Unsalted Butter - what's the big deal?
 

I've been wondering about unsalted butter for a long time, because so often
in a recipe that calls for it, one of the other ingredients is salt! (What
prompted this was Dimitri's recipe for Tapenade Butter in the Gourmet
Dinner/Help thread, which, among the ingredients included: unsalted butter,
anchovies <cough> VERY salty, and then salt & pepper to taste)

I admit I've never tried unsalted butter, because it's almost twice the
price of the regular stuff which is already an obscene price IMHO. For the
enquiring minds, ordinary butter is $3.19/lb at Safeway here in Manitoba,
or get this - $3.97 at WalMart (We Sell For Less) - hah!

So, does unsalted butter make an appreciable taste difference, especially
when you end up adding salt, or salty ingredients later?

carbuff wrote:

> I've been wondering about unsalted butter for a long time, because so often
> in a recipe that calls for it, one of the other ingredients is salt! (What
> prompted this was Dimitri's recipe for Tapenade Butter in the Gourmet
> Dinner/Help thread, which, among the ingredients included: unsalted butter,
> anchovies <cough> VERY salty, and then salt & pepper to taste)
>
> I admit I've never tried unsalted butter, because it's almost twice the
> price of the regular stuff which is already an obscene price IMHO. For the
> enquiring minds, ordinary butter is $3.19/lb at Safeway here in Manitoba,
> or get this - $3.97 at WalMart (We Sell For Less) - hah!
>
> So, does unsalted butter make an appreciable taste difference, especially
> when you end up adding salt, or salty ingredients later?

Butter is one of those things where the prices varies incredible place to place,
store to store and brand to brand. My personal preference for butter is
unsalted, and I have been eating unsalted butter long enough that I really
notice the salt in the regular stuff. At my usual grocery store, their lowest
quality butter is $3.79. Their "no name" butter, salted or unsalted is $4.29 for
either salted or unsalted.

I forgot to buy butter when I went grocery shopping yesterday. I went to the
grocery store in town and was shocked to see their butter almost $1 per pound
more than my regular store.

carbuff wrote:

> I've been wondering about unsalted butter for a long time, because so often
> in a recipe that calls for it, one of the other ingredients is salt!
<clip>
> So, does unsalted butter make an appreciable taste difference, especially
> when you end up adding salt, or salty ingredients later?

Butter acts as a preservative so sweet butter
(unsalted) has to turn over faster before it goes
off. That might explain the added cost.
Also I like to have control over where my salt is
coming from in a dish. I just routinely use sweet
butter and then I'm more in control of the final
taste (salt wise) more.
Goomba

carbuff wrote:
> I've been wondering about unsalted butter for a long time, because so
> often in a recipe that calls for it, one of the other ingredients is
> salt!

Pretty simple, really. If you're adding salt or salty ingredients, why
would you want the butter to also add salt?

Jill

carbuff > wrote:

> So, does unsalted butter make an appreciable taste difference, especially
> when you end up adding salt, or salty ingredients later?

No, there is very little difference indeed, as commercial butter is
salted only very lightly. Still, if one tastes the two types of butter
-- especially side-by-side -- by themselves or simply on a piece of
bread, the difference in taste certainly becomes noticeable, at least as
far as I am concerned.

Victor

"carbuff" >, if that's their real name, wrote:

>I admit I've never tried unsalted butter, because it's almost twice the
>price of the regular stuff which is already an obscene price IMHO. For the
>enquiring minds, ordinary butter is $3.19/lb at Safeway here in Manitoba,
>or get this - $3.97 at WalMart (We Sell For Less) - hah!

It's like that in St. Paul, too. In my new little community, the prices
for salted and unsalted are identical. Go figure.

>So, does unsalted butter make an appreciable taste difference, especially
>when you end up adding salt, or salty ingredients later?

My taste buds have become less and less tolerant of salt. We don't even
buy the salted stuff anymore. I think that, in cooking or baking, the
unsalted stuff allows the cook to control exactly how much salt is in the
dish that's being prepared. I'm sure someone else will fill you in on that
much better than I can.

