Knowledge

Bog butter

Source 📝

713: 190:
which members of each socio-economic class were entitled to consume. Yet butter also had numerous, widespread non-culinary uses such as the payment of taxes, rents, and fines; facilitation of hospitality; care of the sick and infirm; and strengthening of social bonds. On occasion, butter might also have less prestigious applications, including waterproofing, and making candles or even cement. The frequency with which famines and animal epidemics struck would have necessitated development of storage techniques to protect this important product. It is possible many stashes were never retrieved due to enemy occupation.
182: 1032: 174:. Modern experiments in creating bog butter yield a product that seems to be an acquired taste, with "flavor notes which were described primarily as ‘animal’ or ‘gamey’, ‘moss’, ‘funky’, ‘pungent’, and ‘salami’. These characteristics are certainly a far cry from the creamy acidity of a freshly made cultured butter, but has been found useful in the kitchen especially with strong and pungent dishes, in a similar manner to aged 1480: 20: 146:, low oxygen, highly acidic environments, have excellent preservative properties. Experiments conducted by researcher Daniel C. Fisher demonstrated that pathogen and bacterial counts of meat buried in peat bogs for up to two years were comparable to levels found in control samples stored in a modern freezer, suggesting that this could be an effective preservation method. 127:, County Offaly. Found in a carved wooden vessel 30 centimetres (1 ft) in diameter and 60 centimetres (2 ft) in height, it was buried at a depth of 2.3 metres (7.5 ft), and still bore a faint smell of dairy. In Scotland, the practice of burying bog butter only dates back to the 2nd or 3rd century AD. 149:
An alternative hypothesis is "primitive food processing": it is possible that "chemical reactions in the soil helped to transform the foods to more palatable products than could be made fresh"—especially given the absence of salt in bog butters—or increase available nutrient content. In traditional
189:
The practice of burying butter and other fats could also have arisen as a strategy for protecting vital provisions from thieves and/or invaders. For instance, in early medieval Ireland, there is no doubt that butter was a luxury food, with legal texts carefully delineating the quantity of butter
134:
bog after encasement within a wooden container, although augmentation of the latter with a deerskin bladder or layers of plant fibers was not unusual. The containers tend to be well-sealed with a convex surface, perhaps to prevent water from pooling and stagnating in direct contact with the
32: 31: 522:
Smyth, Jessica; Berstan, Robert; Casanova, Emmanuelle; McCormick, Finbar; Mulhall, Isabella; Sikora, Maeve; Synnott, Chris; Evershed, Richard P. (2019).
524:"Four millennia of dairy surplus and deposition revealed through compound-specific stable isotope analysis and radiocarbon dating of Irish bog butters" 588: 273: 604: 150:
cuisines, burial is a fairly common step in the preparation of highly perishable foods such as meat and dairy products; examples include
580: 1500: 418: 24: 301: 222: 1067: 123:. On 28 April 2011, there were press reports of a find of approximately 50 kilograms (110 lb) of bog butter in 632: 1425: 712: 777: 395: 119:
In Ireland, the practice of burying bog butter dates back to the first century AD, with bog butter found in
1379: 879: 247: 999: 1470: 277: 138:
The original motivations behind the creation of bog butter are unclear. One widespread theory is that
973: 1019: 593: 1142: 978: 474:"The Role and Function of Butter in the Diet of the Monk and Penitent in Early Medieval Ireland" 1060: 754: 473: 1354: 928: 808: 101: 64:, some tested lumps of bog butter were made of dairy, while others were made of animal fat. 968: 907: 625: 531: 923: 8: 1430: 38: 1152: 577: 535: 1410: 1384: 1312: 843: 554: 523: 370:
Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquities Society
60:, particularly in Ireland and Scotland. Likely an old method of making and preserving 1053: 884: 670: 559: 422: 1457: 1272: 1132: 1112: 963: 946: 660: 598: 549: 539: 500: 449: 368:
Williams, James (1966). "A Sample of Bog Butter from Lachar Moss, Dumfriesshire".
