Salt

[Binky Profile]

Sue, I've always admired those salt pigs (I think that's what they're called?) but have been worried exposure to air would make the salt damp, especially in a kitchen. Does the salt stay dry? We can get Maldon Salt pigs around here and one would look nice in the kitchen.

[wargarden Profile]

i think I have over seven types salt.
mostly for different grain size and grain texture.

[Otterspocket Profile]

I’m a bit salt fan - collect different sea salt on my travels but in the main I use Maldon - I actually keep a small pinch pot tin of original and smoked in my hand bag.

Bring Kosher salt home from the states when I’m there as recommended in many recipes these days particularly for bbq

Hubby on the other hand is happy with the cheapest supermarket stuff

[Sakkarin Profile]

Here's my batch, 7 plus one pretender. My favourite overall is the sulphurous Black salt for currified stuff, then Maldon salt, particularly for crumbling onto pizzas, for its very fresh taste, and the Himalayan salt seems promising although I've only used it once so far. I'm sorry to say I rarely use the Sel de Guerande, and I certainly don't pretend to be a connoisseur!



On the kosher salt thing, I'd always been under the impression that Kosher salt was just untreated salt (although doesn't it have to be blessed by a rabbi or something to be kosher?). I remember a few years back I wanted to make some pastrami, and the recipe specifically called for kosher salt, but couldn't track any down even though there are quite a few kosher shops round here as there is a large Jewish community, so in the end didn't bother EDIT: Maybe it's a States thing as Otterpocket mentions.

However I've read the labels on all these salts, only two have any additives, the two "Saxa" sea salts.

[Binky Profile]

Kosher is, for me, a nebulous thing. Is it a method of food production, or is it a religious blessing? When we were looking round some vineyards in Bordeaux, the lady showing us round pointed to many plastic-wrapped casks and said they were kosher and being sent out to Israel. The wine was exactly the same except it had been blessed by the rabbi.

[wargarden Profile]

kosher salt is usually very course grain and iodine free.
it's main use is for drawing out blood from meats and poultry.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

it's main use is for drawing out blood from meats and poultry.

Have to disagree there. Hundreds of chefs all over America use kosher salt in their recipes.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Here´s the rather pathetic collection of salt in the KK cupboards:

DSC_1616.jpg

From left to right:
Sal de gusano ( Agave worm salt) with chile
Indian Black Salt - also known as kala namak
Sal de gusano - without chile

Pretty poor at the moment!!

[Pampy Profile]

https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-kosher-salt.htm
An extract from the link :
Kosher salt, also sold as rock salt, is a type of coarse salt that is usually made without additives. The salt itself is not necessarily kosher, but takes its name from the curing process used on kosher meats.

[patpoyntz Profile]

We visited a salt mine when we were travelling around Morocco in our camper a couple of years ago, it was pink and looked like Himalayan salt, but we were told it was only used for road salting and not for eating!
Other than Maldon, we like Ile de Re salt, and always try to bring enough back to last us until our next visit.
In Mallorca recently, in a very smart restaurant, we were given 3 different salts...one was lava salt, from a volcano, and it was very smoky indeed!

[Otterspocket Profile]

Yep Kosher is widely used in all sorts of recipes - the texture means it dissolves slower. I’ve never added it to a finished meal though - I’m on a high salt diet but the crunch would be too much even for me

Actually I do add coarse grind salt to buttered toast so might try the kosher next time - I have a lot in stock

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Just a question, without the need to pry.
Why is someone put on a high salt diet, please?

[Otterspocket Profile]

Just a question, without the need to pry.
Why is someone put on a high salt diet, please?

Ileostomy and kidney issues

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Ah, got it. Thanks Otterspocket.

[Otterspocket Profile]

Ah, got it. Thanks Otterspocket.

No probs it’s quite unusual particularly when salt is branded evil but I’ve actually managed to get my blood pressure up to normal levels so all good - if I’m feeling off a mug of super strong bovril made with cubes sorts me out quickly

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Kosher is the system of preparing food according to the Jewish dietary laws laid down in Leviticus
Commercial food preparation that claims to be kosher is overseen by a rabbinical council and bears the kosher symbol, 3 Hebrew characters that I remember as they look a bit like 7WD

Kosher salt has a coarse grain and no additives and strictly speaking is salt for koshering. In the butchering of kosher meat, after slaughter according to the rules, the meat is sprinkled with salt which is supposed to remove traces of liquid blood, which is considered an impurity and not allowed according to kosher rules.

The local kosher butcher has the salt delivered by the pallet, 14 lb bags from Israel

Binky this is my third salt pig, I’ve been using them for decades with different salts and never had a problem with damp salt. I use the little juniper wood spoon you can see to remove salt.
There’s a belief that the inside should be unglazed, and the porous terracotta will help keep the salt dry but I think this is a myth, last one was unglazed but this is fully glazed and dishwasher safe and no obvious difference

[Otterspocket Profile]

I use a le Creuset salt pig and that’s glazed fully -
Works great

[jeral Profile]

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Actually I do add coarse grind salt to buttered toast so might try the kosher next time - I have a lot in stock

I find that some bread needs a salt sprinkle. Baguettes typically, but even ordinary bread since the lower salt rules came in. I think kosher salt is usually flakes, but I assume it could be ground if wished. Maybe someone can tell us...

[Otterspocket Profile]

The kosher I have is coarse and like large grains of sand - there’s various brands but this is one I was recommended by a US based foodie group as being the best

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Elizabeth David said somewhere that most people like either the bread or the butter to be fairly salty

I think she’s right, I prefer the salt in the bread but do like the French butter with salt crystals in it