Questions about the use of culinary salt in the kitchen.
76
votes
5answers
16k views
Why add salt to the water when cooking pasta?
What is the effect of adding salt to the water when cooking pasta?
1
vote
1answer
572 views
How to make chicken absorb more salt when cooking a soup?
This is a really important question for me, it can actually make the difference between me recovering from a chronic illness or not.
Basically I have been cooking a basic soup : 1kg chicken: 1.5 ...
11
votes
1answer
1k views
Does putting salt in coffee really remove bitterness?
I have seen people claim that putting salt in coffee enhances the flavour or removes bitterness. Example.
Does this really work? If it does, how does it work? Is there something chemical going on, or ...
28
votes
4answers
1k views
Is there any truth to the idea that you shouldn't multiply seasonings when multiplying a recipe?
I often hear cooks discuss that idea that if you are multiplying, say, a recipe for 4 to be a for 32, that you shouldn't multiply some herbs, spices, or salt. I've never understood any reason why this ...
20
votes
4answers
2k views
16
votes
8answers
5k views
Why is it important to add salt during cooking?
This may seem like a silly question, but given that each persons' tastes are different why is it that salt is added during cooking? It seems better to just allow the person eating the food to add ...
7
votes
3answers
42k views
Substituting table salt or sea salt for kosher salt?
The roasted chicken recipe I'm following of course calls for kosher salt, but I don't have any, and getting some is out of the question.
I have sea salt and table salt on hand.
Can I substitute one ...
27
votes
10answers
19k views
How to fix food that got extra salty?
I imagine this depends on what the food is. With spaghetti, you can add water or change water if you detect it on time. But what about grilled meat? Or a tomato sauce?
26
votes
5answers
13k views
How long do you let a steak from the fridge come up to temperature, and when do you salt it?
Before cooking a steak, you're supposed to let it sit out at room temperature. You're also supposed to salt it. What is the proper timing for these steps? How long do you let the steak come up to ...
9
votes
1answer
2k views
Should you add some salt to flour when baking?
I was always taught to add a pinch of salt to flour when baking (mainly cakes / muffins and puddings).
I have recipes that specifically mention adding salt and others that don't.
Is there a ...
26
votes
5answers
3k views
What is the difference between sea salt and regular table salt?
I often sea sea salt sold in grinders to be used at the table, with comments about how it tastes better. What sort of taste differences would I notice using sea salt vs table salt, and what other ...
13
votes
3answers
3k views
Does adding salt when soaking dry beans toughen or soften the skin of the bean?
I have heard opinions on both sides of this. The the latest answer on this site, says salt softens bean skins quoted Cooks Illustrated (I can't see the article, but I trust CI), while another answer ...
21
votes
7answers
5k views
What are some good substitutes for salt for those on low sodium diets?
I try to keep my sodium intake fairly low to ensure that my blood pressure doesn't get too high.
Salt is such a common part of cooking, and it's especially difficult to cook Asian-style food without ...
15
votes
1answer
918 views
How much salt can I safely add to bread dough?
I recently made ciabatta, which turned out very well, with a good crust and nice open crumb. However, I felt it could use more salt to give extra flavour. I'm aware that salt and yeast do not make ...
10
votes
5answers
2k views
Rubbing eggplants in salt
I saw somewhere they rubbed sliced eggplants in salt and leaving them out up to an hour before putting them in the oven.
From what I understood it had to do something with the eggplant's bitter ...
8
votes
6answers
2k views
How much salt should I add to a dish?
I find it hard to figure out how much salt to add to dishes. I'm always afraid I'll make it too salty. Recipes always call for salt to taste, but what does that mean? Is there a good rule of thumb?
2
votes
7answers
3k views
Where can I buy kosher salt in London?
I make a point of taking a few minutes to look around for the stuff whenever I go to a new supermarket / farmers market / ete etc and I haven't been able to find a source here. At the same time, I'm ...
0
votes
1answer
459 views
If you brine a chicken and then boil it in soup, how much salt, if any, will come out and go into the liquid?
Suppose you brine a chicken in a heavy solution e.g. 10% saline. Suppose you now boil this chicken in water which does not contain salt or contains a little salt e.g. 5g. How much of the salt, if ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
Why would heating salt in a pan prevent food from sticking?
Quote from www.saltworks.us:
Preventing food from sticking - Rub a pancake griddle with a small bag of salt to prevent sticking and smoking. Sprinkle a little salt in the skillet before frying ...
15
votes
6answers
8k views
Rinse the salt off a steak before cooking?
I've been trying to perfect my technique for cooking a steak indoors.
It was recommended to salt the steak about 30 minutes before cooking. I used kosher salt, and cooked the steak on cast iron. ...
13
votes
6answers
654 views
What foods/preparations demonstrate the flavor difference between sea salt and table salt?