1510: 1202: 1036: 1014: 994: 897: 764: 749: 618: 584: 478:
The Fat of the Land: Proceedings of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cooking 2002
327: 739: 1441: 1369: 1359: 1192: 892: 874: 782: 692: 544: 504: 105: 226: 1505: 1494: 1435: 1328: 1262: 1232: 1222: 1172: 1092: 833: 772: 251: 181: 167: 143: 97: 1415: 1349: 1322: 1252: 1212: 1102: 848: 838: 828: 734: 697: 675: 563: 151: 139: 120: 85: 61: 1484: 1389: 1302: 1182: 1162: 1004: 958: 951: 744: 685: 453: 72:
Bog butter is found buried inside some sort of wooden container, such as
1447: 1364: 1242: 1122: 1009: 803: 798: 702: 100:
were uncertain of the origin of bog butter. Scientists working at the
1394: 1374: 1292: 869: 349:
Earwood, Caroline (1997). "Bog Butter: A Two Thousand Year History".
199: 185:
15th–16th-century bog butter found near Enniskillen, County Fermanagh
124: 93: 918: 159: 1282: 1076: 864: 130:
Bog butter was produced by interring butter or other fats within a
444:
Ball, Philip (17 Mar 2004). "Mysteries of Bog Butter Uncovered".
155: 419:"Underwater Storage Techniques Preserved Meat for Early Hunters" 37:
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Antiquities in the Museum of the
902: 641: 163: 109: 81: 73: 1452: 1045: 912: 521: 113: 19: 1479: 680: 665: 175: 171: 131: 54: 605:
Bog butter from 3000 BC found in ancient underground store
142:
were buried in bogs to hinder spoilage. Peat bogs, being
610: 491:Ó Dubhthaigh, Niall (1984). "Summer Pasture in Donegal". 274:"Experts Get To The Bottom Of Ancient Bog Butter Mystery" 77: 57: 50: 1468: 104:
discovered that some samples of the "butter" were of
490: 594:Bog Butter and other items found preserved in bogs 416: 348: 302:"For Peat's Safe: Bog Butter Unearthed with Turf" 1492: 589:Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland) 367: 88:. It is of animal origin, and is also known as 1061: 626: 443: 484: 1068: 1054: 633: 619: 393: 320: 553: 543: 467: 465: 463: 410: 271: 217: 215: 180: 30: 18: 421:. The University Record. Archived from 396:"Bog Butter: A Gastronomic Perspective" 389: 387: 385: 383: 361: 296: 294: 1493: 480:. Bristol: Footwork. pp. 253–269. 471: 460: 437: 342: 1049: 614: 212: 380: 291: 25:Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery 16:Ancient substance found in peat bogs 13: 14: 1522: 571: 328:"Bog Butter Find from Co. Offaly" 272:Prudames, David (23 March 2004). 1478: 1031: 1030: 711: 417:Pobojewski, Sally (8 May 1995). 351:The Journal of Irish Archaeology 330:. Irish Archaeology. 28 Apr 2011 23:Bog butter made in 2012 for the 1426:Wetland deposits in Scandinavia 515: 1075: 265: 240: 1: 1501:Archaeological artefact types 1332: 1316: 1306: 1296: 1286: 1276: 1266: 1256: 1246: 1236: 1226: 1216: 1206: 1196: 1186: 1176: 1166: 1156: 1146: 1136: 1126: 1116: 1106: 1096: 205: 1380:Windover archaeological site 880:Chicago Butter and Egg Board 225:. 2004-04-02. Archived from 223:"Bog Butter Mystery Solved?" 162:(Iceland), the Inuit dishes 112:origin while others were of 7: 1000:Artificial butter flavoring 578:Peatlands: Occasional finds 476:. In Walker, Harlan (ed.). 193: 135:packaging and/or contents. 10: 1527: 640: 545:10.1038/s41598-019-40975-y 505:10.1179/043087783798254627 394:Reade, Ben (30 Oct 2013). 