# Salted butter vs Unsalted ?



## pacanis (Apr 9, 2007)

What's the difference, besides the obvious one?
Is one better for buttering bread, melting and dipping (as in clams, crab legs...), cooking with in a pan, baking, different smoke point???  Can one add salt to unsalted butter once it's melted and you have the same thing as salted butter?

The reason I'm asking is because I thought they were having a sale on salted butter, what I call _regular_ butter, but it was on unsalted, so I bought a couple bricks anyway.

Thanks!


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## Barb L. (Apr 9, 2007)

I use salted butter for everything, just like it better.


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## redkitty (Apr 9, 2007)

I use unsalted butter when I do use it.  When I took cooking classes they told us to always use unsalted butter.  

I got this from the foodnetwork.com

*Q:* What's the deal with salted and unsalted butter?

*A:* Butter comes two ways: salted and unsalted. Salt is added to butter for flavor and as a preservative so it will have a longer shelf life. Salt, however, can sometimes overpower the sweet flavor of the butter and can also mask odors. Additionally, the amount of salt added to salted butter varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, so it's hard to know how much extra salt you're adding to a recipe. Using unsalted butter allows the chef to control the amount of salt in a recipe.


If you have no choice but to use salted butter in a recipe, the rule of thumb is to omit about 1/4 teaspoon salt per 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter.
Unsalted butter has a short shelf life because it contains no preservatives. If you buy unsalted butter and do not use it right away, it is best to freeze it. If properly wrapped so it won't pick up any odors, butter can be frozen for around six months. Just remember to defrost the butter overnight in the refrigerator before using it


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## urmaniac13 (Apr 9, 2007)

I use unsalted most of the time for cooking and baking.  But occasionally I enjoy smearing salted butter on my toast.  I tried using unsalted for this purpose and sprinkle salt on top, but it is rather difficult to get just the right saltiness this way.
However I read somewhere that often butter with inferior quality is salted to disguise the flavour/texture.


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## cjs (Apr 9, 2007)

99% of the time I use unsalted, but I do keep a cube of salted butter in the freezer for guests who like to butter their breads. But I would never cook/bake with it.


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## Andy M. (Apr 9, 2007)

I'm one who believes that for the majority of applications, there is absolutely no difference.  Our parents and their parents created some great meals and baked goods using only salted butter.

As far as needing to preserve the butter, I don't think butter is around long enough for it to go bad, salted or not.

99.99% of recipes that call for butter also call for salt.  No one cooks without tasting so youget to make the final adjustment for salt in any dish before it's served.

I use both but mostly salted, saving the unsalted for baking and clarifying.


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## Half Baked (Apr 9, 2007)

Barb L. said:
			
		

> I use salted butter for everything, just like it better.


 
Lol, Barb.  I use unsalted butter for everything, just like it better.


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## Robo410 (Apr 9, 2007)

I like the unsalted...try dipping lobster into melted unsalted butter...very different.  I like it better on baked goods etc.  (and frankly my parents grew up with unsalted butter as they churned their own)


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## Andy M. (Apr 9, 2007)

Robo410 said:
			
		

> ... (and frankly my parents grew up with unsalted butter as they churned their own)


 
Now that's fresh butter.  Must have been delicious!


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## lulu (Apr 9, 2007)

If I'm baking a lot I by butter quite a few, say half dozen packs, at a time and freeze them....I go for salted because of keeping qualities and then just don't add a pinch of salt to my cakes/whatever...

Fresh, good quality unsalted butter is a delight, but I don't tend to buy it if its destined for the freezer or going to sit in the fridge for any length of time.....


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## jennyema (Apr 9, 2007)

I'm with Andy.  I think salted/unsalted butter is virtually interchangeble in most recipes and for most preparations.  It's a matter of personal preference.


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## Katie H (Apr 9, 2007)

Most of the time I use unsalted butter, but I always have some salted butter on hand.  I've never been much of a salt eater, so am sensitive to the saltiness of foods.  I do prefer the taste of unsalted butter to salted and can definitely tell the difference, but I think that's because of my lifetime minimal salt consumption.


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## VeraBlue (Apr 9, 2007)

I prefer salted butter for cooking savory dishes and for sauces.  The salt is the only difference.  It's easire to add salt than to take away.


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## VeraBlue (Apr 9, 2007)

jennyema said:
			
		

> I'm with Andy. I think salted/unsalted butter is virtually interchangeble in most recipes and for most preparations. It's a matter of personal preference.


 
I don't like to use salted butter for baking sweet items.


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## RMS (Apr 9, 2007)

Robo410 said:
			
		

> I like the unsalted...try dipping lobster into melted unsalted butter...very different. I like it better on baked goods etc. (and frankly my parents grew up with unsalted butter as they churned their own)


 
Now I want some lobster to try this with.  I've always only used salted for eating, and unsalted for baking.


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## pacanis (Apr 9, 2007)

Interesting responses. Opinions on food are always so _taste_ based  

I still have a couple sticks of salted left, plus some spreadable butter in a tub for my toast, so I really appreciate the replies saying that unsalted butter doesn't have the same shelf life.  Looks like another task for my new Foodsaver  
It also looks like a taste test is in order to see what my preference is. I just didn't want to screw anything up by using the "wrong" butter without checking.

Thank you all very much.


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## bethzaring (Apr 9, 2007)

I use salted butter the most.  My applications do not demand unsalted butter.  I use an alarming amount of butter.  I use butter everday, on toast, in cookies, sauteing vegetables, on popcorn.  The only problem I have experienced with the salted butter is that the salt level can vary.  I just make sure I use the heavier salted butter in something not noticed, which is easy with my cooking.  I like the preservation aspect too.  Improves the flavor too, IMO.  I have a better selection of salted butter than the unsalted in the local stores.  But if I would happen upon a sale, I would not hesitate to purchase the unsalted, but the salted is my preference.


