Q: How long will butter keep in the freezer?
-- D.P., Pickerington, Ohio
A: Land O'Lakes, one of the top butter brands, recommends keeping its butter frozen no longer than four months.
I can tell you that I have kept butter in my freezer longer.
Butter won't go rancid while frozen, but all foods lose some quality when frozen, and the longer they are frozen the more quality they lose.
That's why most food manufacturers err on the side of less time in the freezer, so their products are used at top quality.
For butter that's been frozen a long time, you may notice it has picked up a "freezer" taste or smell.
If frozen in its original package under good conditions (freezer not overcrowded and properly defrosted), my advice is that butter will be fine for nine months to a year.
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