Help! My Prosciutto Is Too Salty!
Salt enhances the taste of meat, but too much salt can ruin it. Determining the right amount of salt needed for a specific dish can be challenging, and mistakes are commonplace.
Finding your prosciutto turned out too salty is frustrating, though there’s no need to throw it away – you might be able to salvage it!
One of the best ways to remove some of that saltiness is to simmer the prosciutto in water for about five minutes and then cook it in a pan with some plant oil for a few minutes. If you don’t want to cook the meat further, you can always just place it in a container with distilled water for a few hours and then dry it off with a paper towel.
Also, pairing the salty prosciutto with something sweet or acidic can help neutralize its saltiness while eating it, although it won’t actually get rid of the saltiness.
In this guide, I’ll share the best methods to fix prosciutto that’s too salty. I’ll also suggest ways to avoid oversalting food in general and prosciutto in particular in the future. Then, read on to find out how to get rid of excess sodium chloride concentration.
How to Fix Salty Prosciutto
Prosciutto too salty? Let’s go over some different approaches for fixing it.
Simmer the Prosciutto in Water
This is one of the most effective ways to neutralize overly salty prosciutto, which also work for other meat types (except for hamburgers and meatballs).
Place the meat in a pan with a bit of water. It should be fully submerged and shouldn’t float. Simmer for about five minutes, then strain the water.
Next, pour a bit of plant oil into the pan and cook for a couple more minutes. This will make your prosciutto less salty but also crispy.
Soak the Prosciutto in Distilled Water
If you don’t want to add the crispiness, use a hack with distilled water.
Rinse the meat under regular cold water. Then, place it into a container or pot with distilled water.
Taste the meat after a few hours. If it’s still too salty, repeat the process. You can safely leave the meat overnight, though drying afterward will be necessary.
Finally, take the prosciutto out, dry it with a paper towel, and let it sit for some time at room temperature. You may need to use the towel a few more times to drain the prosciutto.
When you think it’s dry enough, put it in the fridge. Don’t do it straight away, though, as a high amount of water inside the meat may lead to it changing texture.
Pair the Prosciutto with Other Foods
The easiest way to fix too salty prosciutto is to simply neutralize the taste rather than eliminate the extra salt.
You can pair it with something acidic, sweet, or fat. While combining prosciutto with sweet foods may seem odd, some relatively sweet fruit, like melon, or berry sauces and honey can complement the meat.
Some of the best acidic additions to prosciutto are vinegar and chimichurri. If you like citrusy notes, sprinkle the prosciutto with lemon.
Butter, creamy sauces, avocado, and other fatty foods also help to fight saltiness. My favorite fatty ingredient to pair with prosciutto, though, is cheese.
Neutralizing sides, such as pasta or potatoes, also work great.
Finally, you can cut the prosciutto into very thin slices to mask the intensity.
How to Prevent Overly Salty Prosciutto in Your Next Batch
Let’s now go over some things you can do to make sure your prosciutto doesn’t turn out too salty the next time.
Buy the Right Type of Prosciutto in the Grocery Store
The steps to preventing overly salty prosciutto start not in your kitchen but in the grocery store.
Often, ready-to-cook meats are already salted. One common reason for this is that manufacturers use salted water injections to increase the weight of the meat.
Thus, when shopping for meat, choose fresh meat and check the label. This is necessary as some meat is thawed out before it’s placed on store shelves, giving the impression of being fresh.
If you see the terms ‘sodium solution’ or ‘broth,’ search for an alternative piece of meat.
Be Wary of Other Seasonings
When preparing prosciutto for cooking, take into account other salty seasonings you’re using.
Even if you add the right amount of salt, the meat may turn out too salty depending on the spices used. That’s especially relevant if you use pre-made spice mixes that almost always contain salt.
Don’t measure salt directly above the meat. This advice applies to cooking any meal. If you pour too much of it, it will get onto your prosciutto.
Sometimes, you may not even notice it until you take a bite. If you use a salt shaker, check the lid before use. If it isn’t closed tight enough, extra salt may end up in your food.
When sprinkling salt with your fingers, do it from a distance. This will ensure that it’s distributed evenly.
Start with Less Salt (Then Add More Later)
Add a bit less salt than you think is needed before cooking. The prosciutto may turn out perfectly salted as the saltiness intensifies during cooking.
It’s easier to add more afterward than to remove excessive salt. You may also take the meat out in the middle of the process and taste it.
Switching to kosher salt helps to control the amount of salt used. As regular table salt comes in very fine grains, it’s hard to measure the required amount precisely.
Kosher salt comes in larger grains and is less salty. Thus, by adding the same amount of kosher salt as you would of table salt, the result will be less salty.
A common misconception is that low-sodium salt is less salty, so people who use it for the first time often use it too much. In fact, low-sodium salt tastes just like regular salt. The only difference is the chemical compound.
30 to 60% of sodium is replaced with potassium chloride. While this makes the salt taste less salty, manufacturers also add magnesium carbonate to enhance the flavor. So, be careful with low-sodium salt.
Try a salt detox. Salt, just like sugar, works like a drug that leads to addiction. Furthermore, over time, you stop noticing the saltiness and crave more of it.
If you reduce the amount of salt or stop using it altogether, you’ll soon notice a difference in the taste of food.
Salt masks natural food flavors, so you’ll likely be pleasantly surprised how tasty everything can be without salt.
In Summary
Hopefully, this guide has helped you fix your overly salty prosciutto issue.
While all these fixes work, none of them are perfect. Some may affect the meat texture, while others take a lot of time or mask the taste.
It’s always better to be careful during the preparation than to try fixing the prosciutto afterward.
Follow my advice on avoiding oversalting, and your prosciutto will turn out perfect every time!
