#MEwx Hot, muggy and rainy with the Secret uses for salt

Good morning Augusta

Click here to view weather readings in real time from my own personal wireless weather station.

This morning we have mostly cloudy skies with patchy fog. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms, then a chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms this afternoon. Some thunderstorms may produce heavy rainfall. Highs in the lower 80s with light and variable winds.

Tonight we’ll have partly cloudy conditions during evening hours, becoming mostly cloudy. A slight chance of thunderstorms and showers in the evening, then a chance of showers after midnight. Humid with lows around 70°F. Winds will remain light and variable.

The outdoor temperature is 70.5°F, the dewpoint is 70.1°F and it feels like 71.9°F.

We received0.07 inches of rain here over the past 24 hours.

Today’s sunrise is 5:30 AM, sunset is 8:02 PM and we’ll have 14 hours 32 minutes of daylight today. Moonrise is 4:09AM and Moonset is 8:11 PM. The moon phase is a NEW MOON and is xx% illuminated. Our next full moon will be on August 19 and our next new moon is on September 3.

The wind velocity is between 0.0 MPH and 2.0 MPH from the Northwest.

The Relative pressure is 29.63, the Absolute pressure is 29.43 and rising with a weather graphic indicating sun and a few clouds.

The Humidity is 99%, the UV index is 0 placing the average person at low risk and the solar radiation reading is 83.7W/m2.

Visibility is 10.0 Miles / 16.1 Kilometers with rain and overcast.

 

For the past few days I’ve posted the uses of Baking Soda. Starting today I’m shifting over to the secret uses of salt. Hey, it’s been around for thousands of years, so why not?

These tips come from a book entitled “The Secrets of salt” which you can get on line almost for free.

 

Salt is traditionally associated with the kitchen, so what better place for you to start discovering the many uses of salt than learning how salt is used

in the kitchen! It is important to keep a box of salt for cleaning and one for baking in the kitchen. With the price of salt being so cheap, you can cut

your cleaning bills quickly when you use some of these cleaning with salt tips.

 

One of the main reasons that meat is cured is to prevent botulism, which is a deadly form of food poisoning. Salt is added to a meat product to remove moisture.

There are many cooks and butchers who will swear by the use of curing with only salt (no other additives) but with this method comes the pure ‘taste’ of

salt. When using curing salts, you need to understand that this type salt is not a ‘table’ salt to be used with your other meals. Meat curing is not an

exact science, be sure to research the recipe you are planning on using and to refrigerate for as long as the recipe suggests.

 

Always keep meats refrigerated when you are curing them. After you have cured the meats and if you think it is too salty, you can soak the meat in water

just a bit as this will draw out some of the salt. One last tip, cured meats are still raw, you need to cook the meat before you eat it and also you should

know that cured meats would turn a pinkish or reddish color when they are cooked. So let’s discuss how to cure meats:

 

Dry cure: apply the cure mix directly onto the meat. Put in the refrigerator. This method is used on hams, bacon, and smaller pieces of your favorite meats.

 

Brine cure: using your favorite brine recipe you will be adding salt and water to create a sweet juice that you inject into meats and then soaking the meat

in the remainder of the solution. This method of curing is used most often for chicken, hams, turkeys, and fish – all in large or small pieces.

 

Combination of cures: use the dry rub with the injection portion of the Brine cure and refrigerate. This method is often used on hams.

 

Sausage cure: using the salt cure (pick your favorite brand at the grocery) and a mixture of spices you can either inject the casing of the sausage or mix

with the sausage as you are putting it in the sausage casing.

 

So let’s get started on some of the uses of cleaning with salt in the kitchen!

 

If you are searching for a new way to clean those hard to reach inside spaces of your jars and vases, consider using this method for cleaning glass. Take

a cup of lemon juice and about two tablespoons of salt and then swish it around the inside of the glass container. This swishing helps to loosen the ‘stuff’

inside of glass bottles and vases, and then you can simply rinse clean.

 

Have you ever been in a hurry to boil some water to make dinner for your waiting family or guests? You can hurry water to a boiling point by using salt.

