Maybe You're Salting Your Vegetables Too Late
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Maybe You're Salting Your Vegetables Too Late
You ever make coleslaw? (If yes, you'll probably know where I'm coming from; if no, what I'm about to say may save you some heartache). So, the way that the vast majority of recipes tell you to make slaw is to slice/shred some cabbage and put it in a big bowl with some combination of other veggies, mayo, mustard, vinegar, citrus, seasonings, salt and pepper. Here's the problem: as soon as you mix the salt with the cabbage, it starts pulling out moisture (that's what salt does). The water that's pulled out of the cabbage combines with all the other stuff that you put in the dressing and result in slaw that's, for lack of a better descriptor, watery.
The good news? This is totally preventable. By salting the cabbage in advance (before you dress it), you can pull out all of that water, and get rid of it before you add everything else. Not only will the slaw not be watery, but it'll actually stay crisper and fresher for longer.
Turns out that cabbage is just the beginning; there are a handful of vegetables that take really well to being salted in advance. It's about the simplest "technique" there is, and is kind of a game-changer. My rundown is below. If you're not already a pre-salter, I highly recommend you give it a shot. Either way, happy cooking.
—Mark
The word salad comes from the Latin word for salt, so it’s no surprise that the two concepts go hand in hand: salting vegetables, even briefly, can maximize their crispness and flavor by causing them to release their water. But when should you add salt? Turns out that timing matters.
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