Salt is essential to human life and a major component in our overall health.
Salt comes from two main sources, sea water and the sodium chloride mineral halite, also known as rock salt. These two types of salt differ in their sources and processing methods.
The fundamental differences between them are:
Sea Salt:
- Made by evaporating seawater, either by natural or artificial means.
- Contains trace minerals and natural occurring compounds that influence taste and texture.
- Can vary in colour, texture, and flavour depending on the source and processing method.
- May be less refined than mined salt and can contain small amounts of natural impurities.
- Normally more expensive than mined salt due to the processing method and perceived health benefits.
Rock Salt:
- Extracted from underground salt deposits, either through mining or solution mining methods.
- May be processed and refined to remove impurities and create a more uniform texture.
- Contains fewer trace minerals and natural compounds compared to sea salt.
- Can be produced in large quantities and is widely available at a lower cost than sea salt.
In terms of its culinary uses both sea salt and mined salt can be used interchangeably in most recipes. However, some people prefer the taste and texture of sea salt, while others prefer the uniformity and lower cost of mined salt. Ultimately, the choice between sea salt and mined salt is a matter of personal preference and depends on factors such as taste, texture, and budget.
Sea Salt
What Is Sea Salt?
Sea salt is harvested from evaporated sea water and has a coarser texture, stronger flavour, unique characteristics and holds countless variations. This salt is generally obtained naturally in dry climates where there are bays and ponds. Large salt crystals are produced when the water evaporates from the salt, creating the lightest and flakiest salt type. You will find the most variety of salt colours and is regarded as a gourmet salt for specialty applications as sea salt contains all the naturally occurring minerals and compounds found in seawater and can vary in taste.
The complex flavors of sea salt do not generally show up when used during cooking, so they are typically used for finishing only.
Types of Sea Salt:
Fleur de Sel –
Literally “flower of salt,” this is the delicate, floating layer of sea salt traditionally harvested only in France using time-honored methods. Fleur de sel is now produced in many areas of the world and varies in colour and taste. A super-high-end and expensive salt for finishing only.
Hawaiian Salt – This salt comes in two varieties:
Lava Salt: sea salt that has been mixed with charcoal which gives it a black colour and a slight hint of sulfur flavour. Also known as Hawaiian black salt or Hiwa kai from added volcanic charcoal.
Alaea Salt: sea salt that has been mixed with alaea clay which gives it a red color and a mild flavour. Also known as Hawaiian red salt from added volcanic clay.
Celtic Salt or Sel Gris –
Literally “grey salt” in French, this is a moist, rich, heavy sea salt with a high mineral content. Kind of the opposite of fleur de sel, but also much cheaper and more versatile.
Flake Salt –
This sea salt features large crystals, often large flakes. Is commonly a very pure salt used for finishing applications because of its unique characteristics. e.g. – Maldon Sea Salt Flakes is a popular and a readily available brand from England.
Smoked Salts –
Not naturally occurring. Smoked salts are simply made by cold smoking any type of sea salt to impart smoky flavours. Often called “black salt,” they can also feature other spice flavours. This salt is made by taking a coarse salt and exposing it to wood smoke for a prolonged period of time. Each smoked salt is usually different depending on the type of wood used to smoke it with. It can be made using hickory, oak, mesquite, or alder wood.
Rock Salt
What Is Rock Salt?
Rock salt is salt that has been extracted from underground salt mines through the process of mining with dynamite and then crushed further for food use. It can be found under the rugged layers of the Earth’s surface and is scientifically known as halite. Many salts are mined directly from underground deposits and are not usually food grade. Rock salt is a popular salt type for specialty applications.
Types of Rock Salt:
Himalayan Pink Salt –
Being the purest salt in the world and containing 84 minerals that are found in the human body, it is no wonder that Himalayan salt is the go-to flavor booster for health-conscious people all over the globe. This vibrantly pink salt, with iron ore and ivory traced throughout, is mined from the Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan. It has a bolder flavor from the highly complex mineral content making for a lively colour and a slightly richer taste and is great for cooking and baking of all kinds. Himalayan salt also has a high heat tolerance and is often used for spa treatments to release ions into the air.
Kosher Salt –
Chefs particularly love the salt since it’s easier to pick up and evenly distribute is now used more and more in all different cuisines due to its versatility. Large, coarse, and uneven white grains give this salt a favourable texture, while the briny, crunchy, and slow melting characteristics make this flavour profile so desired.
Curing Salt –
Removing toxins from meat before cooking roasts, steak, poultry, and sausages, this curing salt makes serving meat safe for consumers. This large grained, coarse salt is even sometimes dyed pink with food coloring in an effort to inhibit the growth of bacteria, as well as help to further distinguish it from table salt.
Curing Salts –
Curing salts are chemically different than food salt, as they contain nitrites and nitrates. Which is a mixture of sodium chloride, table salt, and sodium nitrite. They are used for pickling meats as part of the process to make sausage or cure and smoke meats such as ham, bacon, pastrami, corned beef, etc.
Pickling & Canning Salts –
Same as table salt but without the anti-caking additives.
