Using salt in cooking

squeaky

For those of you with lots of salt skulking about in the cupboard try this:-

[post=41585]Salt - 60 uses for salt[/post]

MrsB_2

Squeaky wrote:

Technically not quite True - it's from Squeaky's link in the previous post, but hey!!

14.. Soak your nuts in salt brine overnight and they will crack out of their shells whole. Just tap the end of the shell with a hammer to break it open easily.

:eek: :eek: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

catkins

The only times I use salt is in potatoes which I am going to mash (for some reason it doesn't taste right without salt) and in yorkshire pudding. But I only use a very very small amount in both of those. I don't use it in anything else or add it to my plate.

I do find on the rare occasions I eat processed food or sometimes if I eat out I can really taste the salt. Sometimes the food to me only tastes of salt!!

nicnac_3

When I informed my brother (a chef of 20 years standing) that I don't salt cooking water for vegetables he informed that I should use a bit as it helps retain the nutrients within the food rather than them leaching out during the cooking process. Don't know if it is true but he has a very sound knowledge in food and the wherefores and whyfores of things foody.

maryb

We all seem to feel guilty about things we are actually quite good about - by cooking from scratch us OS cooks are definitely consuming a lot less than average.

I've personally never worried about salt as I have low blood pressure 90/65 but I cut down a lot when DD1 was a baby because I didn't add any in cooking so that I could puree what we were eating for her. I still don't add much and i found it quite eye opening as a couple of other posters have said when I got a breadmaker and realised how much salt it calls for. I haven't yet worked out how to reduce the salt and sugar in a bread recipe so as to feed the yeast enough while at the same time slowing it down with the salt so that it rises just the right amount. I would miss it if I didn't put any salt in bread as I found the breadmaker bread quite sweet to start with - I suppose that shows how much salt they must put in shop bought bread!!

se999

Read this article on BBC News website, and just spotted this thread, and thought it might be relevant. It's about how do you know if you're under the 6gms.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4333738.stm

I normally cook from scratch, but I find it sneaks in via stock cubes (yes I should do stock from scratch) and some tinned veg and things like tuna in brine etc.. I tend to steam veg mainly, so don't have the problem of adding salt to vegetables water for boiling.

I don't normally add extra salt, but there are occasions when you just get a 'craving' for it, so I always assume that's my body telling me that I need it.

TJCC

Tune into your own taste buds. Easier to get a healthier balance if you don't smoke or eat too much processed stuff as these desensitise your tongue! Eat fresh, tasty and wholefood and you'll learn by yourself. :eek:
Some things like potatoes need salt in cooking (in fact if you oversalt a dish when cooking you can add potato to NEGATE the saltiness) and it can be used as an agent to draw out water. Maybe listen to those chefs and if they use too much, just follow the science but use half the amount!

calleyw

se999 wrote:

I normally cook from scratch, but I find it sneaks in via stock cubes (yes I should do stock from scratch) and some tinned veg and things like tuna in brine etc.. I tend to steam veg mainly, so don't have the problem of adding salt to vegetables water for boiling.

I don't always make stock from scratch but have bought but not used yet low salt stock cubes they have about 10 times less salt than normal ones. A bit pricey as I paid £1.25 For 6 but that was in my local greengrocers/health food shop.

Yours

Calley

MATH

I rarely use salt in cooking and never put a cellar on the table unless we have guests. My FIL scares me silly when he salts his dinner until it looks like a winter snow scene:eek: I keep expecting him to keel over before dessert.

Ticklemouse

maryb - I don't have any problem with my bread rising and I have cut the salt down to 1/8th tsp when it says 1 1/2 tsp. I still use 1 1/2 tsp sugar though, because the yeast feeds on that and I don't find my bread too sweet.

I have removed the salt cellar from my table. One of the 9yo's I cook for in the week pours salt all over and when DS2 asks for it he 'pretends' to give him salt. While he covers the hole and DS doesn't get any salt, I don't want the action to become habit. Also, I'm worried about the amount of salt the 9yo eats - and have told him, so he doesn't get it now, unless it's chips