When I Oversalt Blank, I Blank

[racheld]

When I oversalt meat. I wash it and pat it dry, then go on with the recipe.

(Says rachel, whose big ole handled shaker parted ways with its lid and scattered about a cup of salt over pork chops, wax paper, countertop, coffeepot drain, and countless spice bottles last week). And the chops had already had ONE bath, to remove those pesky bone chips omnipresent on pork.

[forever_young_ca]

I am making Dehlia Smiths steak, kidney and mushroom pie. I am at the stage where I have braised the ingredients together in the oven, but have not put the crust on the pie.

Unfortunately I have oversalted the dish, just a tad.

I know there is a technique for reducing the "salt" taste, but I can't find it in any of my books.

Is there anybody that can help?

[weinoo]

You can try a little acid (i.e lemon juice) or add a cut-up baking potato to the braising liquid, which should absorb some of the salt.

[Tri2Cook]

or add a cut-up baking potato to the braising liquid, which should absorb some of the salt.

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I've never seen that little gem of cooking lore actually work. Does it work for others?

[jackal10]

add Sugar if you have only oversalted a little

BAsically tasebuds work by contrast, so if you raise the amount of the other flavours (sugar, acid) it will seem a llitle less salty.

However there is no real way out short of diluting it.

If you have not yet started to cook you could wash the ingredients, and re-assemble

[baroness]

or add a cut-up baking potato to the braising liquid, which should absorb some of the salt.

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I've never seen that little gem of cooking lore actually work. Does it work for others?

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I read somewhere -- Cook's Illustrated, possibly, or the New York Times? -- that the potato trick does not work when scientifically tested. One does see it offered as advice in many sources, though.

[pennylane]

If you've only oversalted it a little, I would say just leave it as it is... it probably won't taste that salty in the finished product, with the pastry and whatever else you're planning to serve with it. Plus most people seem to have quite a high threshold for salt, at least compared to me...

[forever_young_ca]

Thanks to all for the suggestions.

I have heard of the potato trick, but based on what was said above, did not know if that would work.

I ended up squeezing juice of almost 1/2 a lemon into the mixture. It was not enough to taste "lemony", but did help reduce the salt taste. In fact, I think it improved the dish as it brightened the flavour!