# To salt or not to salt



## Bam!! (Jul 6, 2004)

Hi   

Tell me fellow cook a rooneys....do you guys salt your meat before cooking or not ?

I do.


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## hvacwife (Jul 6, 2004)

No salt here. I do season it with stuff like Mrs. Dash but we don't use salt at all.  8)


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## LMJ (Jul 6, 2004)

I almost always add an appropriate amount of salt beforehand.

Check the ingredients in Mrs. Dash. It's probably mostly salt.


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## ironchef (Jul 7, 2004)

I always salt the item before I cook it because the heat will allow the salt to melt and evenly flavor the meat. When you salt the food after you pull it off the grill, pan, or whatever you are cooking it with, more often than not, the salt, when applied to the food, will remain in crystaline form and you will taste the salt, rather than tasting a seasoned piece of meat.


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## tancowgirl2000 (Jul 7, 2004)

I dont use tradional table salt on my meat before cooking but I ALWAYS use Seasoning salt.  I was always told that salting before you cook isn't good because it draws out the moisture.  However, Salt also tenderizes.  SO I salt.....99% of the time my meat is moist enough for us....


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## SouthBeach_Cook (Jul 13, 2004)

I always salt my meat before I cook it.  Whether it'd be fish, poultry, pork, or beef.  Kosher salt is my favorite to use due to its crystalized size.  You should never salt any meat more than 2 minutes before it hits the fire or else it will start to drain the water off of it.

I know how it feels to throw a salted-for-a-while halibut on a smoking hot pan...AHHH!


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## Jermosh (Jul 13, 2004)

I always salt before I cook or sear any meat.  I always use kosher salt due to its coating properties.


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## Bam!! (Jul 14, 2004)

Thanks !

I started this thread cause somebody said to me   "You salt your meat!"  that dries it out!

and I answered.....not if you salt it right before you cook it!!!

but now I can refer him to this thread!


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## Jermosh (Jul 14, 2004)

Well this is kinda back and forth about the salt/dry meat mystery. On one hand salted meat that is going to be uber cooked(CB Brisket) is quite juicy. Then we have the good old brine thing. I honestly do not think that by salting meat that it will dry it out. Granted I do think it will allow it bleed faster *IF* you do not let it rest properly though.

So is the salt/dry meat mystery, fact, or urban legend?


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## GB (Jul 15, 2004)

I salt my meat before cooking and even then I sometimes add salt after cooking as well. 

Salting meat before cooking does pull out some moisture, but it is such a little amount that you would never notice it. 

Try this next time you cook a steak. Take the steak out of the fridge to come to room temp and salt it right away. Let it sit out for a half hour or so. When the half hour has passed and you are ready to cook, notice that there is not juice pooling on top of the steak. It might be ever so slightly damp, but if would be that way even if you did not salt it first.


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## Bangbang (Jul 30, 2004)

I salt the crap out of everything........before and after. I would say more but I need to get to my Salt Lick.


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## Jermosh (Jul 30, 2004)

Bangbang said:
			
		

> I salt the crap out of everything........before and after. I would say more but I need to get to my Salt Lick.



Amen. Amen, Amen. 

If we were not to have salt then why do we have a whole section of our tongue that tastes just that and nothin else?


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## barbourman (Aug 19, 2004)

Jermosh said:
			
		

> Bangbang said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Salt does a body good.  The more salt, the merrier, but gotta use equal amount of pepper to even out the taste.


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## Jermosh (Aug 19, 2004)

barbourman said:
			
		

> Salt does a body good.  The more salt, the merrier, but gotta use equal amount of pepper to even out the taste.



Very true, but make sure its freshly cracked  :P


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## Alix (Aug 19, 2004)

Stop it! You are making my mouth water!


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## barbourman (Aug 20, 2004)

This site definately gets the appetite flowing!


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## PolishedTopaz (Aug 26, 2004)

Hi....

I always salt before cooking meats, Cook Illustrated Mag did a side by side comparison on this subject a while back and the hands down winner was to salt before cooking.


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## crewsk (Aug 27, 2004)

Salt addict here! My hubby hid all the salt in the house from me because my blood pressure was too high & the doc told me to cut back on salt! But to answer the question, I salt before & after, sometimes during cooking!


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## masteraznchefjr (Sep 4, 2004)

i tend to salt when the meat halfway through cooking the meat when im cooking the meat in a pan. when im grilling it or oven cooking it i salt before.


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## middie (Sep 4, 2004)

i'm not supposed to use salt cause i have very high blood pressure.
so i use garlic powder onion powder and pepper.


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## auntdot (Sep 5, 2004)

LMJ, am not supporting Mrs. Dash, but it does not have salt.

The idea is that it provides a mixture of herbs that can replace salt.


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## norgeskog (Sep 7, 2004)

*Salt*

I usually do not use salt at all except on fried eggs and french fries.  I use a lot of herbs from my garden.  Sometimes if I just want a plan grilled steak I will add seasalt and fresh ground pepper just before grilling.








  GO DUCKS


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## norgeskog (Sep 7, 2004)

*Salt*

I usually do not use salt at all except on fried eggs and french fries.  I use a lot of herbs from my garden.  Sometimes if I just want a plan grilled steak I will add seasalt and fresh ground pepper just before grilling.








  GO DUCKS


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## veritytruthbender (Sep 22, 2004)

I do not add table salt.  It has to be kosher salt for meats and veggies and sea salt for seafood.  I only use table salt for baking.


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## Psiguyy (Sep 22, 2004)

I'm with bangbang and others.  I salt and pepper before grilling and as GB says, I sometimes have to salt and pepper again.  

I believe you need to season before you cook.  The flavor is different.  Not as sharp when compared to salting after.  

If a steak is particularly nice, I prepare it kosher style.  In other words, I smother both sides with kosher salt and let it drain for an hour at room temperature, then I wash the excess salt off and grill.  Amazingly, it's not too salty unless you try this with a thin piece of meat.  I only do this with 2" or better steaks.


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## mudbug (Sep 22, 2004)

Every time I salt meat before cooking it tastes too salty when done.  Either I like the taste of "plain" meat better, or I'm Doing It Wrong, again.
Honest, I'm not throwing tablespoons of the stuff on the goods!


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