Short answer: it's not essential, but once opened, the fridge keeps nut butter fresh for longer. Natural butter without stabilizers or preservatives behaves differently from the "no-stir" supermarket kind.
Unopened jar
Keep it somewhere cool, dry and dark, away from sunlight and the stove. Use it by the date printed on the jar.
Opened jar: cupboard or fridge?
- Cupboard — stays soft and easy to spread. Fine if you finish the jar within a few weeks and the room isn't hot;
- fridge — slows down fat oxidation (the bitter, "stale" taste) and oil separation. It firms up, so take it out 10–15 minutes before using.
Oil on top — is that normal?
Yes. It's a sign of a natural butter, not a defect — more in our separate article. Don't pour the oil off: stir it all the way to the bottom of the jar, then keep the jar in the fridge so it separates less.
The clean, dry spoon rule
Water, crumbs or traces of jam are the main reason mold appears in a jar. Always use a clean, dry spoon and close the lid tightly.
How to tell it has gone off
- a bitter, sour or paint-like smell and taste — the fats have oxidized;
- mold or unusual spots on the surface;
- it is past its date.
In any of these cases, throw it away.
