Extruded, multi-portioned butter products and system and methods of producing same

A method of extruding a butter stick, comprising:

• feeding butter into an extruder, the extruder comprising a die, the die defining an extrusion aperture for producing a butter extrudate having a plurality of portions successively connected lengthwise to an adjacent portion by a connecting bridge, each connecting bridge comprising a height that is at least 15% and up to 50% of the total height of the butter stick, wherein the die opening comprises teeth that define sidewalls of the successively connected portions, the sidewalls defining at least one trough between each portion;
• and
• cutting the extrudate to form the extruded butter stick product having a plurality of portions,
• wherein each connecting bridge of the butter stick product defines a fulcrum for breaking a portion from the butter stick such that each portion of the butter stick can be individually separated from the butter stick.

A method of extruding a butter stick, comprising:

• feeding butter into an extruder, the extruder comprising a die, the die defining a die opening for producing a butter extrudate having a plurality of portions successively connected lengthwise to an adjacent portion by a connecting bridge, each connecting bridge comprising a height that is at least 20% and up to 90% of the total height of the butter stick, wherein the die opening comprises teeth that define sidewalls of the successively connected portions, the sidewalls defining at least one trough between each portion;
• and
• cutting the extrudate to form the extruded butter stick product having a plurality of portions,
• wherein sidewalls of the successively connected portions define at least one trough leading to the connecting bridge, the trough providing guide for cutting the butter stick between two successively connected portions such that a portion of the butter stick can be individually cut from the butter stick at a connecting bridge.