. I AM 76 SO CAN FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS. NEW WATER EVERY 2 DAYS WITHOUT FAIL, ALSO PUT A SMALL ICE CUBE IN WATER. WORKED GREAT FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS. NOW IT FALLS OUT. IT SAYS IN THE INSTRUCTIONS TO PUSH AS MANY AIR BUBBLES OUT AS POSSIBLE. AM ASSUMING PEOPLE DO THIS. THE ONLY OTHER THING IS TO CONTACT WHERE PURCHASED.
 
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