Knowledge Base > Barton Seaver - Fat and Flavor

Fat and Flavor

Barton Seaver - Fat and Flavor

This event was on Thursday, September 29, 2022 at 11:00 am Pacific, 2:00 pm Eastern

Join Chef Barton Seaver to discuss the wide world of cooking and finishing oils (and butter, of course!). We’ll discuss strategies for making the most of this culinary staple and exp… Read More.

Recorded

Question:

How critical is use of no-salt butter in cooking, when "salt to taste" is often directed in the recipe?

— Adolph Valfre

Answer:

When you use salted butter, you have no control over. How much salt is in the butter, right? and if you have to use a tablespoon say to You know effectualize effectually saute something meaning you have enough coverage in the pan, right? And but then you have no control over how much salt you just added. So salt to taste. is precisely that Why would you then give up control over salt to taste to the butter? Now? Most Butters are pretty reasonably salted. I mean the, you know, I've never had a butter that was assaulted butter. That was like, oh my gosh, it's too salty. But still I would rather have two full and total control over every aspect of a dish including acidity. The balance of fat to acidity and richness as well as the salt content of things. So a piece of toast in the morning. I mean, I'm not sure there's much better than a piece of toast with salted butter on it right and just Yeah. It's really good. It's really really good. You know baguette slathered with salted butter like yes, there you go. But when you when you're building a dish, where's your seasoning as you go as good Cooks learn to do having that control is key and that's why what I have in here my butter caddy that I keep you know for cooking. This is always always unsalted butter.
Barton Seaver

Barton Seaver

Chef, Educator, Author

bartonseaver.com