Adding salt after every ingredients?

Question

I see some TV chefs advocating in adding salt after each ingredient(vegetable and meat alike) is added to the cooking process in order to "seal in" the flavor. For instance, you add a bit of salt after adding onion and saute it a bit, then add a bit of salt after celebrity and carrots are added a bit later, and so on.

Is this claim legitimate? I personally feel this is pretty bogus - the purpose of adding salt, at the END of cooking process, is to stimulate the saltiness taste buds in order to accentuate the flavor. Salt doesn't actually react with the ingredients chemically to alter the flavor.

I don't think there is such thing as "sealing in" the flavor of each ingredients. Of course, each ingredient sequentially added to a dish would taste "a lot" better after you add a bit of salt to it, and then you sample that particular ingredient immediately after that. But this is the same thing as adding salt to your liking at the end of the cooking process.

So, is their claim correct?

Answer 1

I can actually say that I have never seen a chef do that. Doesn't sound correct to me. I can understand adding salt to "let the liquid out" of some foods, but not sealing in the flavor.

Answer 2

I think that the TV chefs think it makes them look smart if they add salt all the time - especially since they are using "designer salt" out of little bowls. It does make sense to add some occasionally during the cooking process, but not after every ingredient.. What is happening is that the salt is bringing out some flavor in the food at that point in the cooking. If you only added it at the end, your food would just taste like salt. Add way less than you see them do on TV.

Answer 3

Salt a good thing or a bad thing. If you wait until the end of cooking the salt cannot penetrate the food that you are cooking. The outside might be good tasting, but the inside will be bland. This prompts people to add more salt yet and that is a bad thing. Adding a bit of salt after every ingredient sounds to me like the best way to over sald a dish. It is easy to put in but hard to take back out. As for meats, poultry and shellfish, brining is one of the best methods, (brine = to soak in a Kosher salt or canning salt bath) and makes them particularly flavorful and juicy. Go on line and look for brining directions. I would recommend Cook's Illustrated for cooking anything, the magazine and the cooking show on public TV. Happy Dining!

Answer 4

While I have no clue, I only add a pinch (not like a practically quarter cup!) like TV chefs. If I ate too much salt, I know my blood pressure would go off the map! So I ignore what they say about adding salt.

Answer 5

I think its just a gimmick..... We use way to much salt as it is......especially when using processed ingredients.... Next they will be telling you to add a bit of sugar after every ingredient !!!

Answer 6

We use way too much salt . I use a pinch or nothing . Food is already loaded with salt .