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Salted vs. Unsalted Butter
Posted on 11/16/23 at 8:51 am
Posted on 11/16/23 at 8:51 am
Was at my brother's house for Christmas a few years back and, as is tradition with our family, had steak and lobster for our holiday dinner. Sit down, dig into my lobster, dipping it in the butter, and something was just way off. After spending 10 mins trying to figure out why the hell my lobster didn't taste as good as usual, I realized he put unsalted butter in the warming dishes.
I never buy unsalted butter. I read recipes and they call for unsalted butter so that you have more control over salt content in your dish. Do people really find salted butter that ridiculously salty that they find it oversalts their cooking? I cook with salted butter and still find myself adding a good bit of salt to the dish throughout the course of making the recipe.
I guess, maybe, it's important with baking? I don't really bake so perhaps the salt content could throw off the way foods rise/bake?
Is it just a preference thing? Am I a weirdo for only using salted butter?
I never buy unsalted butter. I read recipes and they call for unsalted butter so that you have more control over salt content in your dish. Do people really find salted butter that ridiculously salty that they find it oversalts their cooking? I cook with salted butter and still find myself adding a good bit of salt to the dish throughout the course of making the recipe.
I guess, maybe, it's important with baking? I don't really bake so perhaps the salt content could throw off the way foods rise/bake?
Is it just a preference thing? Am I a weirdo for only using salted butter?
22
Posted on 11/16/23 at 8:52 am to mmmmmbeeer
quote:
I guess, maybe, it's important with baking?
The only thing that I really use it for. I go through a lot of butter, but a stick of unsalted butter will last for a while in my house simply because it's only used for baking.
Posted on 11/16/23 at 8:52 am to mmmmmbeeer
I only use unsalted butter. Which one of us is the freak????
If I need to add salt, I add salt. I don’t need the butter to do that.
If I need to add salt, I add salt. I don’t need the butter to do that.
This post was edited on 11/16/23 at 8:54 am
Posted on 11/16/23 at 8:57 am to patnuh
quote:
I only use unsalted butter. Which one of us is the freak????
You. You're definitely in the minority.
Posted on 11/16/23 at 9:00 am to Mo Jeaux
quote:
You. You're definitely in the minority.
Most of my cookbooks call for unsalted butter. Maybe Donald Link knows a thing or two.
Posted on 11/16/23 at 9:06 am to mmmmmbeeer
Boy, people getting riled up over a damn butter question. 
Posted on 11/16/23 at 9:15 am to patnuh
quote:
Most of my cookbooks call for unsalted butter. Maybe Donald Link knows a thing or two.
And I’m sure all of his recipes also include salt
Posted on 11/16/23 at 9:22 am to mmmmmbeeer
May or may not be true:
I read somewhere that they use salt to cover the flavor of off taste butter and butter that is getting old.
It just seems to make more sense to me to use unsalted and add my own salt.
I read somewhere that they use salt to cover the flavor of off taste butter and butter that is getting old.
It just seems to make more sense to me to use unsalted and add my own salt.
Posted on 11/16/23 at 9:28 am to patnuh
quote:
I only use unsalted butter. Which one of us is the freak????
If I need to add salt, I add salt. I don’t need the butter to do that.
We only buy unsalted (US) butter. The wife bakes a lot, and it's just easier to get one pack at Sam's. If something needs more salt, the shaker is right there.
Now, we will sometimes buy some brand of Irish butter for rolls or biscuits, but that's almost a "dessert" butter.
I don't eat a lot of salt anyway, so it's not an issue.
Posted on 11/16/23 at 9:29 am to MeridianDog
The main reason I buy salted butter is that it doesn't spoil as quickly at room temperature as unsalted. I keep half a stick in a butter dish at room temp for spreading on toast, muffins, etc. and it stays good for a couple of weeks vs. a couple of days for unsalted.
Posted on 11/16/23 at 9:31 am to patnuh
quote:
Most of my cookbooks call for unsalted butter. Maybe Donald Link knows a thing or two.
Most chefs will go with unsalted to have complete control of the taste.
Especially with seafood that can quickly be over salted
Salted butter is used as a spread for toast or finishing tool
Posted on 11/16/23 at 9:43 am to mmmmmbeeer
I used salted butter in a dessert that I made on time. It came out disgusting.
I think of salted butter as a finishing butter/spreader and unsalted butter as a cooking/baking butter.
I think of salted butter as a finishing butter/spreader and unsalted butter as a cooking/baking butter.
Posted on 11/16/23 at 9:55 am to marcus3000
quote:
The main reason I buy salted butter is that it doesn't spoil as quickly at room temperature as unsalted. I keep half a stick in a butter dish at room temp for spreading on toast, muffins, etc. and it stays good for a couple of weeks vs. a couple of days for unsalted.
My (future) wife started making a pound cake one time and realized the butter had soured in the summer heat. She went ahead and finished the cake, but warned me that it might not be good.
I thought it was the best pound cake I had had since my grandmother last made one. My grandmother was from south Florida and didn't believe in AC. Her pound cakes were great and had a bit of a twang to them that made them unique.
Posted on 11/16/23 at 10:57 am to mmmmmbeeer
I only buy unsalted, also only unsalted stock if using boxed. Sodium/salt content of everything is out of control in America
Posted on 11/16/23 at 11:22 am to marcus3000
quote:
vs. a couple of days for unsalted.
Posted on 11/16/23 at 11:51 am to mmmmmbeeer
I usually buy the tub if salted kerrygold for bread/biscuits.
I only specifically buy unsalted for baking.
I only specifically buy unsalted for baking.
Posted on 11/16/23 at 11:55 am to DaBeerz
quote:
I only buy unsalted, also only unsalted stock if using boxed. Sodium/salt content of everything is out of control in America
True, but if I buy stock I love the flavor of Emerils and it’s got a lot of salt in it.
So when I use that in a gumbo, I just don’t add any salt until the end when I’m trying to get it perfect. Usually doesn’t need any.
You have to approach salting with the mindset that everything you add to a dish has salt content. So you might not need additional salt.
Posted on 11/16/23 at 12:21 pm to The Levee
quote:
Most chefs will go with unsalted to have complete control of the taste.
That's the thing I don't get...I've never used salted butter in a savory dish and thought, "damn, this is way too salty and I didn't add any salt! must be the butter." Maybe chefs are just incredibly anal or that's what they do being that's what they were taught.
Posted on 11/16/23 at 12:46 pm to mmmmmbeeer
I use salted butter for everything except baking.
I keep a stick of salted in a butter dish so it’s always soft, can’t do that as much with unsalted. At least I wouldn’t do it.
I keep a stick of salted in a butter dish so it’s always soft, can’t do that as much with unsalted. At least I wouldn’t do it.
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