Saudi Arabia is a prolific dairy producer and is really quite talented at creating their own French-style butters. Nadec takes it to the #NextLevel.
In the UAE, we generally have two Saudi butters available to us: Almarai and Nadec. Having previously reviewed Almarai, we're very pleased to add our other Saudi competitor to our family!
The Saudi butters available to us are all cultured butters, as in produced with lactic bacteria introduced in order to produce the characteristic French 'tang' or ferment to the taste and aroma profile. However they do it, and with whatever milk they're using, the Saudis are very skilled at this and produce very good butter in spite of their natural geography.
Nadec Natural Butter Appreciation
Butter Break Down
Appreciation Date: 08/08/2020
Country of Origin: Saudi Arabia
Point of Procurement: Carrefour, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai
Purchase State: Fresh
Milk: Cow, pasteurised
Salt Content: None added
Milk Fat Content: 80%
Ingredients: Milk fat from 100% fresh milk, culture.
Declared Possible Allergens: Cow's milk
Company Website: https://www.nadec.com/product-categories/butter/
Butter Evaluation
In which we discuss Nadec's Natural butter.
Here in Dubai, Nadec is available fresh or frozen; when possible, we try to go for the fresh stuff. The Saudi butters are sold in varying size packs, which allows for effective sampling. The IBC very much appreciates the thoughtfulness!
Nadec has produced a butter of remarkable product that ticks all the butter boxes. Upon opening, it is textbook butter yellow, opaque and matte. No added colourings are declared on the ingredient list and it's truly impressive how they're able to produce a butter like this.
This one presents a bold aroma of tangy ferment. It's not shy about being a fermented butter! It has a slight metallic twinge to it which may be a product of the shipping process but it soon mellows into pure dairy ferment.
As you can see, it's quite structurally robust, trying hard to keeping its shape even after being spread. Robust really is the best way to describe this butter as it's very richly fermented on the palate with quite a sturdy bite to it. As its flavour develops, a solid butter flavour comes through and works hard to balance out the cultures, which remain at the forefront of this butter's flavour profile.
Final Rundown
This butter is for those who love a full-bodied and flavourful butter. It makes you sit up and take notice of it, even without added salt. It's powerful stuff and takes you to the edge of is-this-marscapone but keeps the butter flavour at the forefront. If you want something to taste of butter after you've cooked it, or you're paring butter with stronger spices, this one it the perfect pick!
Colour: Textbook butter yellow; matte
Aroma: Lacto fermented cultures
Taste: Cultured and buttery; full-bodied & robust