unsalted butter
Photo by Fumikas Sagisavas on Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)

+ 2 teaspoons unsalted butter

Oils & FatsYear-round; modern butter production is continuous throughout the year, though butter made from grass-fed dairy cattle may have seasonal variation in flavor and color (richer in spring and summer).

Butter is an excellent source of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K2) and provides approximately 7.2 grams of fat and 102 calories per teaspoon. It is not a significant source of protein or carbohydrates.

About

Butter is a dairy fat product created by churning cream or milk to separate the butterfat solids from the liquid buttermilk. Unsalted butter contains no added sodium, allowing the cook to control salt levels in a dish. The product consists of approximately 80-82% butterfat, 15-17% water, and milk solids, with a pale yellow to rich golden color depending on the diet and breed of the dairy cattle. Butter has a rich, creamy flavor and a melting point around 90-95°F (32-35°C), making it solid at room temperature but easily spreadable and meltable with gentle heat.

Culinary Uses

Unsalted butter serves as a foundational cooking fat and flavor enhancer across virtually all culinary traditions. It is used for sautéing vegetables, searing proteins, creating emulsified sauces (beurre blanc, hollandaise), baking, and finishing dishes. In baking, butter contributes structure, tenderness, and richness to cakes, pastries, cookies, and pie doughs. Its neutral salt content makes it preferred in professional kitchens and refined cooking where salt balance must be precisely controlled. Butter also serves as a vehicle for infusing flavors, such as compound butters with herbs, citrus, or spices.

Forms & Preparations

  • Solid stick — The standard form, sold in wrapped sticks (typically 4 oz/113g per stick). Used for measuring, slicing, and melting.
  • Clarified (ghee) — Butter heated to separate butterfat from milk solids and water; a golden liquid with higher smoke point and shelf stability.
  • Browned (beurre noisette) — Butter heated until milk solids toast and turn golden, creating a nutty flavor; used for finishing dishes or in baking.
  • Compound — Soft butter mixed with herbs, spices, citrus zest, or other flavorings; molded and chilled for use as a finishing element on proteins and vegetables.
  • Cultured — Butter made from fermented cream, yielding a tangy flavor and complex aroma; used primarily in European baking and finishing.
  • Whipped — Butter whipped with air to increase volume and spreadability; primarily used as a table spread but can be used in some baking applications.