The earliest evidence of humans consciously salting food goes back 10,000 years. Then, salt was essential as a preservative for ingredients that were scarce or seasonal, particularly proteins. Dehydration, a second benefit of salting meat, occurs simultaneously. The exchange between H2O and NaCl molecules leaves the outer surface of the steak with less moisture, a boon to the caramelization that produce a golden, crackling crust. The most impressive of salts many spectacular traits (according to me), happens on a microscopic scale. It is the reaction between salt ions and the long strands of amino acids that are called proteins. These strands, generally coiled into tight balls like yarn, unfold in the presence of heat during cooking to form long networks of interconnected strings - like a meaty spider web. huffingtonpost/food-politic/food-science-101-salt_b_4870398.html?utm_hp_ref=science&ir=Science
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 14:49:20 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015