Greasing a pan with butter vs. with shortening
Is there any reason one should prefer one over the other?
I've always used shortening (probably because that's what my mom always did), but my fiancee has always used butter.
There's no significant difference I can think of (for this application), but I thought I'd ask.
Best Answer
Both will do the job of greasing a pan but there are some differences. One of the big differences is that butter will add a very desirable flavor to whatever you are cooking—which especially complements sweet baked goods.
Shortening is pure fat whereas butter is only about 80% fat by weight. Butter may bring additional flavor to your recipe (even by greasing the pan) but it also adds some water which may not be wanted.
One final difference is that butter burns/browns more easily than shortening.
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Quick Answer about "Greasing a pan with butter vs. with shortening"
The verdict: Use butter if you want to. If you have extreme concerns about your cake sticking, use shortening (which is pure fat with no water), cooking spray, or baking spray. Coconut oil or bacon fat will also work, as will clarified butter which has the milk solids removed.Can I grease a pan with butter instead of shortening?
What is this? You can use butter or shortening for this method. If you're using butter, you can just run it around the pan, bottom and sides, using the stick. If you're using shortening or a tub of butter, I like to use a paper towel to wipe it all over the pan.Is butter or Crisco better for greasing pan?
When it comes to greasing pans, vegetable oil and shortening are actually better choices. They may not impart any extra butter flavor to the \u201ccrusts\u201d of your cake, but they are both more effective at preventing cakes from sticking than butter.Is butter good to grease a pan?
Choose between butter or shortening to grease your pan with.Butter will impart a slight richness to the batter and will help the exterior bake to a golden brown. Shortening is flavorless and the batter is less likely to brown. Oil-based sprays and vegetable oil should not be used to grease the pan.What is best to grease a pan with?
Take your baking pan and grease it with your oil of choice. You can use either a non-stick spray or olive oil spray, or butter/coconut oil. I prefer a spray because it's easier to get into the nooks and crannies without making a huge mess scooping out a chunk of coconut oil or butter and trying to spread it around.Butter vs. Shortening: Which is BETTER? | Baking Basics
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Answer 2
You may get a slight amount of extra browning using butter due to the extra proteins, but it's normally such a small amount of butter being used I wouldn't think it would be very noticeable. The water in butter may also have an effect on very delicate items, but I don't think it would have a discernable effect on items like muffins, quickbreads, etc.
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