Carol
--
"Years ago my mother used to say to me... She'd say,
'In this world Elwood, you must be oh-so smart or oh-so pleasant.'
Well, for years I was smart.... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

*James Stewart* in the 1950 movie, _Harvey_

On 2005-02-26, Victor Sack > wrote:

> especially side-by-side -- by themselves or simply on a piece of
> bread, the difference in taste certainly becomes noticeable, at least as
> far as I am concerned.

Me too! I accidently bought unsalted butter last time around an when
I made up a grilled cheese sandwich, the difference was more than just
noticable. Same with buttered toast and avocado. Ugh. ...and
sprinkling with salt just don't get it. Go figure.

nb

On 26-Feb-2005, "carbuff" > wrote:

> I've been wondering about unsalted butter for a long time, because so
> often
> in a recipe that calls for it, one of the other ingredients is salt!
> (What
> prompted this was Dimitri's recipe for Tapenade Butter in the Gourmet
> Dinner/Help thread, which, among the ingredients included: unsalted
> butter,
> anchovies <cough> VERY salty, and then salt & pepper to taste)

Most dishes, especially in baking, call for unsalted butter because there is
no standard for how much salt is in salted butter. The amount of salt in a
pound of butter is determined by the maker and can vary substantially from
brand to brand. By using unsalted butter, then adding salt, you take
control.

It is vitally important in yeast raised baked goods because yeast is killed
by too much salt.


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"Goomba38" > wrote in message
...
<snip>
> I just routinely use sweet
> butter and then I'm more in control of the final
> taste (salt wise) more.
> Goomba
>

Sweet butter can be either salted or unsalted. It refers to sweet cream
being used rather than soured cream (which also can be salted or unsalted).

Charlie

In <vp6Ud.516376$6l.75542@pd7tw2no> carbuff wrote:
> I've been wondering about unsalted butter for a long time, because so
> often in a recipe that calls for it, one of the other ingredients is
> salt! (What prompted this was Dimitri's recipe for Tapenade Butter
> in the Gourmet Dinner/Help thread, which, among the ingredients
> included: unsalted butter, anchovies <cough> VERY salty, and then
> salt & pepper to taste)
>
> I admit I've never tried unsalted butter, because it's almost twice
> the price of the regular stuff which is already an obscene price IMHO.
> For the enquiring minds, ordinary butter is $3.19/lb at Safeway
> here in Manitoba, or get this - $3.97 at WalMart (We Sell For Less) -
> hah!

Now that's a shocker! I'll check next time we're at Safeway. We rarely
buy butter but myself, I'd prefer it. There is a Walmart close by the
Safeway we shop at so will stop and check the difference. See how
Saskatchewan might compare ;-)

> So, does unsalted butter make an appreciable taste difference,
> especially when you end up adding salt, or salty ingredients later?

Makes absolutely no sense to me...

--
Cheers

Dennis

Remove 'Elle-Kabong' to reply

Unsalted butter has a shorter shelf-life, hence the higher price. Here
(Washington, DC), it goes on sale periodically, as low as $2.00/pound;
and I've seen it cheaper than that at Wal-Marts in Southern states.

I like the taste, as table butter (with fresh bread, for instance); as
for using it to cook with, I don't think there can be much objection to
using cheaper salted butter for baking and frying applications, if one
is able to work out a formula for reducing the butter in the rest of
the recipe.

Neil

carbuff wrote:
>
> So, does unsalted butter make an appreciable taste difference,
especially
> when you end up adding salt, or salty ingredients late

I don't think there is a detectable difference when the butter is used
in cooking or baking. The amount of salt added is very, very small. I
do detect a difference, tho, if the butter's eaten with something
plain, like a piece of bread or toast.

Mac

carbuff wrote:
> I've been wondering about unsalted butter for a long time, because so
often
> in a recipe that calls for it, one of the other ingredients is salt!
(What
> prompted this was Dimitri's recipe for Tapenade Butter in the Gourmet

> Dinner/Help thread, which, among the ingredients included: unsalted
butter,
> anchovies <cough> VERY salty, and then salt & pepper to taste)
>
> So, does unsalted butter make an appreciable taste difference,
especially
> when you end up adding salt, or salty ingredients later?

