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Questions tagged [salt]

Questions about the use of culinary salt in the kitchen.

Saltiness is one of the five basic flavors (along with sweet, sour, bitter, and umami). Therefore, salt is one of the most important ingredients in cooking, since it's the only way to achieve that flavor.

Use this tag for questions about using salt in any culinary application, or for other kitchen purposes (such as ).

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Why add salt to the water when cooking pasta?

What is the effect of adding salt to the water when cooking pasta?
bryn
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Are there any advantages to freshly ground salt?

Recently, I've seen salt grinders sold in stores. I understand that freshly ground pepper has a plus over pre-ground pepper in terms of freshness and strength. However, salt to me seems like a mineral, as opposed to pepper which is, well, a pepper…
Mennyg
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What is the point of a salt mill?

Salt mills and pepper mills often come in pairs. I understand the purpose of the pepper mill: It breaks open the pepper corn and releases the aroma. But there is, to my knowledge, no such thing as a salt corn, at least on the macroscopic level So…
Peter Eisentraut
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How to fix food that got extra salty?

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?
Vinko Vrsalovic
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Why did my grandfather-in-law salt his beer?

My grandfather-in-law was born in England in the 1920s and fought in World War II. Somewhere along the line he acquired the habit of salting his beer before drinking it, which persisted for the rest of his life. I'm as curious about the cultural…
SevenSidedDie
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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 should be true. Maybe something to do with…
Michael Natkin
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Why are salt and pepper the "classic" dinner table seasoning?

Is there a reason we use salt and pepper on so many dishes and they can be found in any kitchen table at dinner time? Does it have to do with their flavor synergies, or were they just more available "back in the day"?
n0pe
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Why would you place potatoes on salt when baking in the oven?

Several of my recipe books call for baking potatoes on a layer of (rock) salt, e.g. I'm currently following one for gnocchi that has this very instruction. Searching yields many recipes, but I can't really find the "why" of it, nor what it…
Jeroen
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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 differences might using one over the other…
Ryan Elkins
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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 temperature, and how long before you cook it do you…
user73
30
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4 answers

Can you candy salt?

Bear with me... I'm working on a pretty amazing ice cream. It's Dulce de Leche, made the kind of scary traditional way of boiling cans of sweetened condensed milk, then mixing that with a custard and freezing it in my ice cream maker. As a recipe,…
Jolenealaska
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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 a lot of salt due to its reliance on salty sauces…
LeopardSkinPillBoxHat
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How much to reduce salt when using salted butter in place of unsalted butter

I normally don't keep unsalted butter on hand since I use it so seldom. So when a recipe calls for salt and unsalted butter among its ingredients would it be alright to use salted butter and reduce the amount of salt? And if so, by how much should…
Don O'Donnell
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What can be done with accidentaly oversalted beef?

I mistakenly marinated some thin beef with regular salt for one day before barbecuing it, turns out you're not supposed to do that! Even after washing it, it is unbearable to eat it by itself. I'm using brazilian "Coxão Mole" which I tink translates…
Mojimi
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Why do some recipes recommend Kosher salt?

Is it healthy or more tasty?
CodeToGlory
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