Softening frozen butter

I like to plan meals out a week ahead of time. I usually know pretty much what is in my pantry and freezer. But I often forget to stick a pack of butter in the fridge to defrost, so that when I reach for it to make something, I find its frozen solid. Sometimes that’s fine, and I can wait two hours for it to thaw on the counter. Other times, I need to get cooking immediately. This is how I soften frozen butter in 6 minutes without melting it.

First, leave the butter on the wrapper. Carefully slice the butter. (Butter is very slippery to slice, and slides even when frozen – keep little fingers far away for this job.) A heavy knife is good for this. You will notice that it sort of crumbles as it slices because it is frozen.

Slice the stick in half length wise, and then flip it using the wrapper to slice in half length wise again, giving you lots of small cubes.

Use the wrapper to transfer the butter to a microwave safe bowl. Spread the butter evenly and microwave for 15 seconds. Test to see if it is still frozen, if so add another 10-15 seconds.

The butter should now be soft enough to stir, although not quite soft enough for some uses. Stir it as best as you can, and spread it in the bowl or dish. The thin layer should be completely softened within 5 minutes, and not melted in the least. Stir one last time before using.