I've used both salted and unsalted butter when making danish pastries
and croissants and I thought the ones made with the salted butter were
better. I tried using unsalted butter one time when I was making
shortbread cookies and I ended up adding more salt to the dough because
it tasted so bland. I can't imagine anything tasting better with
unsalted butter than with salted butter.

"djs0302" > wrote in
oups.com:

>
> carbuff wrote:
> > I've been wondering about unsalted butter for a long time, because so
> often
> > in a recipe that calls for it, one of the other ingredients is salt!
> (What
> > prompted this was Dimitri's recipe for Tapenade Butter in the Gourmet
>
> > Dinner/Help thread, which, among the ingredients included: unsalted
> butter,
> > anchovies <cough> VERY salty, and then salt & pepper to taste)
> >
> > So, does unsalted butter make an appreciable taste difference,
> especially
> > when you end up adding salt, or salty ingredients later?
>
> I've used both salted and unsalted butter when making danish pastries
> and croissants and I thought the ones made with the salted butter were
> better. I tried using unsalted butter one time when I was making
> shortbread cookies and I ended up adding more salt to the dough because
> it tasted so bland. I can't imagine anything tasting better with
> unsalted butter than with salted butter.
>
>

Different brands of salted butter have differing amounts of salt in them.
To standardize a recipe the easiest way is to use unsalted butter and add
your own salt. That or use the same brand of butter forever, which might
be impossible.

--
No Bread Crumbs were hurt in the making of this Meal.
Type 2 Diabetic 1AC 5.6mmol or 101mg/dl
Continuing to be Manitoban

In article <vp6Ud.516376$6l.75542@pd7tw2no>,
"carbuff" > wrote:

> I've been wondering about unsalted butter for a long time, because so often
> in a recipe that calls for it, one of the other ingredients is salt! (What
> prompted this was Dimitri's recipe for Tapenade Butter in the Gourmet
> Dinner/Help thread, which, among the ingredients included: unsalted butter,
> anchovies <cough> VERY salty, and then salt & pepper to taste)
>
> I admit I've never tried unsalted butter, because it's almost twice the
> price of the regular stuff which is already an obscene price IMHO. For the
> enquiring minds, ordinary butter is $3.19/lb at Safeway here in Manitoba,
> or get this - $3.97 at WalMart (We Sell For Less) - hah!
>
> So, does unsalted butter make an appreciable taste difference, especially
> when you end up adding salt, or salty ingredients later?

If you like salted butter, keep using it. Many of us prefer unsalted
butter because we don't like salt and/or prefer to have the option to
control the amount of salt that goes into our cooking. With salted
butter, you cannot control how much salt you are putting into your
cooking. If that doesn't bother you, there's no point is paying extra
for unsalted butter.

Charles Gifford wrote:
> "Goomba38" > wrote in message

>>I just routinely use sweet
>>butter and then I'm more in control of the final
>>taste (salt wise) more.
>>Goomba
>>
>
>
> Sweet butter can be either salted or unsalted. It refers to sweet cream
> being used rather than soured cream (which also can be salted or unsalted).
>
> Charlie

I've always read unsalted is called sweet; Sort of
how "un-hot italian" sausage is often called
"sweet" too. Whatever the term, I just buy
unsalted :)
Goomba

