Substitutes for Salt for Grilling


 
Don Fry

Don Fry

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We all know that salt influences flavor, but my question is related to salt's other properties of drawing out moisture. Have you found any substitute to use or add with less salt to draw moisture out of things like eggplant before grilling?
 
In Japan they "cure" using Kombu, dried kelp that is slightly rubbery but not on a big steak or brisket. usually fish.

Are you wanting to avoid the sodium intake for health reasons? I ask because there are other types of salts besides the usual sodium choride that have similar properties, however your body usually responds the same as salt.

You can dry a steak or chops in the fridge on a rack for a few days if you think of it in advance and there are other threads on here about dry-aging your own meat.
 
I personally do not have a problem with salt from a health perspective, but I know a number of people have been put on low salt diets. I am just trying to increase my knowledge in this area so I can be a good host when I have guests with this type of diet. I know ways to compensate or at least mitigate on the stove top with use of herbs etc. to offset the loss of flavor. What I don't know how to do is to how to compensate for the things it does in preparations for items to be grilled such as when brining or removing water from vegetables. Maybe the right answer it just make something else.
 
Don we use sea salt when it's really necessary. My wife and I have high blood pressure so less salt is better, no salt is best. For some it can be totally forbidden. I'm pretty pleased with what I can cook without salt. I know brining is almost sacred on this site but since we eat very little salt now we don't care for brining. I've tried it three times over the past year and it's just not for me. Once you get used to not having it, the presence of salt can be overwhelming.
I make all my own rubs now because pretty well everyone I've tried is laced with salt. I don't know that drawing the moisture out of meat is all that important before a cook. I agree salt can really add a lot of flavour to vegetables but so can other seasongs and juices.
 
Gary S said:
Don we use sea salt when it's really necessary. My wife and I have high blood pressure so less salt is better, no salt is best. For some it can be totally forbidden. I'm pretty pleased with what I can cook without salt. I know brining is almost sacred on this site but since we eat very little salt now we don't care for brining. I've tried it three times over the past year and it's just not for me. Once you get used to not having it, the presence of salt can be overwhelming.
I make all my own rubs now because pretty well everyone I've tried is laced with salt. I don't know that drawing the moisture out of meat is all that important before a cook. I agree salt can really add a lot of flavour to vegetables but so can other seasongs and juices.
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When using sea salt...
Do you use as if it was regular salt or use less? I seen sea salt and it looks like bigger chunks.
 
Tony there are various sizes. We have a salt grinder so I like the more course cystals for the table. When I make my sausage I use a fine grind of sea salt and you would not know the difference in texture. The main difference however in the two salts is sea salt has no additives like iodine. Honestly I don't think it's any healthier but some people think so.
 
Gary S said:
Tony there are various sizes. We have a salt grinder so I like the more course cystals for the table. When I make my sausage I use a fine grind of sea salt and you would not know the difference in texture. The main difference however in the two salts is sea salt has no additives like iodine. Honestly I don't think it's any healthier but some people think so.
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Thanks Gary.
I will give it a try.
 
For 37 years I have had high blood pressure that is managed by low salt, exercise and prescription meds. So I use very little salt.
Thought at first that I could never live without it. But on most foods I replaced it with fresh ground black pepper, and garlic, onions,
celery seeds, citrus juices, home made sauces, marinades and there are a lot of options out there if you look.
 
Reduction in salt does lower blood pressure, however, not by that much, especially if quite high. Losing weight and regular exercise is the best way to lower bp. I was on a bp medication for several years until I finally started the program of dropping a few pounds, 30 in my case, and hitting the gym 3-4 times a week. I'm off the meds now with my bp in the normal range. For years I lowered my salt intake, and started using No-Salt salt in most things, and never really noticed much difference in bp readings. Better for you is to eat more fruits and veggies each day to increase potassium levels. Remember some sodium is necessary. I still brine some foods, usually chicken breasts, but do use part salt and part No-Salt to do it.

As we age bp will usually increase despite our best efforts...............................d
 
David said:
Reduction in salt does lower blood pressure, however, not by that much, especially if quite high. Losing weight and regular exercise is the best way to lower bp. I was on a bp medication for several years until I finally started the program of dropping a few pounds, 30 in my case, and hitting the gym 3-4 times a week. I'm off the meds now with my bp in the normal range. For years I lowered my salt intake, and started using No-Salt salt in most things, and never really noticed much difference in bp readings. Better for you is to eat more fruits and veggies each day to increase potassium levels. Remember some sodium is necessary. I still brine some foods, usually chicken breasts, but do use part salt and part No-Salt to do it.

As we age bp will usually increase despite our best efforts...............................d
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I'm with you, David. Two years ago I had a major coronary "event" at 54 and I never want to repeat it.since then, I lost 60 pounds and exercise daily. I limit salt by avoiding a lot of processed foods, which is where salt is rampant. My blood pressure is under control through meds and exercise, but I do use salt to cure meats and the occasional brine since I'm not being fed salt from processed foods.
 
Watched an old episode of America’s Test Kitchen and Chris Kimball discussed salt substitutes. He said there are basically two types. One has no sodium (totally salt free) and the other is a mixture which includes some sodium. A brand name of one with no sodium is Nu-Salt®. An example of a mixture is Morton’s Lite Salt. Essentially, he said that the one no sodium tends to have a bitter taste when it is used in cooking and heat is applied. It is really made to be used at the table to add a salt like flavor to food that is already prepared. He said the better choice for cooking applications is to use a salt substitute that has some salt in it.

What he did say that was really interesting is that for brining, the product with no sodium works just as well in terms of adding moisture because the chloride is what affects the brining process, not the sodium. He did caution that some bitter taste may be present when the meat is cooked, but the use of the lite salt or regular salt during cooking would help offset it.

For anyone under doctor’s orders to cut down on salt, this would probably be worth pursuing further.
 
you might try experimenting a little with vinegar - I used to watch my salt intake but not anymore (I should). I don't remember what I used it on specifically, it's been several years, but here's some ideas if you'd like to read into it.

>>>edit: an interesting link from that search-----I read a few
 
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