When a recipe calls for butter...

[Heather in AL]

...do I use salted of unsalted?

 

I'm making Peanut Butter frosting for a chocolate cake, if that makes any difference.

 

:bigear:

[Melissa in Australia]

I don't think it matters at all

[LauraGB]

Definitely unsalted.

[~Amanda~]

unsalted

[~Tara~]

I always thought UN in recipes, but it really doesn't seem to matter. I just grab/use whatever for whatever anymore...it's all good

[stripe]

But salt is trendy nowadays. Salty peanut butter and chocolate will have you considered fashionable.

[BeckyFL]

I'm sure this is very uncivilized, but I use salted... many times when the recipe calls for unsalted.

[2cents]

For my PB frosting I use unsalted because the PB already has salt and you don't want the frosting to be over salty tasting.

[KristinaBreece]

I always use unsalted unless the recipe calls specifically for salted, because DH has sodium issues and that's one less source of sodium.

[Mergath]

For that, it probably won't matter. If you're baking, it makes more of a difference, because the amount of salt can affect things like how much rise you get from your yeast, etc. But I tend to use salted for pretty much everything, simply because it's cheaper, and I don't have any problems.

[Whereneverever]

Unsalted.

[Rhonda in TX]

Well, I obviously know nothing because I always use salted, unless it specifically calls for unsalted. I'm very sensitive to salt (I use very, very little salt in my cooking) and have never noticed things I bake being too salty. And believe me, DH would tell me.

[tearose]

I use unsalted. Unsalted is usually better quality, and manufacturers often add salt to lower quality butter.

[angela in ohio]

It depends. Many recipes today in popular magazines, websites, and ordinary cookbooks are written to be used with salted butter. You will often see a specific request if unsalted butter is called for.

 

However, I always check out the other ingrients and then decide. With peanut butter frosting on chocolate cake, I would probably use salted. In general, I often use unsalted, so that I can add salt to taste.

[elfinbaby]

It will matter. Always use unsalted in baking.

[Heather in AL]

Only on this board will salted v. unsalted generate two pages of replies! :lol:

 

I guess I'll use unsalted.... of course, I can make two batches and see which tastes better. :D

 

So, at the risk of this become a 'shoes on or off in the house' type of thread..... *why* does it matter which I use other than the salt content? I mean, some of you posted that "it will matter". Can you elaborate? I looked on the packages of both butters and they both had the same recipe for cookies, so I'm confused...

[Suzanne in ABQ]

 

 

I generally use regular salted butter unless the recipe specifically calls for unsalted. And, I've run across many recipes that call specifically for salted. I don't think it's an always/never kind of thing. Once in awhile, it will matter. The rest of the time, it won't.

[Jen in PA]

It will matter. Always use unsalted in baking.

 

:iagree:

[Dawn in OH]

I have always been told that for baking you use unsalted unless the recipe specifically calls for salted. But I have used salted butter because that's often all that is in the house when I spontaneously bake. Much of my baking is spontaneous.

 

Now I want to make 2 batches of the same thing, one with each kind and see what the difference is!

[StephanieZ]

Assume salted if it doesn't say unsalted.

[elfinbaby]

My reasoning is 1) dh worked in fine dining restaurant kitchens and they always used unsalted 2) America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated told me to only use unsalted and 3)I proved it (through no choice of my own) this past Christmas at my mom's. She didn't have unsalted so I had to use her salted when making my choc. chip cookies. Did the cookies taste okay? Yes, but I could taste the salt. It wasn't like drinking ocean water but I didn't serve the cookies. They just didn't taste right. I ran to the store and bought unsalted and remade them:)

[MomOfOneFunOne]

For that, it probably won't matter. If you're baking, it makes more of a difference, because the amount of salt can affect things like how much rise you get from your yeast, etc. But I tend to use salted for pretty much everything, simply because it's cheaper, and I don't have any problems.

 

oh, I never thought of that but it makes sense.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

I use unsalted. Unsalted is usually better quality, and manufacturers often add salt to lower quality butter.

 

?

 

I make my own butter and use salt b/c when I first learned how the original recipe called for salt.

 

I wonder why.

[LidiyaDawn]

I've used both and never noticed any taste differences. :)

[MomOfOneFunOne]

I've used both and never noticed any taste differences. :)

 

I don't notice any taste of salt in my butter but I do think the residual buttermilk has a faintly salty flavor.

 

I looked around online after seeing this thread and it seems that the salt is just a preservative. I may try my next batch w/o salt. Then again . . . I don't refrigerate my butter, either. I leave it on the counter in a butter crock. I lie. I don't have a butter crock. But I sort of fashioned one myself with two bowls and it works like one.

