What's new
By:
Filters
Cooking Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Salt

jglass

jglass

New member
I was watching Ann Burrell cook bolognese sauce on her show on the FN. I have never seen a chef use so much salt! She cooked veggies first with a handfull of salt. Then she added the beef and another handfull of salt. THEN at the end she added yet another handfull of salt. She always makes the comment that the reason food is restaurants tastes so good is that it is properly seasoned. I know some people here like Mama and Kevin have worked in restaurants. Do they use that much salt?!

My Mom and Dad always used tons of salt. I ate more salt than I should when I got married and Jon really made me cut back alot. My blood pressure was even up there a little. Since I started watching the salt my blood pressure is fine. I do season my food and I season it well but three handfulls of salt in one dish?? I add one handfull of salt to pasta water but I couldnt imagine three handfulls in my sauce. I use kosher and sea salt. My husband never puts salt on his food. The only salt he gets is when I season the food when Im cooking or if I add some to a dish to finish it. His whole family is that way. Where they dont eat much salt they are very sensitive to the flavor and can really taste even a little of it. I always watch when Im seasoning dishes for family dinners. Being a southern cook we can be a little heavy with the salt.

It bugged me alot when I was cooking the spaghetti pasta at my FIL's on Christmas Eve and he didnt have enough salt in the house to season the water. They just never use it. I wouldnt even eat pasta that came out of unseasoned water. Bleh!

My younger sister and her hubby are the same way. The never eat salt. She loves the pickles I made last summer but everytime she eats them her feet swell up. She is not used to all of the salt in pickles lol. Doesnt help she eats a whole jar lol.
 
Janie,

From what I have learned sea salt is much "saltier" and thus you do not need to use as much, I think some people go over-board. I love my food salty to a point but over-do it with the salt and yuck!
 
I think she said on the show that was kosher salt she was cooking with. Can you imagine three handfulls of salt in a pasta sauce? Yuck.
 
I have never liked a lot of salt, and at one time had to cut back. always used a lot of herbs and spices and a lot of citrus (squeeze lime on almost everything)
And am proud to say almost the only complaint I get on my dishes are undersalted? I show them the shaker.

when I think of all the prepared meats that some use in a bolognese along with the tomatoes, Yikes.

Even when on ships serving several hundred people, only time I can think of using a handful or two of salt is doing 20# or more of pulled pork or in a rub for meat or poultry. I don't brine a lot, but that would call for it?

I do taste for salt and pepper before serving and must be honest, when something seems a bit saltly to me it is usually just right?

Problem is (think I mentioned this before) I discovered finishing salts, now about eight on my shelf and am working my way through them, so very nice, but should be careful!!

and as stated above be very careful to read labels on any and all canned or prepared ingredients.
Nan
 
jglass said:
Salt is kinda like heat in a dish. You can always add more but you cannot take it out.
Click to expand...

So true Janie, I wonder if the lady you saw tossing handfuls of salt into her sauce was just doing antics for the camera? I wonder if anyone was really going to even eat it...God frobid they'd wind up embalmed like King Tut if they did eat it....from the sounds of it!
 
Well, was going through channels and came across this show--recognized her from being Mario's sous on Iron Chef. But this show was strange--between the head bobbing and arms flying, and strange things coming out of her mouth, I was flabbergasted.

First pureeing the vegies, why? finely chopped gives texture and seasoning, also garlic needs to be added sometime into the saute process, if it browns, it is bitter?

It all looked pretty awful without all the salt? Only other seasonings besides the mirepoix and garlic was thyme and bay leaves. Since this is a sauce I don't care for, I don't make it, but would have thought there would be a bit of oregano or basil? Several recipes in Italian books I have, have either or both.

Since Tuscany is to the south and west of Bologna and a real difference in food methods and seasonings, didn't understand her constant refering to Tuscany? this is my opinion?

here is a link to some comments on the show--
Ann Burrell's new show on FN - June 29 - Food Media and News - Chowhound

and one to the show--must admit, her lamb recipes are spot on and I will use the tips.