67: 53:substance found buried in 1403: 1342: 1083: 1028: 987: 974:Buttered toast phenomenon 939: 857: 821: 791: 773:Beurre à la bourguignonne 763: 727: 720: 709: 648: 1020:Butter churning in Nepal 1143:Girl of the Uchter Moor 979:Norwegian butter crisis 721:Dishes featuring butter 472:Sexton, Regina (2003). 186: 43: 28: 1355:Wittmoor bog trackway 889:Butter manufacturers 809:List of butter dishes 778:Beurre Maître d'Hôtel 607:from IrishCentral.com 184: 102:University of Bristol 34: 22: 1343:Archaeological sites 1086:(approx. deathdates) 969:Buttered cat paradox 822:Butter paraphernalia 530:. 9:4559 (1): 4559. 454:10.1038/news040315-5 1431:Gundestrup cauldron 755:Café de Paris sauce 728:Butter-based sauces 536:2019NatSR...9.4559S 425:on 26 February 2019 39:Royal Irish Academy 1411:List of bog bodies 1385:Little Salt Spring 1313:Amcotts Moor Woman 844:French butter dish 583:2010-01-18 at the 528:Scientific Reports 187: 44: 29: 1466: 1465: 1043: 1042: 940:Butter in culture 817: 816: 671:Manteiga-da-terra 398:. Nordic Food Lab 248:"Bog Butter test" 1518: 1483: 1482: 1474: 1458:Ritual sacrifice 1334: 1318: 1308: 1298: 1288: 1278: 1273:Huldremose Woman 1268: 1258: 1248: 1238: 1228: 1218: 1208: 1198: 1188: 1178: 1168: 1158: 1153:Haraldskær Woman 1148: 1138: 1133:Borremose bodies 1128: 1118: 1113:Stoneyisland Man 1108: 1098: 1070: 1063: 1056: 1047: 1046: 1037:Category: Butter 1034: 1033: 964:Butter rebellion 947:Butter sculpture 725: 724: 715: 661:Clarified butter 635: 628: 621: 612: 611: 567: 557: 547: 509: 508: 488: 482: 481: 469: 458: 457: 441: 435: 434: 432: 430: 414: 408: 407: 405: 403: 391: 378: 377: 365: 359: 358: 346: 340: 339: 337: 335: 324: 318: 317: 315: 313: 298: 289: 288: 286: 285: 276:. Archived from 269: 263: 262: 260: 259: 244: 238: 237: 235: 234: 219: 35:Bog butter from 1526: 1525: 1521: 1520: 1519: 1517: 1516: 1515: 1491: 1490: 1489: 1477: 1469: 1467: 1462: 1399: 1338: 1203:Old Croghan Man 1085: 1079: 1074: 1044: 1039: 1024: 1015:List of spreads 995:Butter mountain 983: 935: 858:Butter industry 853: 813: 787: 765:Compound butter 759: 750:Beurre noisette 716: 707: 649:Types of butter 644: 639: 585:Wayback Machine 574: 518: 513: 512: 489: 485: 470: 461: 442: 438: 428: 426: 415: 411: 401: 399: 392: 381: 366: 362: 347: 343: 333: 331: 326: 325: 321: 311: 309: 300: 299: 292: 283: 281: 270: 266: 257: 255: 246: 245: 241: 232: 230: 221: 220: 213: 208: 196: 170:, and Moroccan 158:(Scandinavia), 144:low temperature 70: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1524: 1514: 1513: 1508: 1503: 1488: 1487: 1464: 1463: 1461: 1460: 1455: 1450: 1445: 1442:The Bog People 1438: 1433: 1428: 1423: 1418: 1413: 1407: 1405: 1401: 1400: 1398: 1397: 1392: 1387: 1382: 1377: 1372: 1370:Bourtange moor 1367: 1362: 1360:Thorsberg moor 1357: 1352: 1346: 1344: 1340: 1339: 1337: 1336: 1326: 1320: 1310: 1300: 1290: 1280: 1279:160 BC–340 AD) 1270: 1269:160 BC–220 AD) 1260: 1259:200 BC–119 AD) 1250: 1249:200 BC–119 AD) 1240: 1230: 1220: 1210: 1200: 1193:Clonycavan Man 1190: 1180: 1170: 1160: 1150: 1140: 1130: 1120: 1110: 1100: 1089: 1087: 1081: 1080: 1073: 1072: 1065: 1058: 1050: 1041: 1040: 1029: 1026: 1025: 1023: 1022: 1017: 1012: 1007: 1002: 997: 991: 989: 985: 984: 982: 