Cooking with rock salt

[muebe]

Believe it or not I have had Tri-tip cooked in a 500F oven packed in rock salt and it was amazing! The guy who made it told me he heats up the rock salt in the oven first then packs the meat into the 500F hot rock salt. Then he kills the heat on the oven and puts it back in the oven all packed into the salt. The hot rock salt cooks then cooks the meat. I don't remember exactly how long he told me but I am sure any meat probe will work for keeping track. Bet this would work for pork. Maybe even ribs.

I do remember it was medium rare when done and so good!

I want to try it one time!

Anyone ever done this or had meat cooked this way?

[sliding_billy]

Never done it, but it sounds like a great idea.

[TentHunteR]

There's a similar method I've heard of where food is cooked on a salt block, but this is new to me.

[spuds]

Sure sounds interesting,Id like to try it if anyone has technique.Also want to try BiggER's salted birds.

[Pappymn]

I took a cooking class in another life where we cooked prime rib this way......it was excellent

[drholly]

Many years ago, in Columbia I was invited to dinner at a friend's house. She packed the meat (may have been a tenderloin - I don't recall) in a salt crust and wrapped in a cotton or muslin cloth soaked in water. She placed in her fireplace (wood was burned down to coals.) I don't recall how long it cooked, but it was one of the best meals I have ever had. Sorry for lack of details, but I bet they are available on line somewhere.

Here is one done in the oven - http://allrecipes.com/recipe/herbed-beef-in-salt-crust/

This sounds like what she did - http://www.cooking.com/recipes-and-more/recipes/lomo-al-trapo-salt-crusted-beef-tenderloin-grilled-in-cloth-recipe-12363.aspx#axzz3ClJutfKV

I need to try this!

[smokendevo]

Yes every recipe I found on the web the meat was packed with the rock salt. Could find one where the salt was heated and used as the cooking instrument. From what I could tell from most of the recipes the salt helps with the fat and forms a hard shell around what ever your cooking. They go on to say take the end of a butter knife and crack the shell and peel it away for the best roast/steak ever.

[muebe]

Well I really want to try this! I know my friend heat the rock salt in pans then poured the layer into the tray, placed the meat, then packed the rest of the heated salt around it.

Then the leftover heat from the oven and the heated salt did the cooking. Was a standard sized Tri-tip. Just remember it was so good and cooked perfectly!

[Las Vegan Cajun]

I've heard of this method of cooking, never tired it myself, sounds interesting.

[hikerman]

Mike I recall a show from way back, the Frugal Gourmet. In one of the episodes he cooked a whole chicken in rock salt. It was stuffed with vegetables and I think rubbed with EVOO. I believe the fat and salt form a seal which keeps all the natural flavor and moisture inside.

[ACW3]

Sounds interesting!  We have had sous vide, now onto the rock salt we go.  Is this the next "new" thing?  I definitely want to try this one!! 

Art

[Smokin Don]

Cooking in a salt crust is a pretty old method. Just google "baking in salt" and there are a lot of recipes out there. Don't know where you would get food grade rock salt. I think most recipes call for coarse kosher salt. Some make a paste with egg whites and use about 1/2 thick crust. Alton Brown did a beef tenderloin in a heavy salt dough made with flour that looked good to me. I tried something once but don't even remember what it was! Must not have been that great!  Don

[smokendevo]

Don't know where you would get food grade rock salt.

You can buy a grade of rock salt for making homemade ice cream, although it might be hard to find.

[Pam Gould]

Could you use canning salt? It's cleaner than ice cream salt. And it's just pure salt, no additives.  just asking.  Pam  .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.

[muebe]

Could you use canning salt? It's cleaner than ice cream salt. And it's just pure salt, no additives.  just asking.  Pam  .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.

Is it larger pieces of salt or granulated? If granulated then I don't think it will work.