Accidents and incorrect measurements are sometimes part of cooking. Your salt grinder could break in the middle of seasoning your vegetable soup, or you could accidentally add 2 tbsp. of salt to your chili instead of 2 tsp. It is possible to balance the extra salt in your dish to avoid wasting your time, money and effort and to save dinner with a little creativity and patience.
Step 1
Peel and cut a potato into 1-inch chunks. Place the potato pieces into your dish if it is a soup, stew or other dish that would allow the potato to help absorb some of the salt. The trick has not been proven to work in every case, but many people do believe it works to draw some of the extra salt out of the dish. After simmering for 20 minutes, remove the potato and discard it. Taste your dish after removing the potato to assess the saltiness.
Step 2
Remove some of the cooking liquid and replace with water or sodium free stock. This will help to dilute the salt content of the dish and make the salt less noticeable.
Step 3
Add extra ingredients, increasing the size of the recipe to dilute the salt in the dish. For soups and stews, you could double the recipe and put half in the freezer to eat at another time. Other dishes may work well to freeze as well.
Step 4
Add a teaspoon of sugar or vinegar to the dish and mix well. These additions may help to counteract the salty flavor. Only add sugar or vinegar in small quantities and incorporate well prior to adding more. Always taste your dish before continuing to alter it to avoid destroying the intended flavors of the dish.
Things You'll Need
- Potato
- Water or sodium free stock
- Sugar or vinegar
- Measuring spoons
Member Comments