Making the most of salt.

Making the most of salt – from Cook’s Illustrated – November – December Issue

Types of Salt – What distinguishes one salt from another is texture, shape and mineral content. These qualities can affect how a salt tastes as well as how it interacts with other foods.

Table salt (common salt)- Tiny, shaped crystals

How to use – dissolves easily , making it ideal for most applications, both sweet and savory. Avoid iodized which can impart a subtle chemical flavor.

Kosher Salt -Course-grain does not contain additives

How to use – top choice for seasoning meat. The large grains cling well to the meats surface.

Sea Salt - Product of seawater evaporation. Yields irregular shapped, mineral rich flakes.

How to use – don’t cook with pricey sea salt; mixed into food, it doesn’t taste any different than table salt. Instead, use it as a finishing salt where it delicate crunch stand out. When buying, look for brands boasting large, flaky crystals.


Good uses for salt

1. Dulling the bitter edge – salt works to block the bitterness in food thus enhancing other less prominent foods. Adding 1/8 teaspoon to coffee grounds (every 72 ounces) reduced the perceived bitterness.

2. Tender scrambled eggs – salt keeps egg proteins from bonding to each oether and producing a weaker protein chain. Add 1/8 teaspoon of table salt for every 2 eggs just prior to cooking.

3. Deep cleaning cast iron – The abrasive quality of kosher salt makes it a perfect clenser for rusty cast iron. Warm ¼ inch vegetable oil in pan 5 minutes, remove from heat and add ¼ cup kosher salt. Scrub salt into pan with paper towels until debris loosens. Rinse well and repeat if necessary.

4. Making garlic paste – sprinkle kosher salt over minced garlic and use the side of a knife to reduce the chopped garlic to a fine paste.

5. Greener green beans – adding salt to the cooking water seasons the green beans and helps them retain their bright color. Add 1 ½ teaspoons of salt for every quart of water.

Salting Meat (best choice for meats that are already juicy or well marbled)
Salting helps proteins retain their own natural juices. When salt is applied to raw meat, juices inside that meat are drawn to the surface. The salt then dissolves in the exuded liquid, forming a brine that is eventually reabsorbed by the meat. Preferred salt – kosher

Brining Meat (adds moisture making it the best choice for lean proteins)
Use table salt. Works faster than salting, can make lean cuts such as chicken breast or pork tenderloin juicer than salting since it adds, verus merely retains, moisture.