Quote:
Originally Posted by Mccree
So cooking experts I have a question.
When is the best time to add salt and pepper?
Is sea salt, kosher salt etc..really that different from Table (normal) salt.
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As a general rule, the better you season while you are cooking, the less you will have to do after. Consequently, most recipes will suggest adding your seasonings, including salt, relatively early in the cooking process. Later, as the dish approaches readiness, tasting for final balance of seasonings is usually done. Of course, certain foods make the tasting and adjusting part a bit tricky. Also, certain foods require a fair bit of salt (pasta water, for example, should be "ocean salty" in order to get the taste into the pasta as it cooks). Other foods, like mushrooms, can't be salted too early in the process as too much moisture leeches out of them and you end up boiling the food instead of frying / sauteeing it.
In terms of salt types, most larger "grain" salts (i.e. kosher, sea salt, etc...) actually pack less saltiness per amount than table salt but often have additional interesting flavour notes. So adjust accordingly. Also, the other consistancies of salt are sometimes useful as part of the texture and mouth appeal of a food just as much as for the salt taste.