Saw a butcher in Chicago use a trick for cleaning his station that blew my mind

I was at a small meat market in Chicago last week, picking up some short ribs. The butcher finished breaking down a side of pork and his board was a mess. Instead of scraping it down right away, he sprinkled a handful of coarse salt over the whole thing. He let it sit for maybe two minutes while he wrapped my order, then just wiped it all off with a damp cloth. The board looked brand new, no scrubbing. It pulled up all the fat and sticky bits. Has anyone else seen this salt trick used in other parts of the kitchen?

3 comments

3 Comments

jasonf179d ago

Yeah, calling it just an abrasive misses the key point. The salt actually draws out moisture from the fat and proteins through osmosis. That's why it pulls up the sticky film instead of just pushing it around. It's more chemistry than scrubbing.

jason_henderson9d ago

That salt trick works because it's a mild abrasive. It's the same reason people use baking soda to clean sinks.

the_richard9d ago

Oh man, I totally thought that was just for show. I used to see cooks do it and figured it was some old-school habit that didn't really do much. But I tried it on my own cutting board after handling some really greasy sausage. The salt just sucked up all that slick fat, it was like a sponge. Now I keep a little bowl of coarse salt next to my station. It works way better than just wiping with a wet rag.