# Cooking Question: Is There an "Antidote" to Salt? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 21, 2001, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-question-is-there-an-antidote-to-salt/94535 "2001-11-21T04:28:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-question-is-there-an-antidote-to-salt/94535/1 "2001-11-21T04:28:50Z")
[sub]Too mundane for GQ…[/sub] Suppose, hypothetically, that a certain Doper was making a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. And further suppose that, hypothetically, he put in too much salt (say, 1/2 teaspoon instead of 1/4 teaspoon). Suppose also that, hypothetically, his wife grimaced in agony at the taste of it. Now, would this Doper have to throw out his hypothetical batch of pumpkin pie filling? Or is there an “antidote” to salt? TIA ---
**Author:** ![bare](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bare/32/471_2.png) [@bare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bare)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-question-is-there-an-antidote-to-salt/94535/2 "2001-11-21T04:33:40Z")
This would look mighty funny in pumpkin pie but if you happen to over-salt soup, chile or any other liquid substance, you can add cut potato to the mix. The potato absorbs the salt which can then be fished out and discarded. ---
**Author:** ![bare](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bare/32/471_2.png) [@bare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bare)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-question-is-there-an-antidote-to-salt/94535/3 "2001-11-21T04:35:47Z")
Rather than throw out the hypothetical pie filling, why not just add milk to make pumpkin soup? ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-question-is-there-an-antidote-to-salt/94535/4 "2001-11-21T04:36:27Z")
I have found that sugar will help a little bit, but you may not be able to put enough extra sugar to counteract the salt. But if you only doubled the salt, how about doubling everything else and make two batches? Assuming you haven’t baked it yet. If you have, you are SOL. ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Turbo\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo_Dog)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-question-is-there-an-antidote-to-salt/94535/5 "2001-11-21T04:58:37Z")
What bare said. A couple big chunks of raw potato will absorb salt. With Pumpkin Pie filling though, it might be a bit thick to work very well so I’d suggest making some new pies just in case. I also like the idea of making it into a soup. Good contingency. ---
**Author:** ![Theobroma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5a626/32.png) [@Theobroma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theobroma)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-question-is-there-an-antidote-to-salt/94535/6 "2001-11-21T05:16:22Z")
If I’m not too late, you might also add a bit of instant potato flakes. They wouldn’t taste like anything, might even help the pumpkin custard set up, and would kill some of the salt taste. That said, I think the best idea yet was to go to the store, get more stuff, and make another pie. Or, pour the second pie’s filling into buttered custard cups, and bake in a pan of water as pumpkin custards… yum, eh? ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-question-is-there-an-antidote-to-salt/94535/7 "2001-11-21T12:49:23Z")
Yes, there is an antidote to salt but you can’t add it til after the pie’s done. It’s called CoolWhip. Lots and lots of CoolWhip. ---
**Author:** ![DAVEW0071](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@DAVEW0071](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DAVEW0071)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-question-is-there-an-antidote-to-salt/94535/8 "2001-11-21T17:34:31Z")
Or you could put slugs in the pie filling. The slugs will dessicate from the salt, then you can fish them out, smooth everything over again, and…nah, forget it. ---
**Author:** ![Corrvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bbce88/32.png) [@Corrvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corrvin)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-question-is-there-an-antidote-to-salt/94535/9 "2001-11-21T18:04:54Z")
do NOT under ANY circumstances attend any type of dinner at **DAVEW0071** ’s house. Corr ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-question-is-there-an-antidote-to-salt/94535/10 "2001-11-21T18:08:06Z")
Or you could just add more of everything else and make twice as many pies. You can _never_ have enough pie. ---
**Author:** ![DAVEW0071](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@DAVEW0071](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DAVEW0071)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-question-is-there-an-antidote-to-salt/94535/11 "2001-11-21T18:12:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Corrvin \* > \*\*do NOT under ANY circumstances attend any type of dinner at **DAVEW0071** ’s house. > > Corr \*\* I _said_ “forget it,” didn’t I? Bad idea. Bad idea.