# Salt in meatballs?



## Argamemnon (Jan 12, 2009)

Perhaps a silly question, but how do you know how much salt you have to add when making meatballs. Is it learned by experience?


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## Uncle Bob (Jan 12, 2009)

Yes experience is a great teacher...Start with 1 teaspoon of Salt per pound of meat...Next time you can add more or less to suit your personal taste.

Have Fun!


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## suziquzie (Jan 12, 2009)

I think it depends on what you are using for filler.... if it's saltine crackers or seasoned breadcrumbs, you may not need any at all. 
However if you are using oatmeal, soaked bread, or plain homemade breadcrumbs you may need a bit more. 
That probably didn't help much, sorry!!


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## Maverick2272 (Jan 13, 2009)

Follow the guide UB gave, but reduce to half that if your filler or binding agent is saltines or seasoned bread crumbs that have salt in them. Then, adjust to taste.


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## Lizannd (Jan 13, 2009)

*I always fry a small bit of the meat to check the*

seasonings.  And I always have to adjust something.  Either salt or cheese or herbs.  It's always something.  I think it is because I don't make them often enough to become expert at it.


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## CharlieD (Jan 13, 2009)

I just taste some raw material, just like above.


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## GB (Jan 13, 2009)

You can always take a little of the meat mixture and cook it in a pan (enough for one bite). It would just take a few seconds and it would let you know if you need to add more salt or anything else.


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## Aria (Jan 13, 2009)

*How much salt?*

It does depend on the recipe.  I make a practice of NO SALT.  If I am making meatballs with grated cheese (salty)...definitely NO SALT.

It is best to acquire a low salt taste.  Better for health.    And if you are making a Tomato Sauce and adding meatballs....NO SALT.  Tomatoes have salt.  NO SALT....or just a sprinkle is my way.


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## DramaQueen (Jan 13, 2009)

*I salt everything I make.  It's what brings out the flavor which is salt's only purpose in cooking. Baking is another matter.  In baking, salt is necessary to interact with certain other ingredients to creat a succesful end result.

I use about 1 tsp. salt per pound of meat.  When  use  Italian sausage along with beef to make my meatballs, I don't count the sausage in the weight.  The sausage contains salt already.   I think you'll be safe with 1 tsp. no more especially if you're using Parmesan.   You can always salt them more later if you want more salt.*


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## Glorie (Jan 13, 2009)

As Emeril would say "....mine don't come seasoned" - I figure the same thing, use your own judgement til you find the right amount for your liking )


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## Maverick2272 (Jan 13, 2009)

Aria said:


> It does depend on the recipe.  I make a practice of NO SALT.  If I am making meatballs with grated cheese (salty)...definitely NO SALT.
> 
> It is best to acquire a low salt taste.  Better for health.    And if you are making a Tomato Sauce and adding meatballs....NO SALT.  Tomatoes have salt.  NO SALT....or just a sprinkle is my way.



I whole-heartedly agree!! Too many people think salt is necessary in cooking or that its only purpose in cooking is flavor which is just not true. I get so much more flavor from using other seasons, and prefer not to use any salt or at the most will use about half to a quarter of what most recipes call for. I have learned over the years that, IMHO, most recipes call for way too much salt in them. If I need to meld things, a dab of sugar works much better than salt. Or use the two in combination and get the same result as just using salt but hey less sodium!
Don't forget most of the salt in our food was not for flavoring but as a preservative originally. We have long since discovered many other much better ways to season and flavor food, but that doesn't mean I advocate omitting it all together just cut way way back on it. 
You gotta put salt in its place, in the background, and as stated better for your health in the long run as well!


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## DaveSoMD (Jan 13, 2009)

Aria said:


> It does depend on the recipe. I make a practice of NO SALT. If I am making meatballs with grated cheese (salty)...definitely NO SALT.
> 
> It is best to acquire a low salt taste. Better for health. And if you are making a Tomato Sauce and adding meatballs....NO SALT. Tomatoes have salt. NO SALT....or just a sprinkle is my way.


 
I agree. I find that if I am using grated parm cheese, bread crumbs, garlic, and fresh parsley in my meatballs, I really don't need to add any salt.


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## jennyema (Jan 13, 2009)

Maverick2272 said:


> Too many people think salt is necessary in cooking or that its only purpose in cooking is flavor which is just not true.


 
Salt is necessary to enhance flavor. It's true that its only purpose in cooking is to enhance flavor, as no recipe uses salt as a preservative or for any other reason than to improve flavor (outside of baking, likeDQueen points out).

Unlike other things (pepper/garlic/lemon, etc) salt itself has no flavor. It's simply a natural flavor enhancer which brings out the flavor in other foods.

The first lesson most people learn in culinary school is how salt improves flavor. It just does. We had 10 containers of chicken broth set before us ranging from completely unsalted to grossly oversalted. Tasting them one by one, it was easy to appreciate howsalt made the broth taste deeper and meatier. Our job was to develop our palates further so that we could tell how much salt was enough and when it was too much. And too much salt can ruin flavor. That's a fact, too.

Tom Collichio has an interesting discussion of this in his book _"Think Like a Chef."_

Another important lesson is to salt your food as you cook, building layers of flavor, rather than adding it it at the end.

That said, people obviously should watch their sodium intake and not consume too much. People with sodium sensitivities should follow their doctor's recommendations. Otherwise, how much salt to add to food is a personal decision.


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## Argamemnon (Jan 13, 2009)

Aria said:


> NO SALT. NO SALT. NO SALT. NO SALT


Ok, no salt


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## buckytom (Jan 13, 2009)

it depends on the meatballs.

for italian style, i've never added salt. there's enough supplied by the cheese and breadcrumbs.

for scandinavian, i'm with ub and add a tsp per pound, then taste to adjust.


