I confess. I am a Cooking Channel junkie. I find it fascinating to watch the chefs battle it out on Chopped and I love to see Robert Irvine hammering the amateurish chefs at failing restaurants on Restaurant Impossible.
One thing I have noticed on all these cooking shows: A main complaint from the judges in their critiques is a lack of seasoning. These – many experienced chefs from top restaurants – often don’t use enough salt and pepper. Sometimes they forget to season at all. Many of us home chefs commit the same culinary sins.
As a boy, I followed my dad’s example and reached for the saltshaker before I even tasted the food. That’s because the food was never really seasoned properly, and mom and grandmother were pretty good cooks. They used some salt, but not enough.
In the past year or so, I have made a concentrated effort to use enough salt and pepper when preparing a dish that the shakers would not be necessary at the dinner table. I think I am finally getting the hang of it.
I now use only Morton’s Coarse Kosher Salt along with McCormick’s Coarse Black Pepper. When it comes to salt and pepper, my new mantra is “bring it on.”
A warning: You have to be careful with Coarse Kosher Salt in that a little of this sodium goes a long way. But it really does the job and so does the pepper. Meats, in particular, need lots of salt and pepper. It’s hard to use too much on beef, chicken and pork, especially when grilling. The coarse salt also gives all meats a nice, tasty crust.
Each time I prepare a meal, I imagine how Robert Irvine would react. Have I used enough salt to fully season my dish? I think I do now.