Cómo salvar una salsa demasiado salada: la solución más eficaz

Making a sauce is usually easy, but thickening it and adjusting the salt isn't always. Thickening it often involves tricks like adding more cornstarch or arrowroot, or continuing to cook it to reduce the liquid. However, as the liquid reduces, the seasonings, including the salt, remain and their flavor intensifies. Sometimes, the salt is simply mismeasured and too much is added.

A traditional solution is to add chopped raw potatoes to absorb the salt. The idea seems feasible, but these starches don't absorb much salt; if they did, the potatoes would always be too salty. Furthermore, potatoes take a long time to cook, especially if the sauce is simmered.

Experts also suggest balancing the saltiness. A pinch of sugar, a splash of sherry, or a squeeze of lemon juice won't reduce the saltiness, but it can balance the flavor, as can seasonings like oregano. It's best to avoid mixtures like Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce, which also contain salt.

To truly reduce the salt content, the best approach is to add more sauce, provided that the additional sauce is either salt-free or contains very little salt. This might require starting from scratch: in a new pot, prepare a roux using the meat fat or butter, which prevents lumps and thickens the sauce. Then, make the same sauce, without salt. Add salt gradually, according to your taste.

If you're making a brown or poultry gravy, you can use packaged beef or chicken broth with reduced sodium. There's also a low-sodium gravy mix available, such as McCormick Brown Gravy Mix, with 30% less sodium. To thicken, simply add cornstarch as needed. The result may not be exact, but it will taste much better.