This article will look at the different types of salt and how to use them. Additionally, you could mistakenly believe that salt is just that—salt. The same common table salt that you may get in shakers all across the world.
But as you learn more about artisanal salt, you’ll see that there are many different types of salts, each with its distinctive properties, textures, and flavors.
Furthermore, many options are available, from more recent creations like smoked salts to traditional, hand-harvested French salts like fleur de sel.
So why not experiment with different types of salt to tantalize your palate and dazzle your friends?
Table of Contents
- 1. Refined Salts (Table Salts)
- 2. Kosher Salt
- 3. Sea Salts
- 4. Himalayan Pink Salt
- 5. Black Diamond Crystal Salt
- 6. Curing And Bringing Salts
- 7. Flake Salts
- 8. Himalayan Black Salt
- 9. Specialty Salts And Seasoned Salts
- 10. Hawaiian Alaea Salt
- 11. Hawaiian Alaea Salt
- 12. Smoked Salts
- 13. Sale di Cervia
- 14. Celtic Salt
- 15. Fleur De Sel
1. Refined Salts (Table Salts)
Table salt is your typical salt, and it comes in little crystals that can fit through the gaps in salt shakers. Additionally, you can find it in food service packages, on restaurant tables, and in those cylindrical boxes on grocery store shelves.
However, to avoid the illness known as goiter, iodine has been added to table salt to create iodized salt.
From a culinary perspective, a cook’s objective should be to season a meal well such that additional salt is not required or preferred at the table.
Because of this and the degree to which contemporary home cooks have embraced this method, the amount of table salt used as seasoning has significantly decreased.
Despite this, baking still makes extensive use of table salt. In addition to adding flavor, salt interacts with wheat gluten to increase the dough’s elasticity.
Additionally, because of how easily its tiny crystals dissolve in the dough, it is the salt of choice when creating bread and other baked goods.
2. Kosher Salt
Kosher salt is also one of the different types of salt you can use to spice up your food. Table salt is refined more than kosher salt. Generally, it is coarse grain, unionized salt, though certain brands may also contain an anti-caking ingredient.
It can be kosher, although its term stems from the practice of traditionally “koshering” meat by removing the blood.
Some companies started marking their salt as kosher, and the word remained to set it apart from finer table salt.
Anywhere conventional table salt is used, kosher salt can also be used. Its big grains make it perfect for hand-salting, making it simple to grab a pinch to season your meat or stew.
Just keep in mind that it is less ideal for recipes that call for precisely measured amounts because the size of the crystals varies from brand to brand.
Furthermore, it’s a fantastic choice for rubs or any meal where its robust taste and crispy texture will add flavor and texture.
3. Sea Salts
Of course, the sea is the primary supplier of salt around the globe. But salt reserves underneath are also mined to create salt for food.
But these subsurface deposits were made by long-gone seas thousands of years ago. E
The salt deposits in the Himalayan Mountain range are remnants from the millions of years before the mountains were formed when the area was submerged.
In any instance, saltwater is evaporated to create items marketed as “sea salt.” Their labels identify several varieties, each having unique traits and flavors derived from trace components.
Additionally, Sea salts can be in the shape of flakes, fine, or coarse crystals. Depending on these factors and how they are made, they can display various colors from regional minerals and algae.
4. Himalayan Pink Salt
Himalayan pink salt is another type of salt that is gaining popularity among chefs and consumers. It is harvested from underground salt mines in the Himalayas’ foothills.
The process of harvesting is very similar to that of traditional salt mining. Instead of extracting salt through evaporation, miners extract salt through natural oxidation.
Additionally, this means that the salt is exposed to oxygen in the air, which causes the mineral to oxidize into a reddish color. The resulting salt has a distinctive flavor and aroma reminiscent of the ocean.
5. Black Diamond Crystal Salt
Black diamond crystal salt is also one of the different types of salts to spice up your food. The black Diamond Crystal Salt is another type of sea salt from the Dead Sea.
It is produced by evaporating water from the brine pools at the bottom of the lake. This creates a thick, dark substance that contains many minerals, including magnesium chloride.
Black Diamond Crystal Salt is often sold in large blocks, making it easier to cut and grind into smaller sizes if necessary.
6. Curing And Bringing Salts
Salt is an essential ingredient in brines for pickling vegetables, curing meats, drying, and preserving meats due to salts preservation characteristics that result from its capacity to suck water out of foods.
In addition to curing or bringing, smoking meats is frequently used for preservation. While all salts have these preservation qualities, there are also special curing salts and bringing salts that have been created specifically for their intended use.
Furthermore, Curing salt, for instance, is regular salt with a small amount of sodium nitrate added since this substance works well to kill the microorganisms that cause botulism.
7. Flake Salts
Large, flat salt flakes are the distinguishing feature of flake salt. Although it can occur naturally, it is typically created by evaporating water or boiling brine.
These techniques typically result in fine salt shavings with a saltier flavor since they have less mineral concentration than other salt varieties.
Additionally, Flake salt is perfect for use as a finishing salt because of its wide surface area, which allows the flakes to dissolve quickly while still having a crunchy quality.
You can use flake salt in any dish you like. But given its peculiar qualities and “melting crunchiness.” Furthermore, it would work best in sweet foods like cookies, ice cream, or desserts made with caramel or chocolate.
8. Himalayan Black Salt
Himalayan black salt sometimes referred to as “Kala Namak,” is a staple in many traditional South Asian dishes. It is produced using salt reserves found in the Himalayas.
