Salted vs. Unsalted Butter

There’s no doubt that everyone likes butter. Creamy, tasty and delicious, this kitchen staple is fantastic in sauces or just poured over popcorn. However, not all butters are the same, especially for those trying to master recipes in culinary online programs.

The main difference between butters is, of course, salt. However, taste isn’t the only reason why these two differ. Since sodium is a natural preservative, salted butter lasts much longer than it’s unsalted counterpart. However, because it does have a longer refrigerated lifespan, it’s usually not as fresh.

According to thekitchn.com, unsalted butter is usually used for baking & pastry arts, mainly because it’s difficult to determine exactly how much salt can be found in a given amount due to the creaming process. For cooking, it’s basically a judgment call; however, you should be tasting your dishes during the process, so you will know whether to add more or less salt anyway.

The source recommended using unsalted butter for cooking and baking purposes and salted butter for “table” use; for example, buttering bread or muffins. If you are concerned about unsalted butter going bad, it can easily be stored in the freezer and defrosted.