To the chefs of JTF - chicken soup - Kosher salt or Table salt?

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

When you make chicken soup, do you prefer to use "kosher salt" or table salt?  Which makes for a better tasting soup, or is there no difference?  

[Lisa]

I believe kosher salt is more potent that the table salt.  I guess it depends on your taste.

[TheViper]

I thought all salt was kosher?
I know some salt that is kosher has larger sized grains than others

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

I thought all salt was kosher?
I know some salt that is kosher has larger sized grains than others

All salt is kosher, but the bigger-grained salt was nicknamed "kosher salt" because it's typically used to salt meat (which is done to make meat kosher) and is particularly good at that.    Table salt is also kosher.    The difference though is a food difference, not a difference in kashrut, whereby the table salt is processed and contains some iodine derivatives and its grains are smaller.   

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

I believe kosher salt is more potent that the table salt.  I guess it depends on your taste.

Thanks.   Probably the more potent will be better.

I've been to so many Shabbat tables now after 3+ years of being a single frum guy.  But I can't figure out how all these women make their soups!   I've had so many that taste incredible.  And when I ask the recipe they don't really say anything different than my own basic strategy.   When I make soup though it tastes too bland.   I think I need better (fresh) vegetables, more salt (I will try kosher salt), and I did read online that if you add spices at the very end and not just at the beginning that this helps a lot too.    Usually I put all my spices in at the beginning.

[muman613]

I believe kosher salt is more potent that the table salt.  I guess it depends on your taste.

Thanks.   Probably the more potent will be better.

I've been to so many Shabbat tables now after 3+ years of being a single frum guy.  But I can't figure out how all these women make their soups!   I've had so many that taste incredible.  And when I ask the recipe they don't really say anything different than my own basic strategy.   When I make soup though it tastes too bland.   I think I need better (fresh) vegetables, more salt (I will try kosher salt), and I did read online that if you add spices at the very end and not just at the beginning that this helps a lot too.    Usually I put all my spices in at the beginning.

Another good reason to make a Shidduch!

[IsraeliGovtAreKapos]

I believe kosher salt is more potent that the table salt.  I guess it depends on your taste.

Thanks.   Probably the more potent will be better.

I've been to so many Shabbat tables now after 3+ years of being a single frum guy.  But I can't figure out how all these women make their soups!   I've had so many that taste incredible.  And when I ask the recipe they don't really say anything different than my own basic strategy.   When I make soup though it tastes too bland.   I think I need better (fresh) vegetables, more salt (I will try kosher salt), and I did read online that if you add spices at the very end and not just at the beginning that this helps a lot too.    Usually I put all my spices in at the beginning.

Lol women

[Lisa]

I read in the Book "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon that Jewish women in the past would use parts such as chicken feet for their soups.  The idea being that you need to use bones to make a great broth. 

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

I believe kosher salt is more potent that the table salt.  I guess it depends on your taste.

Thanks.   Probably the more potent will be better.

I've been to so many Shabbat tables now after 3+ years of being a single frum guy.  But I can't figure out how all these women make their soups!   I've had so many that taste incredible.  And when I ask the recipe they don't really say anything different than my own basic strategy.   When I make soup though it tastes too bland.   I think I need better (fresh) vegetables, more salt (I will try kosher salt), and I did read online that if you add spices at the very end and not just at the beginning that this helps a lot too.    Usually I put all my spices in at the beginning.

Another good reason to make a Shidduch!

 
 
  hahah

You make a good point.   But I really want to learn to cook well myself too.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

I believe kosher salt is more potent that the table salt.  I guess it depends on your taste.

Thanks.   Probably the more potent will be better.

I've been to so many Shabbat tables now after 3+ years of being a single frum guy.  But I can't figure out how all these women make their soups!   I've had so many that taste incredible.  And when I ask the recipe they don't really say anything different than my own basic strategy.   When I make soup though it tastes too bland.   I think I need better (fresh) vegetables, more salt (I will try kosher salt), and I did read online that if you add spices at the very end and not just at the beginning that this helps a lot too.    Usually I put all my spices in at the beginning.

Lol women

L'heetanayg b'tanoogeem!   To make the food taste great is a valuable skill, Ron.  It's not easy.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

I read in the Book "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon that Jewish women in the past would use parts such as chicken feet for their soups.  The idea being that you need to use bones to make a great broth. 

Oh.   I sometimes use cut up chicken pieces and other times I use boneless chicken breasts, I guess the chicken with the skin and the bones probably give more flavor.

[Ari Ben-Canaan]

Kosher salt [large grained] is usually used in larger quantities because there is more airspace between particles.  Chefs prefer it because it is easier to weigh out by hand [as it is more visually assessable].  I believe Alton Brown, a master chef [imo] on Food Network has proven that it mixes into water easier than regular salt does [although smaller grained salt is preferable if cooking something where enough water to dissolve salt is not appropriate].  For most recipes I think a 2:1 ratio for "Kosher style" salt vs. small grained salt is appropriate [often times the Kosher salt container will list a ratio for their product].

