What You Need to Know
A salt crust is a method of cooking by completely covering an ingredient such as fish, chicken or vegetables in salt before baking. The salt layer acts as insulation and helps cook the food in an even and gentle manner. After baking, the salt crust is cracked and discarded, revealing the moist and evenly cooked food.
Steps
- 1.
Branzino al sale (Italy): Preserves moisture in delicate Mediterranean sea bass
- 2.
Yan su ji (China): Creates crispy skin on salt-baked chicken
- 3.
Sel de mer en croûte (France): Infuses root vegetables with subtle salinity
The Science
Primary Reaction
Maillard Reaction