Salting

[junmist]

Ok I am being given some runner beans ( at lest someone had a good year with them) so following on from jansman saying that he had salted some I thought I would give it ago. I looked on the internet ( were else) and it seemed easy enough but no one said how much salt was needed but I've had a go anyway and fingers crossed that I have put enough salt in. 2 questions do I need to empty any liquied out that forms or do I just leave it in with the beans and 2 can I reuse the salt if I dry it out afterwards sorry never tried salting anything before.

[jansman]

I use 1gallon food bucket with snap type lid. Handful of salt in bottom,then slice beans onto it.When they are a couple inches deep,another handful of salt and so on. They used to say 3lb beans to 1lb salt,so pro rata I think.
Do not tip the liquor that is the brine preservative.keepit all in a cool place. Done!

Asfor drying the salt, let me know how you get on-I never really thought of it. Given the beans will be used in Winter I will use the brine for de-icing paths.
When you use the beans they will need a couple of soaks/water changes. We find them far superior to frozen.

[Maddie_cat]

I tried "making" sea salt. I got a pint of sea water and, to prevent ruining a pan, put it in a double boiler (or a bain marie). Had to boil it for ages but ultimately, it does leave the salt residue around the bowl. Dread to think of the cost of the fuel I burnt to make it though!

In other words, you could probably "dry" out the brine.

[tigs]

maddie i wonder if this is a help to you http://www.howtobaker.com/techniques/in ... ea-salt-2/

[Maddie_cat]

That would save on fuel! Must hae another go.

[tigs]

i think it ends up more like table salt rather than the sea salt we all know but salt is salt , i wonder if it would work on an open fire ( cant see why not) !! bonfire night is coming around soon

[Titchtonka]

I work for a company that supplies various products to restaurants, pubs etc etc & we sell many "ancillary items" like toilet paper, first aid kits and 25kg sacks of food grade salt (the salt is granular, about the same size as course sea salt) I will be checking the "staff cost" of all these items this week.

I think the salt is used in water softeners, but it is not much more then £5GBP for 25kg, I will be throwing 4 bags into the back of my shed for after the SHTF! so for little cost I will have 100kg of granular salt!

Of course if TSHTF big time and society totally crumbles I will go and grab a few pallets of the stuff from our warehouse as it will be a valuable commodity if there is no electiric to run fridges and freezers!

If anyone is doing lots of salting pre-SHTF then dont spend a fortune on salt down at the local supermarket, look for local outlets where you can buy the large sacks of it.

My only conern is should the salt be fine ground when used for salting meat etc? If so I will look into some sort of grinder (prefrerable not electric)

[jansman]

Look into your food suppliers, they can usually supply salt. In bulk. Although a poster here mentioned that table salt(Tesco) was 32p? A kilo. That will be about the same as a bulk sack. Also easier to handle. Fill yer boots!