Cooking Salt

Salt (sodium chloride) has the distinction of being the only mineral we use as part of our daily diet. Salt is both a preservative and a flavor enhancer. It is, of course, one of the most basic seasonings in any kitchen, but recently many varieties that were once restricted to specialty and gourmet stores have cropped up in supermarkets across the country.

Basic Salts

These are a few of the most basic salt varieties available at most major supermarkets. They primarily vary in terms of texture and crystal size, although there are also some varieties of flavor. 

Table Salt  The most basic, common and inexpensive of salts. Table salt  is fine-grained salt well suited to cooking and baking. It may have some additives to prevent caking and keep it flowing smoothly.	Iodized Salt  Iodized salt  is very similar in texture to table salt, but it has potassium iodide added to protect against iodine deficiency. Some chefs claim that this gives the salt an "off" or metallic taste, but for most cooking applications it won't matter. (But you may not want it as your table salt.)	Kosher Salt  Kosher salt,  also known as koshering salt,  has larger grains than table salt and usually contains no additives. It is traditionally used to kosher meat after slaughter, but has many applications around the kitchen as well. It has a clean, bright flavor and an appealing crunch. Not recommended in baked goods.	Sea Salt  Sea salt  simply refers to any salt that is collected either by hand or by machine from ocean water, rather than from a salt mine. Sea salts tend to include more trace elements than refined table salt. They also are typically packaged without any anti-caking agents, and have a "wetter" feel.

Specialty Salts

Gourmet salts have become a hot trend. While until recently fleur de sel was only available by mail-order or in specialty gourmet shops, now you can find it all over the place. Here are a few of the most popular gourmet sea salts. Keep in mind that most of these are best for use at the table; when added to a dish during cooking, the special texture of the crystals and much of the nuanced flavor are lost.

Fleur de Sel  Fleur de sel  is French sea salt. Typically light grey in color, it is the most expensive salt in the world. Rather than being used for cooking, it is usually sprinkled onto foods just before serving.	Pink Salt  Pink salts  have trace elements which make them a lovely shade of coral or rose pink. Pink salt comes from many different areas: Hawaii, the Himalayas, Utah and Peru all produce pink sea salt.	Black Salt  Black salt  from India has a strong sulfur flavor and is often used in Indian cuisine. Although it is called "black", it is actually more of a pinkish-grey.	Smoked Salt  Smoked salt  is salt that has acquired a smoky flavor and color, either by spending time in a wood-burning smoker or by mixing the salt with a smoke-flavored powder.

Seasoned Salts

Seasoned salt  is any salt that has been mixed with spices,  herbs,  or other flavorings. (Smoked salt  might count in this category too.) Flavored salts  can be used at the table in place of regular salt to add extra flavor to foods. Flavored salts can also be used as spice rubs  for meat and poultry. Here are a few of the most popular, but many gourmet retailers have their own blends available as well, so you should shop around. If you want to go all-out, you can even find salt flavored with expensive ingredients like saffron  and truffles.  

Celery salt  is simply ground celery seeds and salt. It adds a delicious flavor to many cuisines and is great on sandwiches.	Garlic salt  is a combination of garlic powder and salt. Adobo powder  additionally contains turmeric, pepper and oregano.	Butter salt,  or popcorn salt,  is finely ground salt mixed with a buttery flavoring.	Citrus flavored salts,  particularly lemon  and lime,  are a terrific complement to seafood and margaritas.	Herb salts  come in almost unlimited combinations. Popular blends are Mediterranean,  Provençal,  Carribean,  and Cajun.

Salt Accessories

Salt Keepers One thing that all salts have in common is that they need to be kept relatively dry and away from moisture; otherwise, they tend to clump.  A salt pig,  pictured here, is an old-fashioned way of keeping salt dry; despite being open to the air, the unique shape keeps moisture away!  Other salt keepers  include bamboo salt cellars  and glass salt cellars.  Although some come with a scoop, if you buy a salt pig you might also want to pick up a long-handled wooden  or metal spoon  to keep in it.

Salt Dispensers No matter what kind of salt you use, you'll need some way to use it at the table.  Salt shakers  are generally used only with fine table salt,  since sea salt  crystals are too big for salt shaker perforations. If you want to use sea salt at the table, you'll probably want a salt grinder  to break up coarse crystals, or a salt grater  to use with single large crystals.   If, however, you prefer the coarser texture and added crunch of sea salt, you should probably get tiny salt bowls  and salt spoons  to serve sea salt at the table. The larger crystals can add a great texture to many foods, so give it a try!

Related Products

Culinary Herbs	Spices	Spice Blends	Pepper Mills	Spice Racks

International Resources

For this resource in your home country, please see:
DE: Speisesalz