Hahabogus wrote:
> "djs0302" > wrote in
> oups.com:
>
> >
> > carbuff wrote:
> > > I've been wondering about unsalted butter for a long time,
because so
> > often
> > > in a recipe that calls for it, one of the other ingredients is
salt!
> > (What
> > > prompted this was Dimitri's recipe for Tapenade Butter in the
Gourmet
> >
> > > Dinner/Help thread, which, among the ingredients included:
unsalted
> > butter,
> > > anchovies <cough> VERY salty, and then salt & pepper to taste)
> > >
> > > So, does unsalted butter make an appreciable taste difference,
> > especially
> > > when you end up adding salt, or salty ingredients later?
> >
> > I've used both salted and unsalted butter when making danish
pastries
> > and croissants and I thought the ones made with the salted butter
were
> > better. I tried using unsalted butter one time when I was making
> > shortbread cookies and I ended up adding more salt to the dough
because
> > it tasted so bland. I can't imagine anything tasting better with
> > unsalted butter than with salted butter.
> >
> >
>
> Different brands of salted butter have differing amounts of salt in
them.
> To standardize a recipe the easiest way is to use unsalted butter and
add
> your own salt. That or use the same brand of butter forever, which
might
> be impossible.

Salted butter actually contains quite a lot of salt.
The industry standard for salted butter in the US is about 90mg salt
per Tbsp (14g)... varies only slightly just as water/milk solids
content. The main problem is with baking, salted butter often contains
more salt than is called for in the recipe, which is why baking recipes
specify unsalted butter, especially those containing yeast.

djs0302 wrote:

> carbuff wrote:
>
>>I've been wondering about unsalted butter for a long time, because so
>
> often
>
>>in a recipe that calls for it, one of the other ingredients is salt!
>
> (What
>
>>prompted this was Dimitri's recipe for Tapenade Butter in the Gourmet
>
>
>>Dinner/Help thread, which, among the ingredients included: unsalted
>
> butter,
>
>>anchovies <cough> VERY salty, and then salt & pepper to taste)
>>
>>So, does unsalted butter make an appreciable taste difference,
>
> especially
>
>>when you end up adding salt, or salty ingredients later?
>
>
> I've used both salted and unsalted butter when making danish pastries
> and croissants and I thought the ones made with the salted butter were
> better. I tried using unsalted butter one time when I was making
> shortbread cookies and I ended up adding more salt to the dough because
> it tasted so bland. I can't imagine anything tasting better with
> unsalted butter than with salted butter.
>
Herbed butters taste better with sweet than salted butter, IMO.

Even worse, we visited Lake Louise last summer....butter $5.00 a
pound..
everything else was way overpriced too.....captive audience I guess.
There really is no actual town at Lake Louise, just tourist
stuff....Beautiful though.....Sharon

Dave Smith wrote:
>
> carbuff wrote:
>
> > I've been wondering about unsalted butter for a long time, because so often
> > in a recipe that calls for it, one of the other ingredients is salt! (What
> > prompted this was Dimitri's recipe for Tapenade Butter in the Gourmet
> > Dinner/Help thread, which, among the ingredients included: unsalted butter,
> > anchovies <cough> VERY salty, and then salt & pepper to taste)
> >
> > I admit I've never tried unsalted butter, because it's almost twice the
> > price of the regular stuff which is already an obscene price IMHO. For the
> > enquiring minds, ordinary butter is $3.19/lb at Safeway here in Manitoba,
> > or get this - $3.97 at WalMart (We Sell For Less) - hah!
> >
> > So, does unsalted butter make an appreciable taste difference, especially
> > when you end up adding salt, or salty ingredients later?
>
> Butter is one of those things where the prices varies incredible place to place,
> store to store and brand to brand. My personal preference for butter is
> unsalted, and I have been eating unsalted butter long enough that I really
> notice the salt in the regular stuff. At my usual grocery store, their lowest
> quality butter is $3.79. Their "no name" butter, salted or unsalted is $4.29 for
> either salted or unsalted.
>
> I forgot to buy butter when I went grocery shopping yesterday. I went to the
> grocery store in town and was shocked to see their butter almost $1 per pound
> more than my regular store.

biig wrote:

> Even worse, we visited Lake Louise last summer....butter $5.00 a
> pound..
> everything else was way overpriced too.....captive audience I guess.
> There really is no actual town at Lake Louise, just tourist
> stuff....Beautiful though.....Sharon

Ohhhhhhhh, what a bittersweet memory.
My mother used to tell my toddler daughter that
she had eyes "as blue as Lake Louise." I think
George Burns or someone must have used that line,
I forget whom she told me? She's been dead 15
years now and your mention of Lake Louise just
gave me a sentimental flashback.... <sniff>
Goomba

