What is a meat that doesn't need a lot of salt/seasoning?

teamAmelia
teamAmelia Posts: 1,247 Member
in Recipes
What is a meat that doesn't need a lot of salt/seasoning?
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Replies

  • mapenguinkeeper
    mapenguinkeeper Posts: 191
    there is none, meat is inherently bland w/the exception of wild game but that too will taste bland if that is all you eat.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    im thinking beef seems i dont have to season it as much as i do other meats like chicken or pork. Fish too
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    rib-eye steak
  • RllyGudTweetr
    RllyGudTweetr Posts: 2,019 Member
    Many (not all) folks report that simply abstaining from the salt and seasonings for a while makes a person's taste buds better able to appreciate the 'subtleties' of the flavors of meats and other unaltered foods. I know my mother and my sister rarely apply extra seasonings to most of their foods, for example.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    What is a meat that doesn't need a lot of salt/seasoning?

    Por que?
  • jonnyman41
    jonnyman41 Posts: 1,032 Member
    none of them need it but if wanting some taste then chicken does well with just a few drops of lemon, beef is slow cooked needs nothing and other meats can be cooked in a healthy gravy to add taste.
  • florymonde
    florymonde Posts: 261 Member
    IME, saltwater fish/shellfish already has some salt in it, so needs less additional seasoning than most meat/fish. I can enjoy baked salmon straight up, for instance.
  • davemunger
    davemunger Posts: 1,139 Member
    Fish. Especially salmon. For meat you might also consider using fresh herbs rather than salt. Oregano, thyme, and sage can add a lot of flavor. For fish try lemon and chives.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    rib-eye steak

    Concur.

    Two important factors here: fat content and how long you cook the meat. More fat generally means more flavor and less need for seasoning. If you start with little fat or if you cook the meat till all the fat is gone, you're going to need more seasoning.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    Many (not all) folks report that simply abstaining from the salt and seasonings for a while makes a person's taste buds better able to appreciate the 'subtleties' of the flavors of meats and other unaltered foods. I know my mother and my sister rarely apply extra seasonings to most of their foods, for example.

    This. Most of our food has its palatability so amped up through specific combinations of fat, salt, and sugar, and flavoring concoctions, that a lot of people have basically lost the taste of foods on their own. Abstain from that stuff for a while, and you'll retrain your taste to be able to taste foods in their natural state and won't require as much seasoning.

    Also, fattier cuts will generally yield more flavors by themselves. So dark meat poultry cooked with skin on, for example, won't need as much seasoning as skinless breast meat, for example. Likewise, a cut of beef with good marbling will have more flavor than one that's more lean.

    Personally, I really like a marinade that my husband concocted for my sirloin steaks. It's simply vinegar and a little olive oil, some chopped onion, and a little salt/pepper, and it's primary purpose is to tenderize the meat, help sear the outside, and bring out its natural flavors.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    maybe I'm weird but I like to eat most kinds of meat without seasoning, and I don't find them flavourless. Even chicken breast, which doesn't have much flavour, I can still enjoy eating it without seasoning.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    rib-eye steak

    Concur.

    Two important factors here: fat content and how long you cook the meat. More fat generally means more flavor and less need for seasoning. If you start with little fat or if you cook the meat till all the fat is gone, you're going to need more seasoning.

    RE: salting

    http://www.seriouseats.com/2011/03/the-food-lab-more-tips-for-perfect-steaks.html
  • EddieHaskell97
    EddieHaskell97 Posts: 2,227 Member
    ^^^^---- 100% Correct.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    maybe I'm weird but I like to eat most kinds of meat without seasoning, and I don't find them flavourless. Even chicken breast, which doesn't have much flavour, I can still enjoy eating it without seasoning.

    yeah, that's weird...

    that-is-weird.gif

    I can eat a variety of "meats" without much seasoning but chicken breast aint one 'em...
  • mingecrackers
    mingecrackers Posts: 152
    Venison. It's got quite a distinctive flavour and doesn't really need anything adding to it
  • shapefitter
    shapefitter Posts: 900 Member
    Quorn and Tofu
  • 777Gemma888
    777Gemma888 Posts: 9,578 Member
    What is a meat that doesn't need a lot of salt/seasoning?