981: 976: 971: 966: 961: 956: 955: 954: 943: 941: 937: 936: 934: 933: 932: 931: 926: 921: 916: 910: 905: 900: 895: 887: 882: 877: 875:Butter grading 872: 867: 861: 859: 855: 854: 852: 851: 846: 841: 836: 831: 825: 823: 819: 818: 815: 814: 812: 811: 806: 801: 795: 793: 789: 788: 786: 785: 783:Truffle butter 780: 775: 769: 767: 761: 760: 758: 757: 752: 747: 742: 737: 731: 729: 722: 718: 717: 710: 708: 706: 705: 700: 695: 693:Vologda butter 690: 689: 688: 683: 678: 673: 668: 658: 652: 650: 646: 645: 638: 637: 630: 623: 615: 609: 608: 602: 591: 573: 572:External links 570: 569: 568: 517: 514: 511: 510: 483: 459: 436: 409: 379: 360: 341: 319: 290: 264: 239: 210: 209: 207: 204: 203: 202: 195: 192: 98:archaeologists 69: 66: 49:is an ancient 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1523: 1512: 1509: 1507: 1504: 1502: 1499: 1498: 1496: 1486: 1481: 1476: 1475: 1472: 1459: 1456: 1454: 1451: 1449: 1446: 1444: 1443: 1439: 1437: 1436:Ralaghan Idol 1434: 1432: 1429: 1427: 1424: 1422: 1419: 1417: 1414: 1412: 1409: 1408: 1406: 1402: 1396: 1393: 1391: 1388: 1386: 1383: 1381: 1378: 1376: 1373: 1371: 1368: 1366: 1363: 1361: 1358: 1356: 1353: 1351: 1348: 1347: 1345: 1341: 1330: 1329:Gunnister Man 1327: 1324: 1321: 1314: 1311: 1304: 1301: 1299:41 BC–118 AD) 1294: 1291: 1289:54 BC–128 AD) 1284: 1281: 1274: 1271: 1264: 1263:Weerdinge Men 1261: 1254: 1251: 1244: 1241: 1234: 1233:Grauballe Man 1231: 1224: 1223:Damendorf Man 1221: 1214: 1211: 1204: 1201: 1194: 1191: 1184: 1181: 1174: 1173:Kayhausen Boy 1171: 1164: 1161: 1154: 1151: 1144: 1141: 1134: 1131: 1124: 1121: 1119:3320–3220 BC) 1114: 1111: 1109:3920–3650 BC) 1104: 1101: 1094: 1093:Koelbjerg Man 1091: 1090: 1088: 1082: 1078: 1071: 1066: 1064: 1059: 1057: 1052: 1051: 1048: 1038: 1027: 1021: 1018: 1016: 1013: 1011: 1008: 1006: 1003: 1001: 998: 996: 993: 992: 990: 988:Miscellaneous 986: 980: 977: 975: 972: 970: 967: 965: 962: 960: 957: 953: 950: 949: 948: 945: 944: 942: 938: 930: 927: 925: 922: 920: 917: 914: 911: 909: 906: 904: 901: 899: 896: 894: 891: 890: 888: 886: 883: 881: 878: 876: 873: 871: 868: 866: 863: 862: 860: 856: 850: 847: 845: 842: 840: 837: 835: 834:Butter curler 832: 830: 827: 826: 824: 820: 810: 807: 805: 802: 800: 797: 796: 794: 790: 784: 781: 779: 776: 774: 771: 770: 768: 766: 762: 756: 753: 751: 748: 746: 743: 741: 738: 736: 733: 732: 730: 726: 723: 719: 714: 704: 701: 699: 696: 694: 691: 687: 684: 682: 679: 677: 674: 672: 669: 667: 664: 663: 662: 659: 657: 654: 653: 651: 647: 643: 636: 631: 629: 624: 622: 617: 616: 613: 606: 603: 601: 600: 595: 592: 590: 586: 582: 579: 576: 575: 565: 561: 556: 551: 546: 541: 537: 533: 529: 525: 520: 519: 506: 502: 498: 494: 487: 479: 475: 468: 466: 464: 455: 451: 447: 440: 424: 420: 413: 397: 390: 388: 386: 384: 375: 371: 364: 356: 352: 345: 329: 323: 308:. 