Do you cook using salt water while cruising?

[Captain Graham]

I just watched a youtube video where the solo sailor cooked his meal using salt water.
He acted like he does it all the time and he said it saves water and salt.
He used his foot pump and I would guess he filters it first to keep out weeds, small fish etc.

[barcoMeCasa]

I use it in the pressure cooker with rice in a separate container in fresh water inside. Every other method tried so far tasted....less than ideal

[dlj]

I only wash using sea water, I don't cook with it.

dj

[pjShap]

Years ago I cooked pasta in sea water when we were camping and didn't have enough fresh water. It was inedible, even for 5 hungry 20-year olds. The ocean is 3.5% salt. That's about a pound of salt in a large pasta pot full of water.

[Festina Lente]

1/4 seawater, 3/4 fresh water will work fine. Happy cooking.

[jeanathon]

I've been curious about using a percentage of sea water,. Also using it to brine.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by dlj

I only wash using sea water, I don't cook with it.

Same. Clean, but don't cook, except for things like steaming mussels or boiling an egg.

[Bycrick]

I found a recipe for bread that used 1/2 cup of fresh water to proof the yeast and then 4-1/2 cups of saltwater. It made 4 loaves of bread and a batch of cinnamon rolls. But I never found a way to use salt water instead of fresh for anything else except steaming something or boiling eggs.

[Sam Woodbridge]

I’m surprised at the response so far, or maybe I’m doing something wrong! Unless……

Boil shrimp in salt water.

Boil crab in salt water.

Boil pasta or other foods in salt water.

All the above tastes so much better.

But I do understand it will depend on your location in the world.

[Zanshin]

I know a lot of cruisers, including myself, that have cooked pasta with 100% seawater. I don't know of any, including myself, who have done so twice.

[wholybee]

Some things to consider. Cleaning dishes uses a lot of water. But the water used to cook rice or pasta is comparatively minimal. It also adds to our daily water intake. And salty foods make us more thirsty, using up more fresh water anyway. I have washed rice with salt water, with only a quick rinse in a small amount of fresh once all the starch is cleaned out. But otherwise, I cook only with fresh. I have no water maker and small tanks. Cooking with fresh vs. salt really doesn't use any more water.

Also, when cooking pasta, use much less water and start with the pasta in the water from cold. It cooks faster, (using less propane) and only 1/4 of the water:
https://www.americastestkitchen.com/...-in-cold-water

Rice is already normally cooked that way.

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by Sam Woodbridge

I’m surprised at the response so far, or maybe I’m doing something wrong! Unless……

Boil shrimp in salt water.

Boil crab in salt water.

Boil pasta or other foods in salt water.

All the above tastes so much better.

But I do understand it will depend on your location in the world.

Some people really like salty foods. Others would die of high blood pressure. I am in the latter group.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Zanshin

I know a lot of cruisers, including myself, that have cooked pasta with 100% seawater. I don't know of any, including myself, who have done so twice.

Indeed.

[Benz]

You can blend some salt with fresh for boiling things that get drained, like potaotes or pasta. For rice I use all fresh. For steaming I usually put a basket on top of the rice pot while it's boiling, but if just steaming, then all salt.
Thor Heyerdahl found it advantageous to drink a certain amount of sea water daily, but they were crossing the tropical South Pacific on a pretty exposed raft. I've mixed a tiny amount into a glass of fresh water when I've been sweating a lot, but I don't do it often.

[GordMay]

When you exercise or sweat [from high-intensity or long-duration physical activities], you lose not only water, but also electrolytes, like sodium.
By adding a small amount of salt, to your drinking water [or drinking a sports drink, or coconut water], you can help replenish these lost electrolytes, promoting better water absorption, and preventing dehydration.
Natural coconut water also contains electrolytes, along with sodium and potassium. [1]
People who are sick, and are losing a lot of fluid and electrolytes, through blowing their nose, diarrhea, or vomiting, may also benefit from drinking a salty beverage.

It’s also important to keep in mind, that consuming too much sodium and salt can lead to negative health consequences, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke.

Usually, most people are able to get enough sodium from their diet alone. Drinking plain water, and consuming a balanced diet, should provide enough electrolytes, like sodium, for proper hydration. In fact, most people are actually consuming too much sodium [daily], whether that be from breads, crackers, pretzels, soups, pre-made foods, canned foods, broths, or condiments.

The standard recommendation, for most people, is no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. For anyone with high blood pressure or diabetes, the American Heart Association [AHA] suggests less than 1,500 mg of sodium per day. [2] [1 teaspoon of salt already contains 2,300 mg]

A common guideline, for those engaged in endurance activities, is to add about ¼ to ½ teaspoons of salt [around 1.5 to 3 grams] per litre of water. This is equivalent to about 500 to 1,000 mg of sodium, which is about the amount lost in one litre of sweat, during intense physical activity.

See:
[2] “How much sodium should I eat per day?” ~ AHA ➥ https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-liv...-i-eat-per-day

[1] “Coconut water is more than hydration” ~ Michigan State University
➥ https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/coconu...than_hydration