The timing of adding salt during cooking affects the taste and nutrition of the entire dish. How do you master the timing of adding salt when cooking?
Adding salt at the beginning of heating: Marinating, steaming meat, stewing
In general, for rich and flavorful meat dishes, it is necessary to pre-marinate and season some of the ingredients before cooking to fully infuse them with flavor. For example, the meat in Shrimp-Fried Pork (Yu Xiang Rou Si) and Sweet and Sour Pork (Tang Cu Li Ji) needs to be marinated first to achieve a savory taste throughout. Some dishes require battering or steaming, and since they cannot be seasoned later, salt must be added before heating, such as in boiled meatballs, fried chicken cutlets, and steamed pork with rice powder. In home cooking, stewing is also a common method. For dishes like Braised Pork Belly (Hong Shao Rou) and Mapo Tofu that require slow cooking, adding salt at the beginning of heating is essential to achieve a rich and flavorful taste.
Adding salt in the later stages: Stewing, braising, stir-frying
Adding salt too early to some dishes can easily affect their appearance and texture. For example, when making beef stew with potatoes, adding salt first will cause the meat's fibers to tighten prematurely, preventing it from absorbing the flavor fully. Therefore, whether stewing or braising, adding salt when the dish is about 70-80% cooked will result in tender meat and a savory taste. Additionally, for soups, it's best to add salt just before serving to allow the protein, calcium, iron, and other nutrients from the ingredients to dissolve more fully, making the soup more delicious. When stir-frying vegetables, salt should also be added in the later stages; otherwise, adding it too early will cause the vegetables to release water, carrying away vitamin C and other water-soluble vitamins.
Adding salt after cooking: Cold dishes, barbecue, steamed vegetables
Dishes that require salt to be added after cooking are rare and generally include cold dishes, barbecue, and steamed vegetables. For cold dishes like a large mixed salad (Da Ban Cai) and cold shredded jellyfish, the ingredients are prepared and blanched first, then seasonings like soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil are added, mixed well, and salt is added last.
To highlight the salty, crispy, and tender texture of barbecue, it is often served with dipping sauces like salt and pepper powder, chili sauce, or a savory sauce. Salt-and-pepper chicken (Yan Su Ji) and grilled pork chops with sauce are typical examples of dishes where salt is added after cooking.
When steaming vegetables, it is recommended to drizzle a small amount of soy sauce over them after they are cooked. If soy sauce is used, salt, monosodium glutamate (MSG), or chicken essence should be used sparingly or not at all to avoid excessive sodium intake.