What is the optimal way to remove salt from cooked meat?

I want to remove salt from marinated chicken thighs. What would be the most effective way to do this "reverse brining", if flavour does not matter?

I have seen these two questions: How deeply will the flavors in a brine penetrate chicken? and How does rub or marinade actually seep into meat?

It seems like small molecules like salt penetrate throughout the meat, whereas larger molecules like food colouring stay on the surface. Since my main goal is to remove salt, would soaking or boiling the meat be most effective? I assume cutting the meat up smaller or even grinding it up will speed up the process, but with small quantities I would prefer not to have to break out the meat grinder. Also, the meat is fully cooked. Do changes in the protein affect how (much) salt can be drawn out of the meat?

food-science brining

Best Answer

Boiling in a large amount of water is probably the most efficient method. The water should be boiling to avoid spoilage and to promote fast diffusion, and there should be a lot of it to maximize the rate of diffusion. (Alternatively, you could replace the water one or more times during the process) Cutting up the pieces will speed up the process, but if time/texture/tastiness are not important then you can boil the stuff as long as you like.

As for the cooking process having affected how much salt can be drawn out: Possibly a bit. Chloride ions are known to bind to certain muscle proteins during the brining and cooking process. I would expect this to be a very minor effect, though. If you've ever tasted the meat left over from a long-cooking stock, you'll note how bland it can get.

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Quick Answer about "What is the optimal way to remove salt from cooked meat?"

Squeeze some lemon juice or orange juice over your dish. The sour flavor provides a new layer of complexity to the meal and should mellow out the salt. Drizzle in a mild vinegar like all-purpose vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar to help mask the salt with acidity by distracting the taste buds.

Can you rinse salt off cooked meat?

To fix over-salted meats, just give them a quick rinse under running water, and pat them dry with a paper towel when you're done. You can also leach the salt out of salt pork or bacon that you find too salty by soaking it in water for at least two hours before you serve it.

How do you remove too much salt from beef?

Add vinegar or lemon - the acid cuts the salt flavor - and a dash of sugar or brown sugar to combat the excess salt. Use 1 tbsp. of whatever vinegar works best with the flavor of your dish, then taste and add more if necessary. Try red wine vinegar with a hearty roast or stew or rice vinegar with an Asian stir fry.

How to rescue a salty dish

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