I accidentally dumped too much salt into tortilla soup pot! Gonna add more water but is there anything I can add to cut salt? Stock was del

MST
  • Posted by: MST
  • January 12, 2013
  • 13585 views
  • 6 Comments

6 Comments

pierino January 12, 2013
How much is "too much"? Yeah, once salt is in you can't take it out. But does it taste good? That's what really matters. Too little salt in a soup spells failure.
 
Pegeen January 12, 2013
I understand the concept of adding a raw potato to absorb salt but in the case of a soup, with greater liquid quantity, I think it's safe to say that a potato won't do it. It's just (annoying) math: decrease the volume of salted stuff and increase the volume of not-salted stuff.
 
MST January 12, 2013
I did a mix of both. Ripped out most of the fluid and added water, tomato paste, hits of spice and a splash of cumin. Simmering it down and just tasted - its back on track!

Thing is tortilla soup is delightful cause of the fresh fried tortillas, the chunks of avocado and the real deal crema. Not to mention gooey cheese. I did toss potatoes in as well but those didn't do much. I'm gonna save 'em and fry them up tomorrow though - they should make some killer mashed pots!

Thx for help all! *MST
www.bigsweettooth.com
 
ChefOno January 12, 2013
Follow Pegeen's advice. Adding anything to absorb the salt won't work (the laws of physics won't allow it).

I know a lot of people believe it but it's a culinary myth that a potato will absorb excess salt. Robert Wolke, professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh, author of What Einstein Told His Cook, explains (edited for clarity):

Potatoes will soak up salty water but they don't selectively extract salt out of the water. Would you be surprised if a sponge placed in salt water came out tasting salty? Of course not. The concentration of salt in the water -- the amount of salt per quart -- is not affected.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A25891-2001Apr17

 
Picholine January 12, 2013
Add a raw potato, it will absorb the salt. Please let me know what you did to fix it.
 
Pegeen January 12, 2013
For an immediate fix, remove 1/4 to 1/3 liquid from pot. Replace with low-sodium broth or water, or combination of both. Let simmer for a few minutes, taste. If still too salty (remember solids have absorbed salt), remove more liquid and replace with unsalted liquid. Taste again. (Save the liquid you're removing for another use - you can dilute it later before you use it again.)
 
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