What does season to taste mean?
Season to taste, in one line
Season to taste means adding salt, acid, and other seasonings in small amounts and tasting as you go until the dish suits your palate.
Why it works
Ingredients vary: tomatoes can be sweet or sour, broth can be salty or bland. Because of that, no recipe can promise the right amount of salt for your pot. Tasting as you go lets you adjust. Salt in layers, taste after each step, and add small amounts, since you can always add more but you cannot take it out.
How to do it
Common mistakes
- Salting only at the end, which leaves the inside flavor bland.
- Tasting only once, which misses changes as the dish reduces.
- Adding too much salt at once, which is hard to fix.
Questions about season to taste
How much salt is a pinch?
A pinch is about 1/8 teaspoon, what you can hold between your thumb and two fingers. Start there and taste.
When should I salt food while cooking?
Salt in layers, starting early and adjusting at the end. Early salt seasons food from within.
What if I add too much salt?
Add more of the unsalted base, a splash of acid, or a little sugar. Potatoes do not truly absorb salt.
Salt
Black pepper
Lemon
