Had to choose between butter and shortening for my pie crust last Sunday

I was making two pies for a family dinner and ran out of butter halfway through, so I used shortening for the second one. The butter crust flaked up nice and golden, but the shortening one held its shape way better and didn't shrink at all. Which do you usually reach for when you need a reliable crust?

2 comments

2 Comments

sethc126d agoMost Upvoted

That 'flat' thing with shortening alone is exactly the problem. It's like the difference between a TV dinner and a home-cooked meal, you know? Funny how we do the same thing with everything from coffee to relationships - go for pure convenience and end up missing the soul of it. Butter's the soul, shortening's the structure. Half and half is probably wise for pie, and maybe for a lot of other things too.

charlie_fisher456d ago

Go with half and half next time, that's my go to for the best of both worlds. The butter gives you that flaky texture and rich flavor, but the shortening helps the crust hold its shape and keeps it from shrinking too much. I've had too many butter crusts slide down the sides of the pan or puff up weird in spots. Shortening alone can taste a little flat, but mixing them gets you a crust that's tender and sturdy at the same time. Just do 50/50 and you won't have to pick sides anymore.