Salt Resistant Cookware

[Anna N]

8 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

An attempt to elucidate Olney's salt bed method led to an equally queer culinary remembrance

I found this intriguing especially the description of the texture of the mashed potatoes:

 

“The gibelotte was all right, the mashed potatoes the best I had ever eaten, pushed through a sieve, buttered and moistened with enough of their hot cooking water to bring them to a supple, not quite pourable consistency—no milk, no cream, no beating. I had never dreamt of mashing potatoes without milk and, in Iowa, everyone believed that, the more you beat them, the better they were.”

 

[Smithy]

9 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Maybe two inches.  Potato nestled on the top.  No, I don't wet my salt.  Salt is hygroscopic.  It absorbs water.  Which I believe is the whole intent and purpose of the salt bed.  I'll have to experiment with partially burying a potato.

 

However I believe Hamilton is after a no less delicious, though quite different result than Olney.  An attempt to elucidate Olney's salt bed method led to an equally queer culinary remembrance:

 

https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/first/o/olney-reflexions.html?scp=33&sq=main%20dish&st=cse

 

Your method is nearly like mine, which I picked up from Paula @Wolfert some years ago. The main difference is that I usually roast a chicken atop those half-buried baby spuds. The juices flavor the potatoes and soak into the salt for a fairly easy cleanup. (It's delicious, but does seem wasteful on two counts: no juices to save for later purposes, and all that salt goes into the garbage afterward. OTOH the salt prevents juices from burning and allows high-heat roasting without making a mess.)

 

I use clay pots, but if I didn't have clay I would use Corningware or a ceramic baking dish. I know you've already placed your enamelware order, but I wanted to weigh in for future readers.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

7 hours ago, Anna N said:

I found this intriguing especially the description of the texture of the mashed potatoes:

 

“The gibelotte was all right, the mashed potatoes the best I had ever eaten, pushed through a sieve, buttered and moistened with enough of their hot cooking water to bring them to a supple, not quite pourable consistency—no milk, no cream, no beating. I had never dreamt of mashing potatoes without milk and, in Iowa, everyone believed that, the more you beat them, the better they were.”

 

 

Onley's mashed potatoes struck me too (perhaps not literally).  But compare with Herve This:

 

"Mashing the potatoes with a bit of reserved cooking water hastens the incorporation of amylose into solution and the swelling up of the starch granules, with the result that the whole thing forms a sticky mass.  On the contrary, mashing them with milk, which contains caseins, limits the swelling of the starch and therefore yields a smoother, more pleasing consistency."

 

[Anna N]

48 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

But compare with Herve This:

I suspect the use of butter can make the difference especially if used in copious quantities. 

[Toliver]

On 6/6/2021 at 10:04 AM, NancyH said:

Would parchment paper work?

 

On 6/6/2021 at 11:51 AM, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Parchment paper should be safe, but at 425F the paper would darken and crumble and have to be replaced each time.

 

Well, that is the selfless purpose of parchment; It's meant to be used once and then disposed of.

To give its life for your baked potato on a bed of salt is a noble purpose indeed. 

[Anna N]

5 minutes ago, Toliver said:

 

Well, that is the selfless purpose of parchment; It's meant to be used once and then disposed of.

To give its life for your baked potato on a bed of salt is a noble purpose indeed. 

Don’t you think after two hours at 425°F the parchment may have disintegrated and long ago lost its ability to protect the pan?

[Toliver]

8 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Don’t you think after two hours at 425°F the parchment may have disintegrated and long ago lost its ability to protect the pan?

The edges, perhaps. But it should be snuggly safe under the bed of salt.