Secrets of a Restaurant Chef : Food Network

well girfriend, love an adventure in my cookbooks and search engines and you send me on a goodun!!

thanks and hugs,
Nan
 
Last edited:
She tasted it after she got finished with it. I have seen several episodes of her show and she uses a ton of salt in most of her dishes.
 
I just wonder if her taste buds are dead, maybe she has been a heavy smoker for years and has killed off her taste buds! hee-hee

On a serious note maybe her handfuls of salt are not actually full? Like maybe she is tossing in a little less that a 1/2 tsp or so and on TV it just appears to be a handful??? You know kind of like how they say the camera adds 10 Lbs. I know I pour salt into the palm of my hand for a "rough-estimate". It is not exactly a real handful by any means!
 
did you see the comments in the first link in my last post, several people were astounded. Several like myself wondered about the flying arms?
Nan
 
Last edited:
It looked like alot of salt to me. Way more than a tablespoon. I had only ever seen the other chef's and cooks use even close to that much to season a big pot of water for pasta.
It is easy when your used to eating alot of salt to just keep laying it on. I have done it before. My Mom and Dad were heavy smokers. My Mom over salted everything and I grew up eating food she cooked that way. Plus I would add even more when I ate it. After I started dating Jon and he heard me salting pizza and other stuff he insisted I cut back on the salt. I had to anyway when I was on meds for the ulcer. Now I season but nothing like my Mom used to lol. Mom had grown up eating that way. Her Mom and Dad both loved the salt and both were very heavy smokers.

She does fling her arms about Nan lol. Plus she does this strange voice that is all growly and sounds that one character from Sesame Street.
 
I wanted to add a comment about the smoking. Jon's brother Greg is a heavy freakin smoker. He is the only smoker I have ever seen who has one very good sense of taste.
I made a pork tenderloin once I marinaded in a 10 clove garlic marinade. You know he was able to name almost everything I had put into the marinade just by tasting it.
He always amazes me he is able to taste so clearly. Maybe that is why he is such a picky eater. For the past several holiday dinners I have been able to make dishes he really liked. I told Jon that couldnt last much longer lol.
 
I don't think I would eat in her restaurant - that's for sure.
She's always flapping her wings and calling food crap! Her and her lame attempts to make up new words (copying Rachel Ray) with her brown food and Earl for her oil. Total turn-off in my book.
I don't know where they got her - but they couldn't do any worse.
 
I almost always sprinkle salt on meats before I cook them. Salt kills bacteria, and also helps defrost that last little bit of frozen meat on a cut you had defrosting in the fridge :). But I try to go easy when using it. I rarely use it at the table.

I notice a lot of salt on the FN in general. I always notice that their measurements are way off, unless they have really REALLY tiny hands.
 
I was absent a coupla days, and after returning, somehow I've been missing this thread, janie... didn't see it until just now! (BTW- yes! Just WHO is this puppy-dawg-eyed boy your new avatar highlights? Looks lonesome- like he could use some company... Hee-Hee!)

I think lotsa commercial kitchens are guilty of using products (like chicken and meat bases) that have tons of added salt. But the other side of that I think is, most restaurant cooks tend to season with the idea that they're not seasoning according to personal taste- rather, seasoning for the public, who may have more sensitive palettes, preferring blander food. I would venture to say based on my own experience, that in most cases, restaurant cooks likely under-salt, versus over-salt, but I could be wrong, on the whole.

I personally tend to salt lightly. My Dad comes from that generation of hard-working, blue-collar men who came up never lettin' hold of the salt shaker the whole time they sat at the supper-table! He salts food before he even tastes it!

The only foods I tend to salt for myself are hard boiled eggs and sliced tomatoes. I also add half a dash of salt to oatmeal when it's cooking in the pan. Other than that- sometimes I go days without salting anything. Though I must admit, occasionally, like once or twice a month- I crave salty foods like potato chips or pretzels. But a coupla handfulls and I'm good.

Speaking of salt- it's such a hidden item in many things that we don't even suspect contain it! If you have your doubts, try a spoon-full of no-salt cottage cheese! I was SHOCKED! Had to actually spit it out it was so awful!
 
That is the guy from that new movie Twilight. Rob Pattinson.
My younger sister is crazy about him and that movie.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top