Here’s the Easiest Way to Make Your Chips Saltier.
Some people can’t eat salt and benefit from salt-free chips. I’m not this person. Chips without salt upset me. The time I accidentally bought a party-sized bag of unsalted tortilla chips completely upset me. (The bags look almost the same. I don’t blame myself.) This unfortunate event has happened to me, friends and family at least once in the recent past. Whether you’ve made the same mistake or your chips just need some salting, there’s a simple solution: spraying with salt water.
Chips are great because they are crunchy and salty. The potato, taro or corn flavor of the once pure vegetable has a polite undertone, but it’s enhanced by salt. Unsalted chips are my closest thing to throwing away good food. That was until I thought of this simple solution.
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How to make chips more salty
Obviously, you can’t just mix the chips with table salt. The granules will simply bounce off the chips and settle to the bottom of the bowl or bag. Instead, we’re going to use the power of evaporation to evenly salt our chips. Table salt is primarily sodium chloride, and this chemical compound is easily soluble in water . As the water molecules evaporate, the sodium and chloride ions come back together, leaving salt crystals on the surface. (If you like watching molecules float away, there’s an interesting video here .) In this case, that surface will be the pieces.
Dissolve the salt in warm water – this can be done quickly in the microwave. Add about a tablespoon of salt per half cup of water in a measuring cup. Microwave it for 30 seconds just to warm it up. Stir the solution until all salt crystals are completely dissolved. Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour salt water into a spray bottle. I used a Misto spray bottle, which is sold for spraying oil, but these bottles can spray any liquid.
Place the damaged chips on a baking sheet. Place them in a single layer so they don’t overlap too much. Spray the chips generously with salt water, but not so much that it gets on the pan. I only sprayed one side, but you can turn the chips over to spray both sides. Alternatively, if you don’t have a spray bottle, you can quickly dip each wood chip in salt water and place it on a baking sheet. It takes longer, but it works. Bake the chips for five to 10 minutes to evaporate the water. You will see small white spots on the surface of the pan and may even be able to see crystalline salt residue on the shavings. The chips cool instantly, so you can start snacking right away.
Not only can you season the chips to rid them of debris, but you can also adjust the salt level to your liking. One tablespoon of salt in half a cup of water makes slightly salty chips, which I would call my minimum salt preference. Next time I make this (since I have half a bag of unsalted chips left), I’ll probably use two tablespoons of salt for the saline solution. If you’re someone who thinks regular Lay’s potato chips aren’t salty, maybe use three tablespoons for the spray.