Know the 12 TYPES OF SALT and each uses.

Summary

This informative video explores twelve types of salt, detailing their unique uses and characteristics. From the ubiquitous table salt, which is iodized to prevent deficiencies, to the coarse and flavorful kosher salt, each salt has a distinct role in cooking and preservation. The script delves into sea salts, including the mineral-rich Himalayan pink salt and the delicate fleur de sel, as well as specialty salts like black Hawaiian salt and smoked salt, which impart unique flavors to dishes. The video also touches on pickling salt, essential for preserving without discoloration, offering viewers a comprehensive guide to the diverse world of salts.

Takeaways

• 🧂 Table salt is the most common type, refined, and iodized to prevent deficiencies.
• 🍽️ Kosher salt is flakier and coarser, ideal for sprinkling and quick dissolving in cooking.
• 🌊 Sea salt is unrefined, coarse, and contains minerals for a complex flavor profile.
• 🏔 Himalayan pink salt is hand-harvested, rich in minerals, and used in spas and cooking.
• 🧂 Celtic sea salt, or 'sel gris', is moist and chunky with a briny taste, great for cooking and finishing.
• 🌅 Fleur de sel is a delicate, hand-harvested sea salt known for its high mineral content and use as a finishing salt.
• 🔥 Kala namak, or black salt, is used in vegan dishes and Ayurvedic practices for its egg-like taste.
• 🍖 Flake salt is thin and irregularly shaped, offering a quick pop of flavor, suitable as a finishing salt.
• 🌋 Black Hawaiian salt is deep black from activated charcoal, great for finishing pork and seafood.
• 🌺 Red Hawaiian salt is brick red from volcanic clay, used ceremonially and in cooking for flavor and appearance.
• 🍗 Smoked salt is slow-smoked for intense flavor, perfect for meats and hearty vegetables.
• 🥫 Pickling salt is pure and free from additives, ideal for pickling and brining to prevent discoloration.

Q & A

What is the primary use of table salt?

Table salt is primarily used for flavoring and preserving food. It is also iodized to prevent iodine deficiency.

Why is kosher salt different from table salt?

Kosher salt is flakier and coarser than table salt, making it ideal for sprinkling on meat and as an all-purpose cooking salt. It usually does not contain added iodine or anti-caking agents.

What makes sea salt different from table salt?

Sea salt is unrefined, coarser, and contains minerals from where it was harvested, such as sodium, potassium, and iron, giving it a more complex flavor profile.

What is unique about Himalayan pink salt?

Himalayan pink salt is the purest form of salt, hand-harvested from the Himalayan mountains, and is rich in 84 natural minerals and elements found in the human body.

How is Celtic sea salt produced and what are its characteristics?

Celtic sea salt is harvested from the bottom of tidal ponds off the coast of France and has moist, chunky grains, a gray hue, and a briny taste due to the mineral-rich seawater.

What is the process of harvesting fleur de sel?

Fleur de sel is hand-harvested from tidal pools off the coast of Brittany, France, using traditional wooden rakes on sunny, dry days with a slight breeze.

Why is kala namak salt often used in vegan and vegetarian dishes?

Kala namak has a pungent salty taste and a faint sulfurous aroma, which can give egg-free dishes the taste of egg, making it popular in vegan and vegetarian cooking.

What is special about flake salt and how is it used?

Flake salt is thin, irregularly shaped, and has a bright salty taste with very low mineral content. It is used as a finishing salt, especially on meats, for its quick dissolution and pop of flavor.

How does black Hawaiian salt differ from other salts?

Black Hawaiian salt is deep black in color due to the addition of activated charcoal and is coarse-grained and crunchy, making it great for finishing pork and seafood.

What is the purpose of red Hawaiian salt in culinary use?

Red Hawaiian salt, mixed with volcanic clay, adds an attractive finish and robust flavor to seafood, meat, and traditional island dishes.

What makes smoked salt unique and how is it used in cooking?

Smoked salt is slow-smoked over wood fires for up to two weeks, giving it an intense smoky flavor. It is best used for flavoring meats and hearty vegetables like potatoes.

Why is pickling salt preferred for pickling and brining?

Pickling salt does not contain added iodine or anti-caking agents, and has fewer trace minerals that could cause discoloration in preserved food, making it ideal for pickling and brining.