Cooking Question
#21
  Re: Cooking Question by losblanos1 (My question is "What...)
We've done 2 that were just way too salty - I just soak them in cold water for an hour or two (with ice).  It is the best corned beef ever!  I have a big flat in the freezer and Bob was just saying that we need to smoke something.  My Dr recommended that I eat more sauerkraut so maybe some Ruben's are in my future.  I'll make some GF "rye bread".  

Sous vide is the most amazing way to cook!
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough!
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#22
  Re: Cooking Question by losblanos1 (My question is "What...)
I think the salt level depends on the brand sometimes. We have had some that were very salty and a few times we actually had one that could have used more salt. When I first started cutting down on salt, we had differing opinions about one. I thought it was WAY too salty and Ron thought it was fine. Rolleyes
Maryann

"Drink your tea slowly and reverently..."
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#23
  Re: Cooking Question by losblanos1 (My question is "What...)
Bob and I have that discussion a lot!   I have given up on cutting the salt back.  I salt to taste in the kitchen and hope Bob will taste it before he dumps a handful of salt on everything.  For some reason, it seems that a big box of Diamond Kosher salt doesn't last anywhere near as long as it used to.  Could be because I'm cooking more???
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough!
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#24
  Re: Cooking Question by losblanos1 (My question is "What...)
One of the reasons I wanted to cut down on salt was so that I could actually taste MORE. My daughter used to ask us how we could taste anything because we used so much salt. I found it interesting that she could enjoy her food with little or no salt on it, but she said that if she used as much as we did, everything would just taste like salt. I found this so interesting that it became my mission to cut back on it. What a pleasant surprise to find out she was absolutely right.
Maryann

"Drink your tea slowly and reverently..."
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#25
  Re: Cooking Question by losblanos1 (My question is "What...)
There are a few things that cannot be eaten without salt.  Eggs top that list.  I can remember my Mom & Dad commenting on a friend of theirs who didn't salt his eggs, they thought he was crazy!  Of course, Mom was always on my Dad about over salting his food.  She said it was insulting to her ability to cook and she was right!  

We have discovered that leaving off the rubs and heavy seasoning on pork is amazing especially pork!  It's so much porkier.  I did put a rub on the IP ribs I did last Sunday, but I thought it took away the porky flavor.  (We have eaten more ribs since the IP than we've eaten in the last two or three years!)
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough!
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#26
  Re: Cooking Question by losblanos1 (My question is "What...)
I believe everything is better off with a pinch of salt. However I'm appalled at the huge amount of salt (and pepper) some folks use. One of the most important things I learned when testing recipes for Cook's Illustrated was to use a bit of salt at each stage, or after each batch of ingredients is added, rather than adding heaps at the beginning, or the end. The exception is pasta water which should have lots at the beginning. It really made a difference.

Another one is when to salt steaks for grilling. There is a sweet spot between salting and cooking and it makes a huge difference. Kenji at Serious Eats has a wonderful page on this.

Lots of folks that oversalt their savory items, the forego adding salt to sweet. A pinch of salt always makes baked goods better, much in the same way as a bit of coffee brings out the flavor of chocolate. I'm always leery of people that add salt (and pepper) to a dish before they taste it.

Ok, end of my rant on over and under use of salt. Sorry.
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#27
  Re: Cooking Question by losblanos1 (My question is "What...)
It's nice to see you on the forum!  We love your knowledge and the information on food and cooking that you always share.

I agree about the salt. Cantaloupe is, to me, better with a sprinkle of salt, and a dash of pepper.  Chocolate & caramel are better with a pinch of salt.  I always season, like you said, in stages of the recipe, and a lot of salt in the water for pasta.
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough!
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#28
  Re: Cooking Question by losblanos1 (My question is "What...)
Alina, it is so nice to see you! You are missed! I have always enjoyed your knowledge of cooking and recipes that you have shared with us. Hope you will stop in more often. Smile

I like the idea of seasoning in stages, but always hold back on that last pinch of salt until the end now because I have become more sensitive to things tasting too salty. Sharon, I agree with you about eggs. Must have salt. It's interesting that we have also lightened up on the seasonings, rubs, and marinades. I remember having that discussion with Jean a few years back when we were using the smoker a lot and had discovered that we liked the flavor of meat, especially pork, with only some salt and pepper or Adobo seasoning.
,
Maryann

"Drink your tea slowly and reverently..."
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#29
  Re: Cooking Question by losblanos1 (My question is "What...)
Exactly!  Meat actually tastes better without all the "stuff" smeared on it.  Under normal circumstances, we stick to a Carolina Red BBQ sauce for ribs and pulled pork.  The nice thing about that is that if we get a sudden urge for ribs or pulled pork (lots of it in the freezer) I can whip up the sauce in minutes with just ketchup, apple cider vinegar and some pepper flakes.  It's nice to not have all that fake stuff!  (We've fallen in love with Best Foods Ketchup)

Now that I am trying harder to stick to my new food plan I've had to give up onions & garlic for 6 - 8 weeks.  I bought a seasoning that mimics the flavor of onions & garlic, asafoetida, also known as hing.  It really works, adds a little bit of a kick of flavor.
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough!
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#30
  Re: Cooking Question by losblanos1 (My question is "What...)
You cannot imagine simply how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!
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