 

something to think about.

[Sherry in OH]

I use unsalted because that is all I buy. If a recipe calls for salted butter, I add a bit of salt.

[Pippen]

Personally I use whatever I have on hand, unless I have a recipe with delicate flavors (like pastry or candy) where salted butter would significantly change the flavor.

 

Here's what the Land O Lakes butter website says:

 

Can I substitute SALTED for UNSALTED butter in a recipe? Back To Top

 

</H3>LAND O LAKES® Salted and Unsalted Butter are the same Grade AA quality butter. The only difference is that one has salt added and one does not. When you see a specific butter listed in a recipe, it is because that is the product the recipe was tested with. You can use salted and/or unsalted butter interchangeably in any recipe without compensating for salt.

 

Unsalted butter gives recipes a uniquely delicate, cultured flavor (and, it is not necessary to add more salt to the recipe). When you are baking recipes where sweet cream is the main flavor - such as butter cookies and pound cakes – the sweet delicate flavor of unsalted butter will really come through.

[BikeBookBread]

I use unsalted for baking, and add in salt as called for by the recipe, and for taste.

[BeckyFL]

Personally I use whatever I have on hand, unless I have a recipe with delicate flavors (like pastry or candy) where salted butter would significantly change the flavor.

 

Here's what the Land O Lakes butter website says:

 

Can I substitute SALTED for UNSALTED butter in a recipe? Back To Top

 

</H3>LAND O LAKES® Salted and Unsalted Butter are the same Grade AA quality butter. The only difference is that one has salt added and one does not. When you see a specific butter listed in a recipe, it is because that is the product the recipe was tested with. You can use salted and/or unsalted butter interchangeably in any recipe without compensating for salt.

 

Unsalted butter gives recipes a uniquely delicate, cultured flavor (and, it is not necessary to add more salt to the recipe). When you are baking recipes where sweet cream is the main flavor - such as butter cookies and pound cakes – the sweet delicate flavor of unsalted butter will really come through.

 

I don't want sweet cream to be the main flavor. I guess that explains why I like the salted butter. Maybe I'm not so uncultured! I LOVE my choc chips cookies with the salted butter. ALTHOUGH.... it says that unsalted does have a "cultured flavor". lol :D

[LauraGB]

?

 

I make my own butter and use salt b/c when I first learned how the original recipe called for salt.

 

I wonder why.

 

I think salt acts as a preservative. I salt my homemade butter, too, just a little, but it doesn't taste salty like the store stuff.

 

I accidentally bought salted butter once and because we are so used to the unsalted kind, no one really liked it on their toast, etc. I ended up using it to make vanilla frosting and it was just...off. We all thought so; we could taste the salt. It wasn't bad, as in, we all ate it, of course :lol:, but it was different. I won't be doing it again, though.

[Cinder]

I'm on the side that thinks recipes call for unsalted butter. But in reality I usually just buy salted butter and use that unless I'm baking a pastry dough. When I do bake with salted butter I also leave out the salt called for in the recipe. I know some have said there's no taste difference, but I can tell. My neighbor makes her cookies with salted butter and must also put in the salt because they taste salty. Salty sugar cookies? Bleah.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

I think salt acts as a preservative. I salt my homemade butter, too, just a little, but it doesn't taste salty like the store stuff.

 

I accidentally bought salted butter once and because we are so used to the unsalted kind, no one really liked it on their toast, etc. I ended up using it to make vanilla frosting and it was just...off. We all thought so; we could taste the salt. It wasn't bad, as in, we all ate it, of course :lol:, but it was different. I won't be doing it again, though.

 

That might also be the difference b/c boughten and hm butter. In my family, we all agree that the hm butter is far superior!

 

It wasn't the salt, LauraGB, they just like your butter better!

[angela in ohio]

I think salt acts as a preservative. I salt my homemade butter, too, just a little, but it doesn't taste salty like the store stuff.

 

Yep. When someone (the largest kiddo around here :D) accidentally puts unsalted in the butter dish, we know it, because the butter goes bad.

[Heather in AL]

Thanks so much ladies! It was interesting reading all the replies. :D I will now use unsalted butter when baking.

 

I made the peanut butter frosting for dd's chocolate cake, and it was a big hit. Her friends said it 'beat' last year's cake, which had a personalized edible icing picture of the Twilight crew on it (and was a huge hit at that party). Even dh, who *despises* peanut butter had two very thin slices. It apparently tasted like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cake, and for the girls, that meant 'instant win'.

 

Thanks again for the 'butter education'.:lol: