Salt...

[pete]

Salt ... steak, isn't a primary purpose of the salt to break down muscle proteins resulting in a more tender steak?

I'd claim using it makes my steaks better but don't ruin it if it's all in my mind.

 

[mdf]

Salt ... steak, isn't a primary purpose of the salt to break down muscle proteins resulting in a more tender steak?

I've never done a controlled comparison, but my understanding is that it takes awhile for that to happen.
(Like a day or two.)

 

[James]

Finishing salt. Not my creation but loved eating it.

 

[Rainbow Jenny]

@

I use to think that too.
Cooking.
In the case of shopping with @mdf it was for croissants. Don’t want it for those, too much salt, though I’ve never actually tried it.

@James OMG, you’re the legendary baker and croissant maker! Next gathering after the pandemic, I’ll be your best pupil.

@Tony S Whats shotgun medication, as in indiscriminate use of meds? Btw, this salt discussion reminds me I need to pack some Sriracha for my next deployment. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[coskigirl]

James and I had the argument about the proper amount of salt in real time in Wegmans in Colorado as we examined all the brands of butter to find the one with the highest fat content.

Neither one of us is budging.

You did not. We, sadly, do not have Wegmans in Colorado. It is literally the only thing I miss about living in Northern Virginia.

 

[mdf]

You did not. We, sadly, do not have Wegmans in Colorado. It is literally the only thing I miss about living in Northern Virginia.

OK, busted. It was some grocery store fancier than I am used to at home.
(We got Wegmans here in Massachusetts fairly recently, but the nearest one is too far away. Yet Instacart will deliver from them to me....)

 

[pete]

I've never done a controlled comparison, but my understanding is that it takes awhile for that to happen.
(Like a day or two.)

Think this may be true. I normally salt (garlic) steaks if vac freezing and if not, try to leave em in the fridge for 3-4 days after salting.

 

[coskigirl]

OK, busted. It was some grocery store fancier than I am used to at home.
(We got Wegmans here in Massachusetts fairly recently, but the nearest one is too far away. Yet Instacart will deliver from them to me....)

Probably Whole Foods. I’m just bitter that Wegs won’t come west.

 

[Scruffy]

Put me in the Non-salted butter camp, that's all we buy.

I only use sea salt; more minerals and less sodium and NaCl per gram. BajaGold is great a renewable resource.

https://bajagoldseasalt.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Which-Salt-Is-Best.pdf

 

[Tony S]

Whats shotgun medication, as in indiscriminate use of meds?

You know, like Nyquil. A decongestant, an antihistamine, an analgesic, a cough suppressant, an expectorant, etc. All in one tablet or whatever.

 

[Rainbow Jenny]

You know, like Nyquil. A decongestant, an antihistamine, an analgesic, a cough suppressant, an expectorant, etc. All in one tablet or whatever.

You are absolutely right! I abhor such combination products. And it’s not just a personal preference; ombination products tend to contain a bunch of ingredients at sub-therapeutic doses. What good does that do?!

 

[James]

You did not. We, sadly, do not have Wegmans in Colorado. It is literally the only thing I miss about living in Northern Virginia.

It was in Dillon or Silverthorne. We also had to buy a digital scale and they had a wall of kitchen stuff. That could have been a separate store though.

@Tony S -

Rough quote. At the time, it was vegetables not being seasoned-

“You have to season every step of the way. That’s the difference between home cooking and professional cooking. ...

The heat is opening up the pores, at this moment the seasoning has to go in, and then it kind of closes again. And then you add more flavor on top of that.
It’s a small difference, it really is. But it’s like the .1 seconds between winning and losing.”
-Roy Choi

Chef the Show, on Netflix with Jon Favreau and Roy Choi
About 2:15 into S1:V1, “David Chang”

 

[coops]

Put me in the Non-salted butter camp, that's all we buy.

I only use sea salt; more minerals and less sodium and NaCl per gram. BajaGold is great a renewable resource.

https://bajagoldseasalt.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Which-Salt-Is-Best.pdf

All salt is sea salt.

It's just the marketing departments haven't yet got around to flogging bog standard mined salt as 'vintage, aged rock salt' or some such... it all came from sea water originally.
Larger flake/grain size can seem different mind you - like that nasty fine powdered pepper versus 'fresh ground' coarser stuff from a pepper mill.

Sea Salt vs. Table Salt: Is There Actually a Difference?

Salt is an essential ingredient in both cooking and baking, added to enhance tastes, suppress bitterness, and preserve foods. Most recipes call for table salt, while others recommend sea salt, but is there actually a difference between the two? Yes, you read that right. All salt is sodium...

www.thekitchn.com

Fish sauce is the business.

 

[Scruffy]

All salt is sea salt.

It's just the marketing departments haven't yet got around to flogging bog standard mined salt as 'vintage, aged rock salt' or some such... it all came from sea water originally.
Larger flake/grain size can seem different mind you - like that nasty fine powdered pepper versus 'fresh ground' coarser stuff from a pepper mill.

Sea Salt vs. Table Salt: Is There Actually a Difference?

Salt is an essential ingredient in both cooking and baking, added to enhance tastes, suppress bitterness, and preserve foods. Most recipes call for table salt, while others recommend sea salt, but is there actually a difference between the two? Yes, you read that right. All salt is sodium...

www.thekitchn.com

Fish sauce is the business.

Sure, same as all Champagne powder stays soft and fluffy forever and never turns to corn Mined rock salt ( your former sea salt) usually has had many of sea water's naturally occurring minerals leached out. Not to mention the processing to make it look nice and white.

 

[Tony S]

Fish sauce is the business.

 

[KingGrump]

Sniff bait, swim away.

 

[James]

Did you guys ever do Gringo Fancy Fish Sauce Shots in Taos?

 

[KingGrump]

Did you guys ever do Gringo Fancy Fish Sauce Shots in Taos?

No, we served real food at the party.

 

[cantunamunch]

Outside of the SF bay area, most restaurants are way too salty.
Within the SF bay area, closer to 20% offensive. Yeah, when I first observed this, I couldn't believe it either. Unfortunately, my experience holds out.

My wife cooks with a small amount of salt and I have not picked up a salt shaker in over 50 years.

You two reminded me of this paper.

Water taste in man - Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics

Taste quality and intensity shifts following adaptation to NaCl, quinine hydrochloride, sucrose and HCl were investigated in 10 Ss. In each of four sessions, Ss were adapted to water and two concentrations of one taste solution and gave magnitude estimates and quality judgments for a series of...

link.springer.com

The weird and counterintuitive thing is that people adapted to slightly saltier-than-usual saliva react more strongly to salt in excess of their usual saliva concentration.

 

[James]

Here you go. Found this place last Feb post ski trip and just before the pandemic. Just wandered by post a visit to the (very poor) Delacroix museum.
All sorts of salts and peppers sold.
I got some Hawaiian Black salt. The lityle tins are irresistable.