why do cooks insist that unsalted butter is nec. when the recipe then calls for adding salt? To the same bowl

Question

I've even heard Martha Stewart say to so so, but she didn't give the reason.

Answer 1

Its so that the amount of salt put into the finished dish can be quantified more exactly.....the key word is clarity!

Answer 2

You use unsalted butter because you don't know the amount of salt in the butter to cut back on the salt you're adding to it. You never want a prepared dish to seasoned. You serve it on the blander side and let people season (salt) to their tastes.

Answer 3

I guess because unsalted butter is better for cooking??