Salt is one of the most used condiments to instantly give more flavor to a food. If you are often looking for a salt shaker while cooking or at the table, it may be time to cut back on your salt intake, especially if your doctor recommended it. Fortunately, there is no need to sacrifice taste. You can create ready-to-use condiments specific to some foods, such as meat or fish, and a multipurpose one for all others. The list of ingredients you can substitute for salt is very long and includes spices, herbs, lemon juice, vinegar, wine and broth.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Create a Salt-Free Dressing
Step 1. Make a salt-free seasoning suitable for chicken and poultry meat in general
For example, you can use it to add flavor to the turkey. Season the meat with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and two teaspoons of the spice mixture, then cook it following the directions of the chosen recipe. To make a perfect salt-free dressing for poultry, combine:
- 1 tablespoon of dried sage powder;
- 1 tablespoon of dried thyme powder;
- 1 tablespoon of dried marjoram powder;
- 1 teaspoon of dry powdered rosemary;
- 1 teaspoon of celery seeds reduced to powder;
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper powder.
Step 2. Make a salt-free dressing suitable for beef
If you're used to seasoning roasts and steaks with just salt and pepper, it's finally time to try something new. Replace the salt and pepper with a seasoning that will enhance the taste of most cuts of beef. Use a pinch for every half pound of meat. To make a perfect salt-free seasoning for beef, combine:
- 1 tablespoon of garlic powder;
- 1 and a half teaspoons of dry basil;
- 1 and a half teaspoons of dried parsley;
- 1 heaped teaspoon of dried thyme powder;
- 1 teaspoon of nutmeg;
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder;
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper powder;
- 1 teaspoon of dried sage powder;
- A pinch of cayenne pepper.
Step 3. Make a salt-free seasoning for the fish
If you like to lend a citrus and spicy note to fish and seafood, create a Creole-style version of the dressing. Sprinkle a pinch on the fish and cook over high heat to toast the spices and make them fragrant. To make a salt-free seasoning suitable for fish and seafood, combine:
- 15 g of garlic powder;
- 15 of black pepper powder;
- 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon of dried thyme powder;
- 1 tablespoon of dry basil powder;
- 1 tablespoon of dried oregano powder;
- 2 and a half tablespoons of paprika;
- 1 and a half tablespoons of onion powder.
Step 4. Make an all-purpose salt-free dressing
If you can't help but use a salt shaker at the table, create a spice blend that can replace table salt. This way you will be able to instantly give more flavor to any ingredient. Prepare the dressing and store it in a glass jar. Combine the following spices:
- 2 tablespoons of black pepper powder;
- 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon of paprika;
- 1 tablespoon of onion powder;
- 1 tablespoon of garlic powder;
- 1 bay leaf reduced to powder.
Part 2 of 2: Using Flavorful Ingredients
Step 1. Use lemon juice
It is a great substitute for salt as it has an equally pungent and intense flavor. You can add flavor to your dishes by using lemon juice or zest. The clean and intense flavor of lemon goes well in particular with:
- Raw or cooked vegetables;
- Aromatic herbs (try making a pasta sauce with aromatic herbs and lemon);
- Fish and poultry;
- All breaded and fried foods.
Step 2. Use fresh herbs
Try to always have them on hand to be more inclined to use them. For convenience, you can chop them and store them in the refrigerator to have them ready to use. Aromatic herbs also add a decorative touch to dishes. Try using the following fresh herbs that go well with a wide variety of foods:
- Basil;
- Dill;
- Parsley;
- Rosemary;
- Thyme;
- Chives.
Step 3. Use wine for cooking
With white or red wine you can easily add more flavor to many dishes. Pour about 100 ml of white or red wine into the saucepan and let it cook so that it reduces. Remember that the wine must be of good quality as well as any other ingredient in the recipe.
For example, try adding some red wine to tomato sauce for pasta and let it simmer slowly for an hour to intensify the taste. Or make spaghetti with seafood and blend the ingredients with white wine
Step 4. Use vegetable, beef, or chicken broth
If one of the ingredients in the recipe is water, you can replace it with a meat or vegetable broth. Make sure it's salt-free or, better yet, make it yourself. The broth is tastier than water, and you may even want to avoid salting the recipe.
For example, if you are making a vegetable soup, replacing the water with the vegetable broth will immediately make it tastier
Step 5. Grill the food to give it more flavor
Make a very simple salt-free marinade to season your meat or vegetables with before placing them on the grill. Barbecue gives food a great smoky taste which in many cases makes salt superfluous. For a surprising result, try using hickory or mesquite wood chips or a cedar aromatic board for grilling.
Make a sour marinade to add flavor to meat or vegetables cooked on the barbecue. For example, you can marinate the chicken in a lime vinaigrette and grill it to give it a smoky note
Step 6. Add some vinegar
There are many different types of vinegar that you can substitute for salt. Try flavoring your dishes with a splash of red wine vinegar, white wine, apple or balsamic vinegar. According to experts, vinegar is able to enhance the savory taste of the ingredients. For example, you can use it to make it more appetizing:
- A stew;
- A salad;
- A marinade;
- The stewed vegetables.
