What is a Butter Curler?

This article may contain one or more independently chosen Amazon affiliate links. See full disclosure.

A butter curler is a small kitchen utensil with a serrated hook on one end. It is used to make little decorative curls of butter for food presentation. It can also be used to make curls from chocolate or wax.

How Do You Use a Butter Curler?

To use a butter curler, the hooked end is drawn down the length of a stick or block of butter to make curls. As the butter will be softened, the curls then must be cooled to retain their shape.

The decorative curls are then placed atop a food dish, as desired.

vintage butter curler
Vintage Style Butter Curler

Detailed Use of a Butter Curler

A bowl of warm water is needed to warm the butter curler. This will make it much easier to make the curls. Butter should be cold but a short time warming at room temperature is preferable.

Have a parchment-lined plate or other flat-bottomed dish ready. The butter curls will be placed on this plate as they are made.

  • remove the butter from the refrigerator and let stand for ten minutes
  • dip the hooked end of the curler into warm water and shake off excess water
  • hold the stick of butter with one hand and place the hooked end of the curler on the butter
  • pull the butter curler toward you, down the length of the butter, pressing gently but evenly
  • remove the butter curl from the utensil with your fingers and gently make any needed adjustments to the shape
    place the butter curl on the parchment-lined plate
  • refrigerate the butter curls to re-harden them before using
  • alternatively, each curl can be dipped in ice water to quickly firm them
butter curls on plate
Butter Curls

The butter curls can be placed on a cold serving plate with a small fork so that diners can use them as desired.

Or, instead, a butter curl can be placed on each plate, on each diner’s bread, or they can be placed on top of finished dishes and quickly served before the butter curls melt.

What Is The Kitchen Brigade?

This article may contain one or more independently chosen Amazon affiliate links. See full disclosure. The kitchen brigade is an organizational hierarchy...
brown rice

What Is A Zen Macrobiotic Diet?

This article may contain one or more independently chosen Amazon affiliate links. See full disclosure. The Zen Macrobiotic diet is...
catering buffet food in hotel pans or food service pans

What Is A Hotel Pan?

This article may contain one or more independently chosen Amazon affiliate links. See full disclosure. Sometimes restaurant chefs refer to...

What Is a Coulis?

This article may contain one or more independently chosen Amazon affiliate links. See full disclosure. You may have heard chefs...
Stelle pasta

What Is Stelle Or Stellette?

This article may contain one or more independently chosen Amazon affiliate links. See full disclosure. Stelle (pronohnced STAY-lay), or stellette is a...
Korean bibimbap rice bowl

What is Bibimbap?

This article may contain one or more independently chosen Amazon affiliate links. See full disclosure. Bibimbap, sometimes spelled beebimbap and...
man buying frozen fish as supermarket

What is “Fresh Frozen” Food?

This article may contain one or more independently chosen Amazon affiliate links. See full disclosure. If you Google the term...

What Is Herbes De Provence?

This article may contain one or more independently chosen Amazon affiliate links. See full disclosure. Herbes De Provence is the name...
sumac spice in bowl

What Is Sumac Spice?

This article may contain one or more independently chosen Amazon affiliate links. See full disclosure. Sumac spice is a popular...