Definition of salt away

The phrase "salt away" is a colloquial term used in the United States to describe the process of conserving food by adding salt or a saline solution to it. The origin of the term can be traced back to the 18th century when salt was a valuable commodity and a necessary preservative for food that was shipped over long distances. At the time, salt was referred to as "Earth's Jewel" due to its high cost and scarcity. Salt merchants would sell it in small bags or cellars and often inscribed their brand name or logo on the package. These packages would sometimes have the words "Salt Away" or a variation of it, to emphasize the importance of adding salt to the food during transportation to preserve it. Over time, the phrase "salt away" became a part of everyday lingo used by people to describe the process of preserving food with salt. Today, the term is still used in the food industry for pickling foods or dehydrating them, such as in the case of jerky, where salt and a saline solution serve as a natural preservative. Overall, the term "salt away" has a rich history that tied into the value and importance of salt during a time when it was a scarce good. The term has stood the test of time, and its enduring usage is a testament to the continuing significance of salt in food preservation.