01
Butter
6.7best for sauce1 1/8 cup : 1 cup
Use equal amount butter; adds richer flavor and golden color to baked goods and pie crusts
6.7
shortening substitute
for sauce.
Sauce shortening is uncommon but real — frosting glazes, ganache stabilizers, certain southern gravy bases starting from a fat-flour roux. The 100% fat content gives roux 2-3x longer working time before browning past blond stage compared to butter (which scorches its milk solids at 250°F). Substitutes here hinge on whether the sauce wants dairy (butter), savory rendered animal fat (lard), or simple thickening medium (liquid oil at 0.75:1). Avocado oil offers a high-heat neutral alternative.
top substitutes
adjustment for sauce
Use 1.125 cups butter per 1 cup shortening for sauce-roux bases — butter's milk solids contribute Maillard nutty flavor in blond and brown roux, while shortening reads neutral. Watch the 350°F threshold; butter's milk proteins darken to bitter past that. The 16% water content briefly steams when added to hot pan.
02
Cooking And Salad Oil
3.3best for sauce1 cup : 1 cup
Use 7/8 cup liquid oil per cup shortening; works in quick breads and cakes, not flaky pastry
3.3
adjustment for sauce
Use 7/8 cup neutral oil per 1 cup shortening in roux-based sauces — oil-based roux holds longer working time at 250-300°F than butter (which scorches its milk solids). Suits Cajun-style dark roux for gumbo (35-45 minutes of cooking to chocolate-brown stage). Smoke point above 400°F for canola or soy.
03
Avocado Oil
3.3best for sauce3/4 cup : 1 cup
Use 3/4 cup liquid oil; best for quick breads
3.3
adjustment for sauce
Use 0.75 cup avocado oil per 1 cup shortening for high-heat sauce reductions — avocado's 520°F smoke point gives ample headroom for hot pan work. Slight grassy-buttery flavor reads light in delicate cream sauces; pick refined avocado oil for fully neutral output. Pour density higher than shortening, hence the volume reduction.
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04
Palm Oil
5.01 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Same semi-solid consistency
5.0
adjustment for this dish
Use 1 tbsp palm oil per 1 tbsp shortening for sauce bases needing semi-solid fat at room temp — certain frosting glazes, ganache stabilizers. Palm's 95-104°F melt range and water-free composition match shortening closely. Refined palm oil for neutral flavor; red palm oil tints sauces orange and adds mild grassy note.
05
Ghee
3.31 cup : 1 cup
Adds nutty flavor, slightly softer pastry texture
3.3
adjustment for this dish
Use 1 cup ghee per 1 cup shortening for roux and pan-sauce bases — ghee's 485°F smoke point and water-free composition let it hold longer working time than butter (which has water and milk solids). Nutty caramelized flavor suits curry sauces, Indian-style gravies, and brown-butter pan reductions for fish or chicken.
06
Lard
6.77/8 cup : 1 cup
Same solid fat texture and very high smoke point; makes exceptionally flaky pie crust
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Use 0.875 cup lard per 1 cup shortening for savory pan-sauce bases — lard's rendered-pork flavor adds depth to gravies for ham, pork chops, or barbecue accompaniments. Smoke point 400°F handles roux to chocolate-brown without scorching. Skip for delicate cream or wine sauces; pork notes overpower light flavors.
07
Coconut Oil
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Same solid texture, works well in baking
6.7
08
Margarine
3.31 cup : 1 cup
Softer texture; chill before cutting into pastry dough, works 1:1 in cookies and cakes
3.3
09
Vegetable Oil
3.33/4 cup : 1 cup
Use 3/4 cup oil per 1 cup shortening; works in quick breads and cookies, not flaky pastries
3.3