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## GB (Jan 13, 2009)

jennyema said:


> It's true that its only purpose in cooking is to enhance flavor, as no recipe uses salt as a preservative or for any other reason than to improve flavor (outside of baking, likeDQueen points out).


I am not sure I agree with this. What about preserved lemons? Also, what about using salt to draw moisture out of something. What about a brine. True part of the reason to brine something is to enhance flavor, but another reason is to introduce moisture.


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## Maverick2272 (Jan 13, 2009)

jennyema said:


> Salt is necessary to enhance flavor. It's true that its only purpose in cooking is to enhance flavor, as no recipe uses salt as a preservative or for any other reason than to improve flavor (outside of baking, likeDQueen points out).
> 
> Unlike other things (pepper/garlic/lemon, etc) salt itself has no flavor. It's simply a natural flavor enhancer which brings out the flavor in other foods.
> 
> ...



If you look up the history of salt, you will see it was first used as a preservative then as a seasoning for flavor (at least that is what I found). Best example salted pork used on British sailing ships, or brines.
I get plenty of flavor in my food and often do not use any salt at all. No one seems to notice or object....
Of course, I recognize this does not work with all foods, there are some that I have found if I withhold the salt it is not right. But then I add back in about half of what they call for and it works out fine. I think overuse of salt in recipes can be an issue especially with sodium intake.


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## PytnPlace (Jan 13, 2009)

If you don't feel like frying a sample, just cook a tiny amount in the microwave.  Not much, just testing for seasonings.


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## PanchoHambre (Jan 13, 2009)

undesalting is always safer... salt can be added at the table but you cant do anything about it if its already in there.

I tend to use very little salt because it is my preference. If people feel the need to add salt fine


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## chefnaterock (Jan 14, 2009)

Lizannd said:


> seasonings. And I always have to adjust something. Either salt or cheese or herbs. It's always something. I think it is because I don't make them often enough to become expert at it.


 
YES!  You have to season "early and often" but always taste a small fried patty before rolling, and keep in mind that if you are cooking in plain tomato sauce or water, you will loose some of the salt.


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## jennyema (Jan 14, 2009)

GB said:


> I am not sure I agree with this. What about preserved lemons? Also, what about using salt to draw moisture out of something. What about a brine. True part of the reason to brine something is to enhance flavor, but another reason is to introduce moisture.


 
Cooking.

Preserving a lemon is preserving.  Drawing out salt is drawing out salt.  Neither is cooking.

The only reason you add salt when you cook something is seasoning.


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## GB (Jan 14, 2009)

jennyema said:


> Cooking.
> 
> Preserving a lemon is preserving.  Drawing out salt is drawing out salt.  Neither is cooking.
> 
> The only reason you add salt when you cook something is seasoning.


Well really if that is how you are going to break it down then the same can be true of any ingredient you add. The only reason you add _anything_ is for flavor.


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## jennyema (Jan 14, 2009)

Yes, true.

My point was to disagree with what Mav said: _"Too many people think salt is necessary in cooking or that its only purpose in cooking is flavor which is just not true."_

Salt's only purpose in cooking is to enhance flavor.  It is not added to preserve food or for any other reason.

Salt is necessary in cooking if you want to optimize the flavor in your food.  Without it, you will not have the same depth of flavors as you will have with it.  That's just elementary food science.


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## Katie H (Jan 14, 2009)

jennyema said:


> Salt's only purpose in cooking is to enhance flavor.  It is not added to preserve food or for any other reason.
> 
> Salt is necessary in cooking if you want to optimize the flavor in your food.  Without it, you will not have the same depth of flavors as you will have with it.  That's just elementary food science.



Exactly, which is why even many sweets and desserts have some amount of salt in them.


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## GB (Jan 14, 2009)

jennyema said:


> Salt is necessary in cooking if you want to optimize the flavor in your food.  Without it, you will not have the same depth of flavors as you will have with it.  That's just elementary food science.


I completely agree.


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## GotGarlic (Jan 14, 2009)

GB said:


> Well really if that is how you are going to break it down then the same can be true of any ingredient you add. The only reason you add _anything_ is for flavor.



Well, not always. Eggs are added to meatloaf to help bind it together, for example. And baking powder or soda is added to help a baked good rise. Sometimes ingredients are added to help a chemical reaction along.


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## GB (Jan 14, 2009)

Yeah I guess you have a point GG.


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## Maverick2272 (Jan 14, 2009)

jennyema said:


> Yes, true.
> 
> My point was to disagree with what Mav said: _"Too many people think salt is necessary in cooking or that its only purpose in cooking is flavor which is just not true."_
> 
> ...



As you pointed out I said too many people think salts _only_ purpose in cooking is flavor. You said salts only purpose in cooking is to _enhance_ flavor. Not true, salt adds its own flavor to dishes as well. Which is why I pointed out that salt serves more than just adding its own flavor to the dish, it also serves as a flavor enhancer and as a preservative. Just because you cooked it doesn't mean the salt in it can't help preserve it. Dishes with sugar in them go bad long before dishes with salt in them. See also unsalted butter verses salted butter.
As for salt being necessary in cooking, no it is not. If it was, no one would have ever cooked anything until we had discovered and begun using salt. Salt is a matter of taste and for some a matter of improvement over what they had before. For me it ruins the flavors of a dish when more than a pinch is added, for others it adds to it. Has nothing to do with elementary food science, but rather individual tastes.
Elementary Food Science says salt can act as a spice, a flavor enhancer, and as a preservative in both cooked and uncooked food items.


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