I make all of my soups from scratch.  I have found the spice blend called, "Hawajj" [Yemeni origin], really adds a tremendous boost of flavor.  I also add a bit of ground cayenne for kick.  I like to use peas in my soup to thicken it up [make sure to check the dates on the bag of peas; older peas mineralize and will not take on water, making the peas only slightly soft and partially hard regardless of how long you cook the peas for...  very unpleasant to eat][lentils are also another good addition; after all they are what Esau traded his legacy to Jacob for!].  Also, instant potatoes can be added in the soup process to suck up any unwanted water if making a thicker stew is your goal [the flakes work to thicken something up in mere seconds!][check the hescher on the potatoes, often sold in flake form; some have dairy added to them...  my "Idahoan" brand flakes are certified Parve by Orthodox Union][flour can be used to thicken up a soup if you do not have potato flakes but I usually leave that to thicken up a sauce if a sauce I am making is too watery at the end].

Usually I cut up onions, carrots, sometimes celery, and garlic and toss them into the water early [as well as all spices including salt and pepper] on to season the water [which will be soaked up by peas/rice/whatever else you put into your soup].  When mincing garlic, after chopping the garlic up to some degree I add a pinch of small grained salt to the garlic because it really helps break the garlic down during the mincing process and lets you get the garlic into very tiny pieces [take the amount of salt you add to the garlic in consideration to the total amount of salt you add to your recipe].

http://www.grouprecipes.com/76416/hawaij-spice-blend.html

Here is a link to some info on the Hawajj and how to concoct it from ordinary spices.

"Baharat" is another spice blend I use.  It is on the other end of the taste spectrum than the Hawajj.  Sweeter.  Its great on vegetables, but can also be used to make a good soup.  I recommend using it on veggies first to get a taste for the Baharat stuff and then try it out in soups if a good soup is what you wish to create. -- The Hawajj stuff is pretty forgiving to cook with so I recommend it to try out first.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

Funny you mention hawayej, that's the secret ingredient to the Teymani Soup which Yemenite Jews have as their traditional friday night meal.  This is the best soup I have ever tasted.  I was planning on trying out making Yemenite Soup after I perfected the chicken soup.    Making a fresh hawaij is a key to the Yemenite soup from what I've read.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

what are potato flakes?

[Ari Ben-Canaan]

Funny you mention hawayej, that's the secret ingredient to the Teymani Soup which Yemenite Jews have as their traditional friday night meal.  This is the best soup I have ever tasted.  I was planning on trying out making Yemenite Soup after I perfected the chicken soup.    Making a fresh hawaij is a key to the Yemenite soup from what I've read.

Indeed!  My studies of Yemeni culture led me to the Hawajj.

[Ari Ben-Canaan]

what are potato flakes?

I believe most 'instant potatoes' are compromised of potato flakes.  I am not sure if all instant potatoes are made of this, only all the ones I have bought since I have started to cook.  You can also use actual mashed potatoes to thicken up a soup as well, if you have them laying around from a previous meal it is an ideal way to keep your kitchen pumping out the goods w/o waste.

[HiWarp]

If your soup is too bland, you are simply not using enough salt. Period. If you had said that the soup lacked the rich flavor you had tasted in other people's soups, then that would be different.

Here's what I've picked up when making soups, for what it's worth.

Simmer, simmer, simmer the chicken (or whatever else you're using) and vegetables to make a rich, flavorful stock. When you are done simmering them, simmer them some more. I have done this to the point where I have reduced the amount of liquid by 1/3 the total volume.

Then, let it cool and refrigerate it overnight, with the chicken and vegetables still in the pot.

The following day, strain the liquid and make your soup. This will get you a very flavorful soup but, if you don't add the proper amount of salt, it will always be bland.

[angryChineseKahanist]

I prefer sea salt. It doesn't have aluminum compounds added.

[Boyana]

This makes my soup famous and delicious



http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/hs846.snc4/71

It is made in Serbia.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

If your soup is too bland, you are simply not using enough salt. Period. If you had said that the soup lacked the rich flavor you had tasted in other people's soups, then that would be different.   

Well, it's both

Here's what I've picked up when making soups, for what it's worth.

Simmer, simmer, simmer the chicken (or whatever else you're using) and vegetables to make a rich, flavorful stock. When you are done simmering them, simmer them some more. I have done this to the point where I have reduced the amount of liquid by 1/3 the total volume.

Then, let it cool and refrigerate it overnight, with the chicken and vegetables still in the pot.

The following day, strain the liquid and make your soup. This will get you a very flavorful soup but, if you don't add the proper amount of salt, it will always be bland.

Thanks.

What do you mean by "strain the liquid and make your soup"  ?    Wasn't the thing you left overnight the soup?   What liquid do you strain?

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

This makes my soup famous and delicious



http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/hs846.snc4/71

It is made in Serbia.

It seems that link is not working.

[Lisa]

KWRBT, here's what I think he means by straining the soup. 

When you make soup, and then refrigerate it overnight, a layer of fat will form overnight.  When you go to reheat the soup, simply spoon off the layer of fat, and you have low fat soup.

[cjd]

KWRBT, here's what I think he means by straining the soup. 

When you make soup, and then refrigerate it overnight, a layer of fat will form overnight.  When you go to reheat the soup, simply spoon off the layer of fat, and you have low fat soup.

I find getting rid of the excess fat in this way is a a must for Matzoh Ball Soup... It keeps the Matzoh balls from absorbing to much of the chicken fat.

[Lisa]

I like hard matzo balls!   

[JTFenthusiast2]

I like hard matzo balls!   

Yeah when they are soft, they are too 'mealy'  BTW, I never had warm gefilte fish before.  I really like it cold.  Warm, I felt like I wanted to puke