First you should understand that adding salt to water does not make it boil faster. However, adding salt to water does make the water hotter. This in turn

will reduce the cooking time and hurry your preparation time for dinner.

 

Do you want to boil perfect boiled eggs without the cracks? You can boil eggs without having cracks in the eggs if you add just a pinch of salt to the boiling

water before you add the eggs.

 

When you use the above method to boil your eggs, you will find that you won’t have a problem peeling the eggs as well. Adding salt to the boiling water

when you start boiling your eggs makes your eggs easy to peel!

 

Do you like firm poached eggs? When you are going to poach an egg, boil the water and then just add a pinch of salt to help set the egg into a firmer poach

egg for your eating enjoyment!

 

How do you know if you have been keeping eggs too long and if they have gone bad while sitting your fridge? Take a pan or bowl of cool water, and then add

a pinch of salt. Drop the eggs in the water slowly and if any of the eggs sink to the bottom it means the egg is too old and you should not eat it!

 

Do you like firmer fried eggs, not undercooked slimy eggs? The texture of the fried egg is toughened when you add a touch of salt when you are first frying

them. The salt absorbs the egg liquids that do not cook in the length of time that you are frying an egg, and the end result gives you a firmer egg!

 

Do you like the taste of fresh milk? You can have that fresh taste, even days after you open a carton of milk by adding just a pinch of salt to the milk

after opening the container. Adding salt to your milk prevents the bacteria in the milk from growing as quickly and keeps your milk tasting fresher.

 

When you are frying foods in the kitchen do you often get splattered by the grease from your fry pan or skillet? Using a little pinch of salt in the fry

pan before you start to fry any foods is the answer you have been searching for to keep those grease splatters from getting all over you and from getting

all over your stove. The salt that you add to the pan will absorb water in the pan, or in the oil, or from the item that you are cooking, which is why

the grease will splatter.

 

Do you prepare your meals a little bit in advance of the time you are going to eat? Do your potatoes, pears, or apples turn brown before you get a chance

to cook or eat them? You can prevent your potatoes, apples, or pears from turning brown by covering them with cool water and adding a pinch of salt.

 

Cleaning your oven can be a major chore, but when you spill something in the oven, just sprinkle the area with salt when it happens. As the salt soaks up

the liquid that spilled over, you can easily dust out the oven when it is cooled and this will save yourself major cleaning time later on.

 

Learn to save water and time when you are cleaning spinach. If you wash your spinach with warm salt water you do not have to clean it more than once. The

salt gets in all the cracks and crevasses and cleans thoroughly the first time. You can also use this tip with lettuce or broccoli!

 

Do you like to use fresh pecan nuts in your baking but just hate the hassle of shelling pecans? You can soak your pecans in cool saltwater for two or three

hours before you shell them and then the nutmeat will fall right out as you shell them!

 

Have you made cake or gob icing only to be disappointed with a lumpy or crispy tasting icing? You can prevent lumps and crispy icing by adding just a pinch

of salt to your icing when you are mixing.

 

If you have ever tried canned venison it is a real treat. Try this quick and easy recipe! Using your favorite chucks or slices of venison, pack into your

jars without adding water. Add about one half teaspoon of salt and one small cube of beef fat to the jar and then seal. Boil the canned venison for three

hours, and tastes marvellous!

 

Is your dinner or lunch ready but your guests are not? To keep salads fresh add the tiniest touch of salt to the lettuce to keep lettuce crisp.

 

Are you preparing dinner but dislike the mushy potato residue left on your boiled potatoes? Sprinkle your boiled potatoes lightly with salt to absorb the

excess water. Shaking the potatoes back and forth in the pan or strainer will help the salt absorb all of the water, and then transferring the potatoes

back into another pan will leave most of the salt behind.

 

If your coffee cups and glasses are stained you can rub this residue out with a little salt and a soft towel. Using a cloth or a tough paper towel, slightly

wet and add about a teaspoon of salt and then rub on the inside of the cup. The stain will disappear!