28 Apr 2011 307: 303: 297: 295: 280:on 2012-09-29 279: 275: 268: 253: 252:New Scientist 249: 243: 229:on 2011-07-19 228: 224: 218: 216: 211: 201: 198: 197: 191: 183: 179: 177: 173: 169: 165: 161: 157: 153: 147: 145: 141: 140:food products 136: 133: 128: 126: 122: 117: 115: 111: 107: 103: 99: 95: 92:. Until 2003 91: 87: 86:butter churns 84:, dishes and 83: 79: 75: 65: 63: 59: 56: 52: 48: 41: 40: 33: 26: 21: 1440: 1420: 1416:List of bogs 1350:Cladh Hallan 1325:(14th c. AD) 1323:Bocksten Man 1253:Lindow Woman 1213:Elling Woman 1103:Luttra Woman 929:Western Star 898:Land O'Lakes 849:Scotch hands 839:Butter knife 829:Butter churn 740:Beurre monté 735:Beurre blanc 676:Niter kibbeh 655: 597: 527: 516:Bibliography 496: 492: 486: 477: 445: 439: 427:. Retrieved 423:the original 412: 400:. Retrieved 373: 369: 363: 354: 350: 344: 332:. Retrieved 322: 310:. Retrieved 305: 282:. Retrieved 278:the original 267: 256:. Retrieved 254:. 2004-03-20 242: 231:. Retrieved 227:the original 188: 152:century eggs 148: 137: 129: 121:County Meath 118: 89: 71: 46: 45: 36: 1390:Lindow Moss 1335:18th c. AD) 1319:200–400 AD) 1303:Osterby Man 1219:350–150 BC) 1209:362–175 BC) 1199:392–201 BC) 1183:Tollund Man 1179:400–300 BC) 1169:470–120 BC) 1163:Gallagh Man 1149:764–515 BC) 1005:Butter salt 959:Butter lamp 952:Butter lamb 745:Beurre noir 698:Whey butter 306:Irish Times 90:butyrellite 1495:Categories 1448:Peter Glob 1421:Bog butter 1365:Nydam Mose 1309:70–220 AD) 1243:Lindow Man 1239:3rd c. BC) 1189:4th c. BC) 1123:Cashel Man 1084:Bog bodies 1077:Bog bodies 1010:Dairy salt 915:/Kerrygold 804:Egg butter 799:Butter tea 703:Yak butter 656:Bog butter 284:2010-04-13 258:2010-04-13 233:2010-04-13 206:References 156:gravad lax 94:scientists 47:Bog butter 1395:Chat Moss 1375:Falbygden 1293:Windeby I 924:Président 870:Butterfat 587:from the 499:: 42–54. 493:Folk Life 200:Adipocere 154:(China), 125:Tullamore 1404:See also 1283:Yde Girl 1129:2000 BC) 1099:8000 BC) 908:Magnolia 885:Churning 865:Boterwet 581:Archived 564:30872699 357:: 25–42. 194:See also 116:origin. 1229:300 BC) 1159:490 BC) 1139:770 BC) 555:6418298 532:Bibcode 106:adipose 82:barrels 74:buckets 68:History 1511:Butter 1471:Portal 1035:  919:Plugrà 903:Lurpak 893:Anchor 642:Butter 562:  552:  446:Nature 429:15 Aug 402:15 Aug 334:15 Aug 312:15 Aug 168:kiviaq 164:igunaq 160:hákarl 110:tallow 62:butter 42:, 1857 1453:Mummy 913:Ornua 792:Other 599:Wired 596:from 114:dairy 1506:Bogs 1485:Food 686:Urfa 681:Smen 666:Ghee 560:PMID 431:2015 404:2015 336:2015 314:2015 176:ghee 172:smen 166:and 132:peat 96:and 78:kegs 58:bogs 55:peat 51:waxy 550:PMC 540:doi 501:doi 450:doi 1497:: 1333:c. 1317:c. 1307:c. 1297:c. 1287:c. 1277:c. 1267:c. 1257:c. 1247:c. 1237:c. 1227:c. 1217:c. 1207:c. 1197:c. 1187:c. 1177:c. 1167:c. 1157:c. 1147:c. 1137:c. 1127:c. 1117:c. 1107:c. 1097:c. 558:. 548:. 538:. 526:. 497:22 495:. 462:^ 448:. 382:^ 374:43 372:. 353:. 304:. 293:^ 250:. 214:^ 178:" 80:, 76:, 1473:: 1331:( 1315:( 1305:( 1295:( 1285:( 1275:( 1265:( 1255:( 1245:( 1235:( 1225:( 1215:( 1205:( 1195:( 1185:( 1175:( 1165:( 1155:( 1145:( 1135:( 1125:( 1115:( 1105:( 1095:( 1069:e 1062:t 1055:v 634:e 627:t 620:v 566:. 542:: 534:: 507:. 503:: 456:. 452:: 433:. 406:. 376:. 355:8 338:. 316:. 287:. 261:. 236:. 108:/ 27:.

Index


Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery

Royal Irish Academy
waxy
peat
bogs
butter
buckets
kegs
barrels
butter churns
scientists
archaeologists
University of Bristol
adipose
tallow
dairy
County Meath
Tullamore
peat
food products
low temperature
century eggs
gravad lax
hákarl
igunaq
kiviaq
smen
ghee

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.