Jersey Fresh Tip #7

SALTY WATER BOILS FASTER?

You have probably heard and/or seen that you should put salt in your pot of water if you're making pasta or boiling potatoes, or something like that. I know I have heard a few different reasons: the salt will season your food, the salt makes the water boil faster, etc.
Well, while those are good reasons, and are partly true, the REAL reason to put salt in your pasta (or whatever) water is because it allows the water to boil at a lower temperature. It doesn't necessarily boil faster, just "cooler." It also helps to season your food, so it's kind of an added bonus.
The bottom line? When you put a pot of water on to boil for pasta, potatoes, or whatever - throw a generous amount of salt in there before you turn the heat on. For small pots, I would say about 2 tbsp would do the trick. For medium pots, a small handful, and for big pots, a good handful.
And if you haven't done so already, make the switch from table salt to Kosher salt. Table salt is very fine grains and has iodine in it, which doesn't hurt anything, but Kosher salt is just salt, and the grains are a little bigger. They stick to food better and quite honestly, it's cheaper. Kosher salt doesn't do so well from a shaker like table salt, so you will have to use your fingers to dish out the salt, but hey, that's the fun of it!