Related to What is the difference between sea salt and regular table salt?
What can I prepare that will work really well for a side-by-side comparison to demonstrate the difference between sea salt ...
12
votes
3answers
6k views
Why add salt to the water when cooking rice?
Given the great answer to the question on adding salt to water when cooking pasta, I am curious whether the same explanation holds for rice as it does for pasta (flavor and starch gelation)? Is there ...
4
votes
3answers
859 views
Can salted butter be used for yellow cake recipe?
I need help D:
I'm making 300 yellow cupcakes for prom in 2 days and I've purchase salted butter instead of unsalted .
- Can I use the salted butter instead of using unsalted and just not add in salt ...
16
votes
3answers
687 views
What makes fleur de sel different from regular salt?
Fleur de sel is the salt from the top of the pot when you heat salted water.
But what makes it different from the rest of the salt in the pot?
13
votes
4answers
2k views
What different uses do we assign to salted butter vs. unsalted butter?
What different uses do we assign to salted butter versus unsalted butter?
8
votes
7answers
3k views
Soup is too salty!
I made a mistake with my lastest batch of chicken soup, and it's too salty to eat. Is there any way to save it?
6
votes
1answer
313 views
Water content of salted butter
It seems to be common knowledge among bakers that salted butter has a higher water content than unsalted*. How much higher?
And if there's a different amount of water, why does this nutritional data ...
6
votes
3answers
713 views
Is there a method for desalinating bacon?
Bacon contains a rather large amount of salt which can pose problems for people who are trying to find ways to reduce salt in their diet.
Is there some method that can be used to reduce the amount of ...
6
votes
4answers
385 views
Why does salt taste different in different dishes?
If I salt tomato, potato and pasta, their tastes change in completely different ways to me. Why is this? Had I put oregano on them, they'd all taste like oregano.
Update: The question is not "is it ...
6
votes
3answers
126 views
What is a good online resource for purchasing high quality sea salt?
I would like to purchase some very nice sea salts. There are many sources available online but it is hard to tell what their quality and reputation is. What is the most comprehensive online shop for ...
4
votes
1answer
860 views
Chicken comes out salty… occasionally
A particular honey-and-mustard chicken I make frequently has, on a couple of occasions, come out tasting extremely salty, the saltiness overpowering the flavor of the chicken and the sauce. I'm trying ...
4
votes
4answers
4k views
Why add salt to potato water?
I add salt to pasta water in order to reduce the stickiness caused by starch. However, I've never seen potatoes stick together. Why add salt?
3
votes
1answer
879 views
What is the relationship between salt and iodine?
I have seen and read some comments from the post: What is the difference between sea salt and regular table salt?
My questions are.
Does Rock or Natural salt contain iodine?
Does Table Salt ...
3
votes
3answers
4k views
What flavour can cut through salt?
I'm putting together an asian sauce to throw over some steamed greens & have made it a bit too salty (it contains soy, fish & oyster sauce).
What can I add to cut back the saltiness?
3
votes
2answers
210 views
Why do gazpacho recipes have you put garlic and salt together, then mash with an egg?
Why do gazpacho recipes have you put garlic and salt together, then mash with an egg?
What is the purpose?
3
votes
1answer
176 views
Amount of salt in bread
I've been baking bread on and off during the last two years. Now, finally, I found a nice recipe. It calls for 2% of salt (20gr per kg of flour). It gives a tasty bread.
On the other hand, the health ...
3
votes
2answers
345 views
Why would fresh tuna be salted?
I bought a big piece of tuna about a week ago. I carved it up and put most in the freezer. However, as I am the proud owner of a vacuum sealer (as of a week ago), the worst part of the tuna got vacuum ...
2
votes
2answers
398 views
Can salt make sour fruit seem sweeter?
I got a little debate started via the comments on this answer. The poster suggests the use of salt to make a sour kiwifruit-sauce taste sweeter in the same way you would use salt to make something ...
2
votes
3answers
842 views
Does the use of kosher salt vs. table salt lead to a higher overall sodium intake?
When using kosher salt one has to use more kosher salt than table salt to achieve the same level of saltiness. Does it mean that using kosher salt causes one to consume more salt (or sodium)?
1
vote
3answers
356 views
Make bacon less salty
I just finished a burger that I got at a local butcher/deli. The burger was half ground chuck and half apple wood smoked bacon. It was delicious. The only problem I have with it is that it was very ...
0
votes
1answer
424 views
What are the differences between slow cooking and poaching a chicken soup and how does slow cooking/poaching soup affect salt absorbtion?
1.What is the difference between poaching and slow cooking? I believe in poaching you are meant to remove chicken 20 minutes after boiling so the meat doesn't dry out while In slow cooking I believe ...
