Butter Characteristics and Grades

Appears in
Professional Cooking
Professional Cooking

By Wayne Gisslen

Published 2014

  • About

Fresh butter in the United States and Canada consists of about 80 percent milk fat. The remainder is milk solids and water.

In Europe, butter often has a higher fat content, usually around 82 percent. Some manufacturers in North America have begun processing and selling European-style butters with this higher fat content. They are intended to replicate the qualities of European butters in cooking and baking.
In the United States, butter is graded according to USDA standards for flavor, body, color, and salt content, although grading is not mandatory. Grades are AA, A, B, and C. Most operations use grades AA and A because the lower grades may have off flavors.