joanie, I think it's so that one can control the amount of salt, because sometimes salted butter can be perceived as more/less salty.

I've been baking my entire life. I always use salted butter and adjust the amount of salt I add. I prefer the taste of salted butter over unsalted.

I always evaluate the amount of salt I add to any recipe. I love Ina Garten, but she uses copious quantities of salt. YMMV.

I'm no pro, but think you're right about proportion. Using salted butter and the salt called for sometimes puts it "over the top," salty tasting. Leaving out what's called for might leave it lacking in flavor.

The unsalted butter is fresher. The salt acts as a preservative. There also could be inconsistency between brands, so using unsalted lets you have more accuracy.

i think unsalted tastes better, too, probably because it is fresher.

You can use salted butter and omit the salt if that's what you've got. The recipes are written like that because the amount of salt in salted butter varies by brand. I usually use unsalted butter now but I used to buy salted and decrease or omit the salt and it was fine.

I wouldn't typically omit the entire amount of salt in the recipe just because I use salted butter. I've found cutting it by half is about right. Tasting as you go is your friend.

Unsalted does have a different taste. It tastes more like cream to me. It's okay, fresher is a good description, but I prefer the taste of salted.

Ditto what Springroz said. But I'll use them interchangeably - if what I have on hand its salted I don't make a special trip for unsalted butter. And I'll sometimes buy unsalted in bulk at Costco, then freeze it, which surely must change the freshness standard too ;)

I don't find the amount of salt included in salted butter as significant enough it greatly changes the measure of salt called for in the rest of the recipe. But, we have no medical reason for strictly adhering to low or no salt in this household. If we did I might rethink my baking.

IME, it does affect taste if you use salted instead of called for unsalted, esp. in baking. I keep both. Must use salted to butter my toast.

I wouldn't omit the salt in baked goods when you substitute salted butter. Try a cookie without enough salt and you'll know something's missing. I usually just remove a pinch of salt.

I'm not sure what is meant by unsalted being fresher. Are you saying fresher as in less old or fresher as in fresher taste? Our butter comes from our state so I think the two types sitting side by side in the grocery store are the same freshness.

I agree that it is so the total amount of salt in the recipe is consistent. The amount of salt in salted butter varies. I just buy unsalted for everything. We very seldom use butter as a spread and my kids are used to unsalted anyway. If I'm using it to cook I can just add salt to taste. So no real need for salted butter.

(And on a random, but sort of related note, ds used to be allergic to milk and one of the brands of margarine I bought was dairy free in unsalted, but had dairy in salted. A big reminder to me to always check labels!)

Thank you all. I'm going to try the salted and just not put as much salt in. I don't bake much, so having extra unsalted butter around doesn't make sense.

I googled it and one site said to omit 1/4 teaspoon salt for every stick of salted butter used in place in unsalted.

I think icings and things like that are impacted most from salted/unsalted butter- some things you may not want any salt added to so unsalted will give you the (sweetest) flavor.

baked goods don't usually matter- just adjust the salt u add accordingly if your palate is sensitive.

all butter has a sell by date to help determine freshness.

Bakers and chefs use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt used and to get the fereshest flavor. Salt can mask the flavor of butter that is not as fresh or high quality, so with unsalted butter, if it is not fresh or is off, you know it.

I used to buy salted and reduce the salt, but now I only buy unsalted sticks but buy a tub of whipped or spreadable (has olive oil and sea salt) for the table. If I run out, I can always soften a stick and whip a little salt into it. I would say either one works, but if the quality of the butter is really important to what you are making, I would use unsalted.

Salted butter usually has more coloring and a higher water content. I was also told the salt can affect the leavening agent. To make sure things stay fluffy, I never use salted butter when baking, unless it is specified in the recipe.