On Sat, 28 Oct 2006 11:15:31 -0700, Nonnymus
wrote:

I admit that I'm sure as heck not a trained chef or that knowledgeable
about many food items. I'd honestly appreciate it if someone would tell
me why salts are different. Why do we rub a roast with Kosher salt and
not finely ground salt? What is the difference?

In school, I learned that table salt was Sodium Chloride and that some
companies added iodine to it to help out your thyroid gland. I also
know that sodium chloride occurs naturally and that it can be ground to
different sizes. There are other "salts," such as sea salt with other
naturally occuring salts mixed in, but I think of that more as a blended
salt and not just table salt. I can see where sea salt would have a
different property on meat than plain old sodium chloride. I personally
use potassium chloride in my water softener, but don't care for its
"salt" flavor in foods.

Please, if someone out there really understands the differences in salts
on food, I'd appreciate it if they'd post their knowledge.

IIRC, there's been a *lot* of info on this matter posted right hyar in
afb.

IMO, salt is salt is salt. Different grinds/textures affect certain
kinds of cooking differently, yes. And obviously, the
presence/absence of iodine is a factor.

-denny-
--

The test of courage comes when we are in the minority.
The test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority.

"Nonnymus" wrote in message
...
Thanks to you and Kent for the information. The main thing I confirmed
was my belief that dissolved salt is salt, and most all the fuss is about
weight/volume. One comment in the article stated that Kosher salt is
preferred by some chefs because it's easy to pinch up and sprinkle easily.
That's my belief as well. In my reading here in the newsgroup, I had the
incorrect impression that there was somehow a "flavor" difference between
Kosher and table salt. All the fuss was about the iodized part and
"strength,", which now makes good sense.

I have 6 chicken legs and a breast marinating in my apple juice
concoction, but am using 2 oz and a quart of juice as the base and not the
4 oz, as before. I'm also playing around with my vacuum marinader. I
found one at Fry's for $20, and couldn't resist. So far, I really like my
Foodsaver vacuum sealer and the cannisters I got.

Nonny

Chef Kurt wrote:
Nonnymus wrote:
I admit that I'm sure as heck not a trained chef or that knowledgeable
about many food items. I'd honestly appreciate it if someone would tell
me why salts are different. Why do we rub a roast with Kosher salt and
not finely ground salt? What is the difference?

Nonny,


They do taste differently. Take a few grains Kosher salt, sea salt, and
table salt and taste them side by side. The Kosher and sea salts are better
than the table salt, least to my palate. This was pointed in a cooking class
and after running a taste test all agreed. I personally don't think it is
worth putting Kosher and the others in brine. I don't think the taste
difference is apparent in the brine solution, and it I don't think it
affects the taste of the brined meat.

Kent

Kent