    A lot of salt and seasoning is how much exactly to you? 6g of salt is too much for some people and not enough for others. Seasonings are really negligible calorie-wise, so is this a health or taste issue? A palate consideration?

    Most meats(Pork, Beef, Lamb etc) do not require too much of either. Meat substitutes in Poultry and Fish require very little salt/seasonings ~ too much of either one can alter the flavour profile.
  • HikerRR50
    HikerRR50 Posts: 144 Member
    Bald eagle and seagull
  • motofairy
    motofairy Posts: 33 Member
    If you're looking for a salty punch, it's been asserted that lime juice (maybe also lemon, but lime works best for me) sets off the same receptors in our taste buds that salt does, so you might try adding lime juice to marinades or sauces to punch them up a little.
  • SpecialSundae
    SpecialSundae Posts: 795 Member
    What is a meat that doesn't need a lot of salt/seasoning?

    Try adding garlic and herbs instead of salt. No meat NEEDS salt.
  • climbing_trees
    climbing_trees Posts: 726 Member
    salmon
    you don't even need to cook it!

    haha

    (i'm a sushi/sashimi fanatic)
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
    there is none, meat is inherently bland w/the exception of wild game but that too will taste bland if that is all you eat.

    I was thinking that too...you don't need salt to season meat though. We use 'green seasoning' (google west indian green seasoning for recipes) as a base & add other spices as needed.

    Using things like anatto, tumeric, chiles, curries etc. can make a well seasoned meat if you're looking to not add salt.
    Think herbs & spices. Also, not sure of the sodium content, but consider using vinegar based marinades, bitters also makes a good addition :drinker:
  • JamericanBoy
    JamericanBoy Posts: 484 Member
    BACON!!!!!!

    duh.....
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    I like most meats without (or with) seasoning, as long as they aren't very low in fat. 99% fat free anything is pretty tasteless.

    Edited to add: shellfish may be naturally high in salt, but things like shrimp and scallops are low fat and delicious without salt.
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    If you purchase free range and or grass fed meats, they have more flavor overall. You will pay more per pound, but if you are eating correct portions and not throwing out anything, it evens out in the end.

    If I cook fish, I will just grill it or saute it in some olive oil and then squeeze a lime or a lemon over the top.
  • SailorKnightWing
    SailorKnightWing Posts: 875 Member
    I don't season most of my meats because I don't like salt. My favorite is filet steak and ground bison to make burgers.

    Pretty much, you want to look for fatty meats (fat is where the flavor is) or wild game (which is, oddly, rarely fatty).
  • KimJohnsonsmile
    KimJohnsonsmile Posts: 222 Member
    BACON!!!!!!

    duh.....
    THIS! YUM! Seriously though... I eat a lot of chicken and sometimes eat it without seasonings, but I usually use Sodium Free Ms. Dash.... it kicks it up a little.
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
    Many (not all) folks report that simply abstaining from the salt and seasonings for a while makes a person's taste buds better able to appreciate the 'subtleties' of the flavors of meats and other unaltered foods. I know my mother and my sister rarely apply extra seasonings to most of their foods, for example.

    This. I had to cut out a lot of sodium about 5 years ago. I use a lot of dried herbs in my cooking. I don't salt any meat, and I can't tell the difference.
  • teamAmelia
    teamAmelia Posts: 1,247 Member
    What is a meat that doesn't need a lot of salt/seasoning?

    Por que?

    For health reasons, I need to not eat a lot of salt.

    Thanks for the tips and links. I'll try them.
  • 777Gemma888
    777Gemma888 Posts: 9,578 Member
    What is a meat that doesn't need a lot of salt/seasoning?

    Por que?

    For health reasons, I need to not eat a lot of salt.

    Look up the DASH diet. Recipe Books are available online: http://dashdiet.org/look_inside_the_book.asp

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