What butter is unsalted?

Butter – THE essential ingredient in food that makes everything taste better. Without a nice slab of butter, toast would be dry and bland, pancakes would be flavorless, and cookies just wouldn’t exist (shh don’t tell anyone). But have you ever wondered what the difference between salted and unsalted butter is? In this article, we’ll explore the ins and outs of unsalted butter (yes, it’s more exciting than it sounds).

The Basics

So first things first – what exactly is unsalted butter? Well, as the name suggests, it’s simply butter without salt added. Salted butter generally has about 1-2% salt content per stick (do NOT lick your screen) while unsalted has none. This might not sound like a huge difference but trust me when I say it can make all the difference in certain recipes.

Taste Testing

If you’re still skeptical about how different they taste from each other…it’s time to do some #Science (cue lab coat montage). Try tasting both types side by side on a plain cracker or piece of bread. You should be able to distinctly notice that one tastes “salty” while the other doesn’t. And if you’re feeling really adventurous try mixing them into different foods! Just don’t blame us if it turns out terribly…

Cooking & Baking with Unsalted Butter

Now let’s talk cooking/baking (yum). While both types of butter can technically be used interchangeably depending on personal preference/recipe requirements there are some notable differences:

Control Over Salt Content

One advantage of using unsalted butter in recipes is having control over how much salt goes into your dish! Sometimes recipes call for specific measurements of salt which could get thrown off if using already-salted-butter (especially if substituting amounts).

Flavor

When using unsalted butter, the natural flavor of the butter itself becomes more prominent. This can be great if you want to highlight that flavor in a certain dish…or not so great if you’re trying to mask it (no hate on plain-butter lovers here).

Shelf Life

Unsalted butter has a shorter shelf life than salted due to its lack of preservatives. It’s recommended that unsalted butter gets stored in the fridge (covered) for no more than 2-3 weeks whereas salted can last up to a month.

Fun Facts about Unsalted Butter

Here are some interesting tidbits about everyone’s favorite dairy product:

  1. In Europe, unsalted butter is actually much more common while many American recipes use salted.
  2. Ancient Greeks and Romans used bark containers as molds for producing early versions of what we now know as “butter”.
  3. The first known written reference to using butter was found in India around 1500 BC.
  4. Butter sculptures have been around since at least Renaissance times! Some festivals still feature these masterpieces today (who said food can’t be art).

Alternatives To Unsalted Butter

Sometimes people may not have access/availability to unsalted – but don’t worry there are alternatives!

Clarified Butter/Ghee

Ghee is essentially clarified butter without any milk solids remaining which makes it generally acceptable for lactose intolerant individuals or those following specific dietary restrictions!

Margarine/Butter Substitutes

Depending on your recipe, margarine/butter substitutes like vegan “butters” can work just fine even though they don’t contain actual dairy-based ingredients.

Salt Adjustment

If all else fails and using already-salted-butter is your only option simply adjust your overall recipe measurements accordingly based off how salty you want things!

Final Thoughts

So what did we learn? Well unSalt-ed butter is still just as versatile a product as its salty cousin! Depending on what kind of flavor profile or level of salt control you’re looking for, either type can be used. Just make sure to keep track of expiry dates (nobody wants rancid dairy), try not to drop entire cubes while measuring (sadface), and most importantly – enjoy that delicious creamy goodness!

Butter Lovers Unite

Whether it’s spread on toast, melted atop pancakes, whipped into frosting or making those flaky pastries even more amazing…butter is ALWAYS there for us. It doesn’t matter which form (salted/unsalted) we prefer – we can all appreciate how magical this little ingredient really is (cue majestic music).

Table 1: Salted vs Unsated Nutritional Comparison

Salted Unsalted
Calories 100 100
Total Fat 11g 11g
Sat.Fat 7g 7 g
Cholesterol 30mg <5mg
Sodium >90 mg

Note: Sodium content varies dependent upon brand / manufacturer

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