 

Cooking dinner is always a great experience, but do the greasy dishes that are leftover leave you wanting to run out of the kitchen?. To clean up greasy

pans fast, add a little bit of salt to cover the greasy area and rub gently to clean the pan. This is a time saver and a money saver in cleaning your dishes.

 

Constantly cleaning out the refrigerator can be time consuming and leave your refrigerator smelling like bleach. For a sweeter smelling clean, combining

salt and soda water you can clean the inside of your refrigerator for a fresh clean that won’t scratch the enamel!

 

Did you leave the coffee on to cook for too long? To get rid of that over cooked taste, and the bitter coffee taste add a little pinch of salt for a better

coffee taste.

 

If your dinner preparations have gotten out of hand and you have a grease fire on the stove or in the oven, throw handfuls of salt at the fire, as near

to the bottom of the flame as you can to put out the fire. You should never consider using water on a grease fire because the grease will only splatter

and spread the fire.

 

Do you want to try a new flavor when cooking poultry? You can improve the flavor of your poultry when you rub the inside and the outside of the poultry

with salt before you roast it.

 

When you are preparing dinner and you need to remove the feathers from your poultry before cooking, rub the poultry with salt and you can pluck out feathers

easily after you use salt on the poultry.

 

If your coffee pot has been leaving you with a bitter tasting coffee, try cleaning out your coffee pot with a mixture of salt and water. Run the water through

as usual and the salt will break loose any leftover coffee grounds and such from the interior of your percolator. You can also use a salt paste to clean

stains out of the inside or on the lid of your coffee pot without leaving scratches.

 

When making dinner and cutting onions, the smell of onions is often left on your hands. Make a mixture of salt and vinegar to clean your hands of this smell,

and you are on your way to serving dinner!

 

Do you have containers in your kitchen that have a sour smell and you are just ready to throw them away? Stop! You can sweeten up those containers that

smell like onions, peppers, or so many other smells by adding salt and just a little warm water. Close the container and let it sit over night to deodorize

the container!

 

If you have a strong odor coming from your sink drains, use a large amount of salt combined with a touch of warm water to eliminate the smells and to clean

out grease that can be trapped in your drains.

 

If you use your kitchen to cook every night, you will notice stains on counters and on your cutting boards over time. You can wash the stains away but using

a cloth or heavy paper towel lightly wet adding salt to make a paste. Rubbing the salt gently on your cutting boards and counter tops will be fresh and

clean. This is a real cleaning money saver that you can use throughout the kitchen.

 

When you are in a hurry sometimes you can add a bit too much salt to soups and other dishes. To ‘take out’ some of that salt, add a raw potato or two to

the mixture to soak up the salt. This doesn’t take long and it saves dinner!

 

Do you often make eggs for breakfast but only to return to the kitchen to find dried egg on your counter or on the dishes and is it difficult to scrub off?

When you are making eggs, for any meal, and you spill some egg, make it a habit sprinkle salt where you have spilt them, even if you don’t have time to

clean it right away. The salt will make the egg very easy to clean up when you have a chance to get back to it.

 

If your apples are looking a little dried out you don’t have to throw them away, you can soak wrinkled apples in a mildly salted water solution to perk

them up.

 

Have you found that your best skillet, griddle or pans make your food stick? Here is a trick you can use (if your pans don’t have lightweight plastic handles).

Heat the pan in a warmed oven and then sprinkle with some salt. Simply dust off the pans and then food won’t stick! The reason that most foods stick to

pans is because of caked on grease. Warming the pans in the oven makes the grease melt and then the salt will absorb the grease!

 

Does cheese have a long shelf life in your refrigerator? You can prevent mold from growing on cheese that you don’t use up right away by soaking a cloth

in salt water and wrapping up that hunk of cheese. The salt prevents the bacteria from growing as quickly so your cheese lasts longer.

 

Have you thought about making your own icing? If you are making your own icing using whipped cream and egg whites, add a pinch of salt and your egg whites

will whip up better and stand better on your cake.

 

Do you like to use gelatin molds to make special looks with your jello? You can make this dessert set faster when you place it over ice that has been sprinkled

with salt. The salt absorbs excess moisture and makes the jello set faster.