Salting food is primarily about adding salt to enhance flavor and can be approached with a specific target in mind: aiming for 1 to 2% of the total weight of your recipe.
Understanding Salt Application
The proper way to salt food, as shown in the video, goes beyond merely sprinkling it on top. Achieving well-seasoned dishes involves a thoughtful process. Here's a breakdown:
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Aim for 1-2% Salt: A general guideline is to aim for 1 to 2% salt of the total weight of your recipe. This technique helps you avoid under or over salting your food. For example, for 500g of ingredients you'll want 5-10g of salt.
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Even Distribution is Key: Rather than a haphazard sprinkle, focus on distributing salt evenly across all the food's surfaces. This will ensure each bite is balanced. This is especially important for larger food pieces.
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Salting at Different Stages: The timing of salting can greatly affect the result. Salting early in cooking allows the salt to penetrate the food, while salting just before serving enhances surface flavour.
- Early Salting: This is often beneficial for things like meats and stews, where you want the salt to pull out moisture and enhance flavor.
- Late Salting: Ideal for finishing dishes, giving a burst of flavour to the top layer, like vegetables or soup.
Practical Tips for Salting
Here are some practical insights and solutions for salting food effectively:
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Use Your Fingers: Instead of using a shaker, use your fingers for more control. You'll be able to feel and see how much salt you're adding.
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Taste as you go: Even with guidelines, adjusting salt to your preference is important. The best method is to taste during cooking.
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Don't Salt From Too High Up: When salting with your fingers, it helps to keep your hand closer to the food and sprinkle from a shorter height, to avoid any areas getting an overly large quantity of salt.
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Consider Salt Type: Different types of salt have varying grain sizes and flavour profiles. The type of salt you use can affect your results.
Salt Type Grain Size Intensity Use Case Table Salt Fine High General use, baking Kosher Salt Coarse Moderate General use, seasoning meats Sea Salt Variable Variable Finishing, adds texture and varied flavor Flake Salt Large Mild Finishing, adds delicate texture and salt burst
By following these tips, you can effectively salt your food for optimal flavour.
