FOOD NEWS
Are Irish And European Butter The Same?
BY BRIAN UDALL
While Irish butter is technically a type of European butter, they have some unique differences in butterfat content and what the cows eat that make them distinct from one another.
Generally, European butter has a minimum of 82% butterfat content. It's typically cultured, meaning it's exposed to lactic bacteria, which gives it a tangy, lactic flavor.
Likewise, Irish butter comes in at 82% butterfat minimum, but it differs in that it’s uncultured, salted, and it’s made from the milk of cows that are grass-fed.
The cow’s grass diet gives Irish butter a bright, grassy flavor and ensures it has plenty of fatty acids and vitamins like beta-carotene, which gives it a rich, yellow color.
On the other hand, European butter does not necessitate a standard diet for its cows. Instead, cows may be fed a diet supplemented with soy, rice bran, and corn.
Lastly, while Irish butter is always salted, European butter can be either salted or unsalted to suit your needs. The unsalted variety is the go-to choice for baked goods.