"carbuff" > wrote in message
news:vp6Ud.516376$6l.75542@pd7tw2no...
<snip>
> So, does unsalted butter make an appreciable taste difference, especially
> when you end up adding salt, or salty ingredients later?
>

In my experience, it can make a huge difference. Most of the time it doesn't
but there are times when it is critical. My first discovery came when I was
making a Sicilian Cassata which I had made many times before. However on
this occasion I accidentally used salted butter instead of unsalted in the
chocolate coating. The cake was literally uneatable. I also prefer the taste
of unsalted butter when used plain on breads and rolls; of course in this
case the quality of the butter makes a huge difference too.

Charlie

On 26-Feb-2005, "L, not -L" > wrote:

> On 26-Feb-2005, "carbuff" > wrote:
>
> > I've been wondering about unsalted butter for a long time, because so
> > often
> > in a recipe that calls for it, one of the other ingredients is salt!
> > (What
> > prompted this was Dimitri's recipe for Tapenade Butter in the Gourmet
> > Dinner/Help thread, which, among the ingredients included: unsalted
> > butter,
> > anchovies <cough> VERY salty, and then salt & pepper to taste)
>
> Most dishes, especially in baking, call for unsalted butter because there
> is
> no standard for how much salt is in salted butter. The amount of salt in
> a
> pound of butter is determined by the maker and can vary substantially from
> brand to brand. By using unsalted butter, then adding salt, you take
> control.
>
> It is vitally important in yeast raised baked goods because yeast is
> killed
> by too much salt.

At the grocery store today, I was reminded of this thread while in the dairy
aisle. I decided to satisfy my curiosity about the range of sodium content
among different brands; I found the range to be from 85mg to 115 mg, The
highest, oddly enough, was in a brand labelled "organic", a label that could
make people think it a healthier product.

L, not -L wrote:
> On 26-Feb-2005, "L, not -L" > wrote:
>
>> On 26-Feb-2005, "carbuff" > wrote:
>>
>>> I've been wondering about unsalted butter for a long time, because
>>> so often
>>> in a recipe that calls for it, one of the other ingredients is salt!
>> Most dishes, especially in baking, call for unsalted butter because
>> there is
>> no standard for how much salt is in salted butter.

>> It is vitally important in yeast raised baked goods because yeast is
>> killed
>> by too much salt.
>
> At the grocery store today, I was reminded of this thread while in
> the dairy aisle. I decided to satisfy my curiosity about the range
> of sodium content among different brands; I found the range to be
> from 85mg to 115 mg, The highest, oddly enough, was in a brand
> labelled "organic", a label that could make people think it a
> healthier product.

Exactly the reason they do such labelling, IMHO. There are a lot of people
jumping on the "organic" band wagon who would never bother to read the
package; rather, they merely assume they are getting something better. I'd
be willing to bet it cost more, too.

Jill

On 2-Mar-2005, "jmcquown" > wrote:

> L, not -L wrote:
> > On 26-Feb-2005, "L, not -L" > wrote:
> >
> >> On 26-Feb-2005, "carbuff" > wrote:
> >>
> >>> I've been wondering about unsalted butter for a long time, because
> >>> so often
> >>> in a recipe that calls for it, one of the other ingredients is salt!
> >> Most dishes, especially in baking, call for unsalted butter because
> >> there is
> >> no standard for how much salt is in salted butter.
>
> >> It is vitally important in yeast raised baked goods because yeast is
> >> killed
> >> by too much salt.
> >
> > At the grocery store today, I was reminded of this thread while in
> > the dairy aisle. I decided to satisfy my curiosity about the range
> > of sodium content among different brands; I found the range to be
> > from 85mg to 115 mg, The highest, oddly enough, was in a brand
> > labelled "organic", a label that could make people think it a
> > healthier product.
>
> Exactly the reason they do such labelling, IMHO. There are a lot of
> people
> jumping on the "organic" band wagon who would never bother to read the
> package; rather, they merely assume they are getting something better.
> I'd
> be willing to bet it cost more, too.
>
> Jill

Indeed it did cost more - just 40 cents per pound more than the store brand,
however. It was $4.29 vs. 3.89 for the store brand I usually buy - I did
not pay attention to the price of Land-O-Lakes.


