A chef’s Guide to salt, acid and fat and slow cooked beef recipe
I am often asked… ‘How do I become a better cook?’
I see people following recipes instead of truly understanding how ingredients and methods work. So once a month, I'm going to share with you the alchemy of cooking. That way you can start creating in the kitchen with confidence.
This month we are chatting about salt, acid and fat
Discover your inner chef
Every great dish tells a story through balance. While recipes provide the roadmap, understanding the fundamental elements of flavor—salt, acid, and fat—gives you the compass to navigate any kitchen with confidence.
Salt: The Foundation Builder
Salt doesn't just make food taste "salty." It's the conductor of your flavor orchestra, amplifying existing tastes and bringing harmony to ingredients. A pinch of salt in chocolate chip cookies makes the sweetness sing. A generous seasoning on tomatoes draws out their natural juices and concentrates their essence.
Acid: The Brightness Creator
Acid is your secret weapon for making dishes come alive. A squeeze of lemon juice transforms a heavy cream sauce from rich to refreshing. A splash of vinegar in braised dishes cuts through richness and adds complexity. Acid doesn't just provide tang—it balances sweetness, enhances other flavours, and creates the "pop" that makes you reach for another bite.
Think beyond citrus and vinegar. Yogurt, wine, tomatoes, and fermented ingredients all contribute acidity while adding their own unique flavor profiles. The goal is brightness without overwhelming sourness.
Fat: The Flavour Carrier
Fat is flavour's best friend and your ticket to satisfaction. It carries fat-soluble flavours throughout a dish and provides richness.
Different fats serve different purposes. Olive oil provides fruity notes and works beautifully in Mediterranean dishes. Butter adds richness and helps create golden, caramelized surfaces. Rendered animal fats like duck fat or bacon grease contribute deep, savory flavors. Even nuts and avocados provide healthy fats that enhance both nutrition and taste.
"The real artistry happens when these elements work together.”
Balancing
Think of balancing these flavours like tuning an instrument. Each taste should complement the others without fighting for attention. A perfectly dressed salad combines salt (in the seasoning), acid (from vinegar or citrus), and fat (from olive oil), but the ratios shift based on the ingredients. Bitter greens need more fat to soften their edge, while sweet fruits require more acid balancing the sweetness. But each ingredient is required in order to have a rounded dish.
Your taste buds are your power
Balancing flavours is rarely a straight line. Adding acid might make a dish taste less salty, requiring a salt adjustment. Increasing fat can mute both salt and acid, demanding small additions of both. This is why chefs taste constantly and adjust incrementally.
Learn to recognize imbalance patterns. If a dish tastes "muddy" or unclear, it often needs acid to brighten and define flavors. If it's harsh or sharp, fat usually provides the mellowing richness needed. If flavors seem present but muted, salt will likely bring them into focus.
Slow Cooked Beef with Mustard
This is a really easy recipe that shows off how when you pair ingredients well you don’t need much to create a delicious dish. You can find more recipes like this one, in our cookbook ‘Anything’s Possible’.
Ingredients
1.5 kg beef brisket
2 large onions (400g), sliced
3 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sumac
3 large carrots (300g), cut into 3cm pieces
500g baby potatoes
2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup bone broth
salt and pepper
Mustard sauce
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp honey
salt and pepper
To serve
3 tbsp coriander (15g), picked
crusty bread or mashed potatoes
Toasted macadamias
Method
Season beef generously with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan. Brown the beef, ensuring each side is well-seared. Add the beef to the slow cooker.
In the same frying pan, add the remaining olive oil. Add onions and cook for 5-6 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add garlic, paprika, and sumac and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add to the slow cooker as well.
Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and stir.
Turn the slow cooker onto low and cook for 8 hours. The beef should be really tender once done.
Before serving, make the sauce by adding ingredients into a small bowl and whisking with a fork.
Serve hot, garnished with mustard sauce, fresh coriander, and toasted macadamias (optional) and accompanied by crusty bread or creamy mashed potatoes.