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Reusing salt considerations

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atomicsmoke

atomicsmoke

Master of the Pit
Original poster
OTBS Member
Apr 3, 2014
4,313
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Toronto, Canada
This question was also asked by DaveOmak on Mr.Ts salt crustes aged beef thread.

Can salt (kosher, since is more expensive) be reused after being in contact with raw meat?

Especially after hitting it with say, 350F for 30min?

All I know about food safety makes me think the answer is yes. What do you fellows think?

Last night I buried some duck breasts in salt - needed 6lbs of it. Is not exactly inexpensive, so I would like to reuse if it is safe.
 
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Im not a salt expert by any stretch, but would say its not a good practice- ever. I imagine there would be contaminates in the salt that could possibly spoil even after it has been cooked off. Salt itself has preservative qualities, but still don't think the practice would be USDA approved.

I might suggest other cheaper disposable salts that can be used just as effectively such as rock salt, and even pool salt for bulk uses.
 
Salt draws moisture out of meat, organisms - I can't imagine anything surviving on it.

What makes you think the contaminants would still be active? Or is just the "yuk" factor?
 
atomicsmoke said:
This question was also asked by DaveOmak on Mr.Ts salt crustes aged beef thread.

Can salt (kosher, since is more expensive) be reused after being in contact with raw meat?

Especially after hitting it with say, 350F for 30min?

All I know about food safety makes me think the answer is yes. What do you fellows think?

Last night I buried some duck breasts in salt - needed 6lbs of it. Is not exactly inexpensive, so I would like to reuse if it is safe.
Click to expand...
I can't imagine any governing/oversight body recommending this in any way, shape, or form.  It's no different than any other ingredient we run across here, from spices to meats to equipment:  it's the cost of doing business.
 
gr0uch0 said:
I can't imagine any governing/oversight body recommending this in any way, shape, or form.  It's no different than any other ingredient we run across here, from spices to meats to equipment:  it's the cost of doing business.
Click to expand...
Governing bodies also recommend we don't eat raw beef, eggs, oysters and don't feed cured/dried (uncooked) products to very young or elderly. Yet we do those.

Do you have a specific reason to think this is an unsafe practice?
 
People reuse salt blocks for cooking on. Just saying....

If you seperate the used salt on a baking sheet and reheat to say 450-500, I'd think it'd be sterile.

I don't reuse mine because I usually make a slurry. Not sure how spices would work, residual flavors..
 
atomicsmoke said:
Governing bodies also recommend we don't eat raw beef, eggs, oysters and don't feed cured/dried (uncooked) products to very young or elderly. Yet we do those.

Do you have a specific reason to think this is an unsafe practice?
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Because it's unknown.  When an oyster bar serves on the half-shell, there's a known and inherent risk with their consumption:  that's a given and the health department hasn't a problem one with them.  Recycled salt?  Run this by the same health inspector and see if he or she would go along with it.  I don't know the answer, but I'd suppose not. 

As mentioned, this is a cost of doing business to me.  Trimming away pounds of fat from a brisket that I don't eat is a prime example.
 
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There are some bacteria that can survive salt brines but it is the water that keeps them alive. The whole point of salt preservation is the removal and binding of water so it is not available for bacteria. Add heating the salt and what could possibly survive? There is a difference between salting heavily and the recipes that call for Pounds of Kosher to pack a few Duck Breasts or a single Ham. Dry the wet salt? No, but the latter uses way more salt than needed to extract moisture. Just with the yuk factor I probably would not reuse the caked bloody salt, but beyond that, I can't think of a reason the rest can't be recycled. After all there are hundreds of recipes where the Marinade is heated and used as a sauce...It is also true that what the health department or Fed allows and what is safe for your family are not always in agreement. Is Alton Browns fan dried Jerky safe? Yes. Can he open a factory with hundreds of Fans and sell jerky to the public with FDA approval? Ahhh, no...JJ
 
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Thank you everyone for chiming in. Like I said, I wasn't looking for green light from agencies, but wanted to pick your brains.

Dirt,
Good point. Didn't think of that. Kind of settles this , doesn't it?
 
IIRC, aren't there types of bacteria that live just under the surface of the vast salt flats out west?

Might not be relevant here, just sayin. 
lurk.gif
 
It's not relevant...I live in the East.[emoji]128514[/emoji]

I thought about that. But after hitting any bacteria with 350F (or more if needed) I don't think there is any life form left.
 
There are acteria that live in salt flats. In acid pools and in just about every inhospitable environment on the planet. BUT...We are only worried about Foodborne Pathogens, bacteria that can hurt you AND need water at a pH between 6 and 8, with a protein rich food and a constant temp of 50 to 110 for more than 8 hours and none of them can survive in concentrated damp salt or even a saturated salt solution. Now heat it beyond 165 and there is no bacteria found on food or in salt on the planet that can survive....JJ
 
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atomicsmoke said:
What about extraterrestrial bacteria brought on Earth with asteroids?
[emoji]128514[/emoji]
Click to expand...

They only grow on Vegetables...Shhhhh...Don't tell the PETA people.[emoji]128526[/emoji]...JJ
 
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