However, with the addition of charcoal, local seeds, bark, and several other local components, these salts are kiln-fired in sealed vessels.
Additionally, after cooling, the salt is aged. The salt contains iron sulfide, which gives it its black color; traces of magnesium and sulfates are also found.
You could notice that Kala Namak releases a relatively strong odor when initially put into food because of the sulfur it contains. But eventually, this goes away, leaving you with a savory flavor that tastes like egg yolks.
9. Specialty Salts And Seasoned Salts
Next on our list of different types of salts are the Speciality salts and Seasoned Salts. The abundance of specialty salts, such as Himalayan pink salt (see above) and Hawaiian black salt, makes up for their lack of universal applicability.
Additionally, if applying it as a garnish, do so before serving because many of these salts will dissolve quickly.
To create seasoning blends, seasoned salts like celery salt and garlic salt are blended with other ingredients, herbs, and spices rather than specific types of salt.
10. Hawaiian Alaea Salt
This salt also referred to as “Hawaiian Red Salt,” is produced where the Pacific Ocean meets the coasts of Hawaii.
After being extracted, salt is combined with red alaea volcanic clay. This clay’s hue is brick red and contains minerals and iron oxide.
Additionally, it was traditionally utilized in Hawaiian ceremonies to promote healing. And also for blessings and purification since it was thought to have mystical qualities.
Meanwhile, a little bit of Hawaiian alaea salt goes a long way. And it is prized for its ability to maintain taste during cooking. It is a traditional ingredient in cuisines like Hawaiian poke and pork kalua.
Use it as an eye-catching garnish on any dish that is light in color or to add authenticity to grilled fish.
11. Hawaiian Alaea Salt
This salt also referred to as “Hawaiian Red Salt,” is produced where the Pacific Ocean meets the coasts of Hawaii.
After being extracted, salt is combined with red alaea volcanic clay. This clay’s hue is brick red and contains minerals and iron oxide.
Furthermore, it was traditionally utilized in Hawaiian ceremonies to promote healing and for blessings and purification since it was thought to have mystical qualities.
A little bit of Hawaiian alaea salt goes a long way and is prized for its ability to maintain taste during cooking. It is a traditional ingredient in cuisines like Hawaiian poke and pork kalua.
Use it as an eye-catching garnish on any dish that is light in color or to add authenticity to grilled fish.
12. Smoked Salts
Smoked Salts are also one of the different types of salt you can use. Why not try smoked salt if you’re seeking a chemical-free alternative to liquid smoke or want to add a trace of smoke to your cooking?
Natural sea salts are slowly smoked over many days to produce smoked salts, which come in a range of smokey aromas like hickory, Alderwood, and maple.
Furthermore, Salts that have been smoked are an easy and quick approach to enhance the flavor of most recipes.
Depending on the smoked salt you choose, you could add flavor to poultry recipes or use it as a dry rub for ribs.
Or sprinkle it over red meat to give it a lovely, aromatic tinge. Additionally, it is a fantastic addition to vegetarian and fish recipes.
13. Sale di Cervia
The Italian equivalent of the French fleur de sel is called sale di Cervia. You might mistake one for the other because they are made in small salt flats identically and are both collected with conventional wooden rakes.
However, these premium gourmet sea salts are highly different from one another, much like the Atlantic Ocean and the Adriatic Sea are very different.
Sale di Cervia is a great finishing salt for many cuisines because it doesn’t have the salty flavor of fleur de sel. Any recipe will be improved by its delicate flavor and rich mineral content, from vegetables to grilled fish.
14. Celtic Salt
Celtic salt also referred to as “sel gris” or “gray salt,” is hand-harvested from tidal ponds off the French coast of the Atlantic.
In addition, this salt’s gray hue and almost-moist feel are a result of the clay. This labor-intensive, coarse-grained salt is expensive and rich in minerals. But it has a distinctive flavor that makes it highly valued.
This salt can be used as a finishing salt as well as a cooking salt. Its mild, saline flavor is perfect for complementing pasta, fish, and shellfish recipes. Additionally, it is an excellent choice for rimming cocktail glasses due to its wet texture.
15. Fleur De Sel
Rounding off our list of different types of salt is the Fleur de sel. The “caviar of salts,” fleur de sel, is one of the most expensive salts you can purchase.
Additionally, it is gathered similarly to Celtic salt, but it requires significantly more work and can only be harvested under specific conditions.
Furthermore, the tiny, thin crystals of fleur de sel are skimmed from the water’s surface. The restricted annual production and high price are because this can only be done using traditional procedures on dry, warm days with a light breeze.
Like sel gris, this salt has a delicate, saline flavor and retains moisture. Use it as a finishing salt to improve all dishes, particularly seafood, fish, and vegetables.
While it frequently has a poor rap, salt is necessary for good cuisine. And it even plays a significant role in some artisanal items, such as soap!
Instead of always seasoning your food with plain old table salt, broaden your culinary horizons. You can also try these other salt varieties for a delicious punch of novel flavors and textures!
This article will look at the different types of salt and how to use them. Additionally, you could mistakenly believe that salt is just that—salt. The same common table salt that you may get in shakers all across the world.
But as you learn more about artisanal salt, you’ll see that there are many different types of salts, each with its distinctive properties, textures, and flavors.
Furthermore, many options are available, from more recent creations like smoked salts to traditional, hand-harvested French salts like fleur de sel. So why not experiment with different types of salt to tantalize your palate and dazzle your friends?
