by Dean in Eureka, CA » Sat May 26, 2012 1:23 am
Doug,
Since we smoked the roast for four hours first, the one remaining hour in the salt didn't allow enough time for the salt to do what it was intended to do, but that's OK... The hickory flavor was awesome.
We usually bury the roast in the salt from start to finish, that's when the salt has a chance to do it's thing...
1. It brings the heat to the roast more efficiently.
2. Seals the roast by forming a hard crust around the meat, keeping the roast juicy.
If you have concerns about the meat being too salty, put them to rest... You'll probably be asking for someone to pass the salt shaker.
The only trick to remember when using rock salt is to be sure to use a dry rub on the meat, no wet marinates beforehand. A wet marinate would draw the salt into the meat and Yes, it would then be too salty.