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Charles Gifford wrote:
>
> Sweet butter can be either salted or unsalted.

Not available that way in the US that I have ever
heard of.

> It refers to sweet cream being used rather than
> soured cream (which also can be salted or unsalted).

This appears to be good history, but I've never
seen butter made from sour cream. Once upon a
time butter could be made from the cream that
went sour or from the expensive fresh cream,
and that's the source of the name. Now that
trucks deliver truck to dairies, it is all made
from sweet cream.

Now that you mention it, I would be interested in
butter made from sour cream just to see what it's
like. Can it be made in a mixer just like regular
butter? Start with (sweet or sour) cream. Mix
until it turns yellow. Voila (sweet or sour) butter?

Doug Freyburger wrote:
>
> Charles Gifford wrote:
> >
> > Sweet butter can be either salted or unsalted.
>
> Not available that way in the US that I have ever
> heard of.

If you look on the package, it will say sweet cream butter, salted or
unsalted. All the normal supermarket butter I've bought in the US is
labelled that way.
>
> > It refers to sweet cream being used rather than
> > soured cream (which also can be salted or unsalted).
>
> This appears to be good history, but I've never
> seen butter made from sour cream.

It's not 'sour cream' like is bought in the plastic tub. The cream is
cultured however prior to churning. Often in the US it's called
'European' style butter. In Europe it's just ordinary butter.

Once upon a
> time butter could be made from the cream that
> went sour or from the expensive fresh cream,
> and that's the source of the name. Now that
> trucks deliver truck to dairies, it is all made
> from sweet cream.

Except for the ones made from cultured cream, such as Plugra and other
brands.
>
> Now that you mention it, I would be interested in
> butter made from sour cream just to see what it's
> like. Can it be made in a mixer just like regular
> butter? Start with (sweet or sour) cream. Mix
> until it turns yellow. Voila (sweet or sour) butter?

It's *not* made from supermarket sour cream. You need fresh cream and
the right sort of bacterial culture to give it the proper flavour. But
given those factors, it certainly can be made at home as has been done
for centuries.

In article <vp6Ud.516376$6l.75542@pd7tw2no>, "carbuff" > wrote:
>I've been wondering about unsalted butter for a long time, because so often
>in a recipe that calls for it, one of the other ingredients is salt! (What
>prompted this was Dimitri's recipe for Tapenade Butter in the Gourmet
>Dinner/Help thread, which, among the ingredients included: unsalted butter,
>anchovies <cough> VERY salty, and then salt & pepper to taste)
>
>I admit I've never tried unsalted butter, because it's almost twice the
>price of the regular stuff which is already an obscene price IMHO. For the
>enquiring minds, ordinary butter is $3.19/lb at Safeway here in Manitoba,
>or get this - $3.97 at WalMart (We Sell For Less) - hah!
>
>So, does unsalted butter make an appreciable taste difference, especially
>when you end up adding salt, or salty ingredients later?

I don't know about taste in cooking (it tastes RS on bread :) but
somewhere in the deep recesses ISTR that unsalted butter isn't as
prone to burning in the pan (i.e. much like, but not to the same
extent, as ghee which is a cooking oil preferred by many).

While you can buy ghee (clarified butter) you can also make it without
too much trouble. For instructions see:
<http://www.ayur.com/food/ghee.html>

Dunno about their burning ember test though -- I would have thought
their second method of affirming "doneness" would have been adequate,
and safer! Indeed, that's the method recommended at another site:
<http://www.foodnetwork.
com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_22742,00.html>

A bit more of much the same info plus other stuff Indian at:
<http://www.food-india.com/ingredients/i001_i025/i007.htm>

Cheers, Phred.

--
LID