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## jennyema (Apr 9, 2007)

VeraBlue said:
			
		

> I don't like to use salted butter for baking sweet items.


 
I don't notice much of a difference at all, especially since most of these recipes call for salt anyway.


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## jennyema (Apr 9, 2007)

pacanis said:
			
		

> so I really appreciate the replies saying that unsalted butter doesn't have the same shelf life. Looks like another task for my new Foodsaver  .


 

IMO this really isn't relevant.  Unless you are talking about keeping butter in your fridge for many months.  I use both kinds and have never had either go bad on me. 

Just put unused sticks in the freezer.  No need for the foodsaver.


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## Gossie (Apr 9, 2007)

When there is a good sale on butter, I pick up a few of each and throw them into the freezer.   You only need to use one stick at a time anyway.


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## pacanis (Apr 9, 2007)

jennyema said:
			
		

> IMO this really isn't relevant. Unless you are talking about keeping butter in your fridge for many months. I use both kinds and have never had either go bad on me.
> 
> Just put unused sticks in the freezer. No need for the foodsaver.


 
If I'm going to stick the bricks in the freezer until I run out of the butter in the fridge, it might as well be in a foodsaver bag. Besides, I just got it and am looking for uses


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## Mel! (Apr 9, 2007)

Hello Pacanis 

I use salted butter, for everything, including sweet things, like cakes and cookies. It is not so salty, that it cannot be used, for everything. I always use the salted one, because it is more available, in all supermarkets. The unsalted one, is often unavailable, and often more expensive, when it is available. 

Mel


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## Corey123 (Apr 9, 2007)

lulu said:
			
		

> If I'm baking a lot I by butter quite a few, say half dozen packs, at a time and freeze them....I go for salted because of keeping qualities and then just don't add a pinch of salt to my cakes/whatever...
> 
> Fresh, good quality unsalted butter is a delight, but I don't tend to buy it if its destined for the freezer or going to sit in the fridge for any length of time.....


 


I do that also.

But in baking, certain recipes DO tell you to use unsalted butter.

Genoise cake, for instance, not only must have unsalted butter (never knew the reason why), but it also calls for it to be clarified.

Some cake recipes call for salt even though salted butter is used.


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## lulu (Apr 10, 2007)

bethzaring said:
			
		

> I use salted butter the most.  My applications do not demand unsalted butter.  I use an alarming amount of butter.  I use butter everday, on toast, in cookies, sauteing vegetables, on popcorn.  The only problem I have experienced with the salted butter is that the salt level can vary.  I just make sure I use the heavier salted butter in something not noticed, which is easy with my cooking.  I like the preservation aspect too.  Improves the flavor too, IMO.  I have a better selection of salted butter than the unsalted in the local stores.  But if I would happen upon a sale, I would not hesitate to purchase the unsalted, but the salted is my preference.




Just wondering if you ever make goat's butter?  I haven't had it more than maybe three/four times...but it was excellent.


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## bethzaring (Apr 10, 2007)

Lulu, I do not make butter from the goats' cream.  Goats milk is considered to be naturally homogenized, meaning the cream does not clump together and rise to the top of the milk easily.  A person needs a cream separator to seperate the cream from the milk.  I have a friend who has lots of goats and a cream separator and he makes butter sometimes and gives me some.  It is wonderful.  I do not have a separator at this point.  They are rather large and a PITA to clean.


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## marcia321 (Apr 18, 2007)

*Salted for cooking Unsalted for Baking*

I always use unsalted for baking and salted for cooking. Using too much salted  butter in gentle pastry and sweet can turn the dish more savoury than sweet x


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## Caine (Apr 18, 2007)

When I hear people say "I always use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt in <whatever they're cooking>," I want to laugh until I cry. Especially some of these Food TV hosts (read Ina Garten!) who add a couple of pounds of salt to everything they make anyway!

One tablespoon of Land O Lakes salted butter has 95 mg of sodium. There are 32 tablespoons of butter in a pound. That would be 3,040 mg of sodium *PER POUND!* Alta Dena salted butter weighs in a even less, with 90 mg per tablespoon.

To put that into perspective, one teaspoon of table salt contains 2,350 mg of sodium. Kosher salt is about half that, depending on brand. Do you really think that a little over 1 teaspoon of salt *PER POUND* of butter in a recipe is going to make any difference in the finished product?


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## BreezyCooking (Apr 18, 2007)

Many years ago, salting butter was a way to not only help preserve it, but also commercially to help disguise an inferior product.  These days it's simply a matter of taste.

I use both fairly equally depending on what I'm cooking.


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## college_cook (Apr 18, 2007)

I prefer the unsalted variety.  Like it's been said, it's easier to add salt to something than to remove it.  I can always add salt to something that needs it, from baked goods to simple bread n' butter.  If I had guests coming and I knew they liked salted butter on bread, I could always soften, season, whip and then refrigerate.


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## pacanis (Apr 18, 2007)

I haven't found any noticeable difference in cooking with unsalted vs salted, but I don't bake either.  I think I'm just going to buy whatever is on sale.


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## Caine (Apr 18, 2007)

I buy salted butter for 2 reasons:

1. I don't know where you buy your butter, but where I buy mine, salted butter is about 40 cents cheaper per pound

2. I keep my butter dish in a cupboard, so I appreciate the extra storage time, even though I have never needed it

Pat for pat, no matter how you use it, the butter, and whatever you use it in or on, is going to taste exactly the same to anyone except to my mother, who is capable of smelling fly dung across a six lane highway, upwind.


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