Pretzel Salt –
As you’ve always remembered them, iconic golden-brown pretzels are notorious for their large, rectangular shaped specks of salt thoroughly dispersed on top. These rectangles are created on purpose as the flat edges stick onto egg wash more easily. This salt is also non-melting, which makes it perfect for finishing not only pretzels, but other breads too.
Kala Namak Salt –
“Black salt” in Nepalese, kala namak is a mixture of Himalayan salt, charcoal, bark, herbs, and seeds that has been sealed in a ceramic jar and fired in a furnace for 24 hours. It is then cooled down and stored away to be aged before being sold. Kala namak is a pungent salt with a beautiful, reddish-black color. This unique salt has a faint sulfurous aroma similar to eggs, and is often used in heartier dishes, as well as vegan dishes to mimic the taste of eggs.
Fine Salt
What Is Fine Salt?
Fine salt is a salt with extremely fine salt grains that are extracted from salt brines. This practice creates a higher yield, cleaner product, and is generally more inexpensive. By pumping water below the Earth’s surface, salt deposits are dissolved, which creates salt brines. From there, the salt brine is brought to the Earth’s surface and the water is evaporated from it to create the salt that we find on our tables and in our cabinets. Fine salt is one of the most popular types of cooking salt.
Types of Fine Salt:
Table Salt –
Considered the perfect all-purpose salt, table salt is used as an ingredient or seasoning in most cooking and baking recipes. Table salt will usually contain added iodine as iodine deficiency has become common in many parts of the world. Anti-caking agents are usually added into table salt to prevent clumping and keep the salt flowing freely. Table salt has uniform crystal size, which is great for concise and consistent cooking when measuring in volume.
Salt Powder –
Also known as flour salt, salt powder is an even finer grain than table salt. Blending easily into recipes and ensuring a uniform taste, salt powder is ideal for coating snack mixes and sprinkling on salads, as well as using on a larger scale in sauces, soups, and batters.
Canning and Pickling Salt –
As the key ingredient in the pickling and canning process, the type of salt you choose really does matter. This finer grain salt features a small grain that keeps the quality of the produce in its best condition. This salt does not contain additives, minerals, or iodine, and is a much more concentrated salt that will not discolor your produce!
Popcorn Salt –
Popcorn salt is excellent for giving extra flavor to popcorn, fries, nachos, corn on the cob, and other savory snacks and dishes. It is a super fine salt that easily adheres to freshly cooked items and is especially beneficial for getting in the nooks and crannies of popcorn. Coming in different flavorings from butter, sour cream and onion, garlic, and jalapeno to name a few, this is an easy way to dress up your snacks and differentiate them to offer more flavoring options!
Salt in Cooking
Salt in Cooking has several important functions including:
Enhancing flavour –
Salt is known to enhance the natural flavours of foods and can bring out the sweetness, sourness, and umami taste of ingredients. It does this by interacting with the taste receptors on our tongue, stimulating them and making flavours more pronounced.
Preserving food –
Salt has been used as a natural preservative for centuries. It can help to prevent the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms that can spoil food, by drawing out moisture from the food and creating an environment that is inhospitable to these organisms.
Improving texture –
Salt can also affect the texture of food. It can help to tenderize meat by breaking down muscle fibers and can also prevent vegetables from becoming mushy by drawing out excess moisture.
Balancing flavours –
Salt can be used to balance out other flavours in a dish, such as sweetness or acidity. For example, a pinch of salt can help to balance out the sweetness of a dessert or can help to mellow out the acidity in a tomato sauce.
Salt in Baking
Salt plays an important role in baking, particularly in yeast-based breads.
Here are a few ways in which salt and science intersect in baking:
Controlling yeast activity –
Yeast is a key ingredient in bread-making, as it helps the dough to rise by fermenting sugars and producing carbon dioxide gas. However, yeast can also become overactive and cause the dough to rise too quickly, which can result in a dense, gummy texture. Salt helps to regulate yeast activity by slowing down the fermentation process, which can result in a more even rise and a better texture.
Strengthening gluten –
Gluten is a protein found in wheat flour that gives bread its characteristic chewy texture. Salt helps to strengthen gluten by forming bonds with the protein molecules, which can result in a more elastic and stable dough.
Enhancing flavour –
As mentioned earlier, salt is known to enhance flavour in food. In baking, salt can help to balance out the sweetness of bread dough and bring out the other flavours in the recipe.
Extending shelf life –
Salt can also help to extend the shelf life of baked goods by acting as a preservative. It can help to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria that can cause spoilage, which can result in a longer-lasting product.
Overall, salt is an important ingredient in cooking that can help to bring out the best qualities in food. When cooking with salt, it is important to add it early in the cooking process to allow it to dissolve and distribute evenly throughout the dish. However, it is also important to taste the food before serving and adjust the seasoning as needed. Salt plays a role in many critical functions in the production of cooking and science of baking. By understanding the science behind salt and its interactions with other ingredients, cooks and bakers can achieve more consistent and successful results in their recipes. ADB
“Where would we be without salt?” – James Beard