GFY: Sea Salt!

foodking

I referenced a recipe the other day for a BBQ rub. The recipe called for paprika, black pepper, brown sugar, yadda yadda, and sea salt. Why sea salt?

Salt_Farmers_-_Pak_Thale-edit1

Sea salt farming. Looks shitty. 

I mean, what’s the difference between sea salt and other salts that you might already have in your kitchen? Let’s find out!

Table Salt

Extracted from natural deposits, crushed, and packaged with anti-caking agents (which are inert) and iodine (which is good). The ubiquitous condiment that’s on your table right now.

Kosher Salt

Also extracted from natural deposits, but the grains are larger. Traditionally used by kosher butchers. Chefs like to use kosher salt because the grains are bigger and easier to control. Doe not contain iodine.

Sea Salt

Made from evaporating seawater. Since the ocean contains all kinds of minerals, sea salt can also contain those minerals. BUT, because the ocean might be getting polluted, sea salt may contain some of that too – specifically heavy metals.

types-of-salt

Table salt is fine, kosher salt is coarse, and so is sea salt – but sea salt can also be fine. Confused?

Special Salts

  • Himalayan Pink Salt: Comes from Pakistan. Contains iron rust – which provides the color. Good to know.
  • Flake Salt: This is a sea salt, but it’s evaporated in a way that forms the salt into flakes instead of grains. Specifically useful to top a steak – when you want the salt to dissolve into the meat. Oh, that’s the stuff…
fleur_de_sel

Fleur de sel is flaky. Dandruff is also flaky.

The real difference is the price:

  • Table Salt: $0.03/oz
  • Kosher Salt: $0.08/oz
  • Sea Salt: $0.15/oz
  • Himalayan Pink Salt: $0.40/oz
  • Flake Salt (Fleur de sel): $1.96/oz
  • Flake Salt (Maldon): $0.67/oz

When you look-up health benefits of a kind of salt, the internet should laugh at you. Typical warnings are returned: limit salt intake if you have a condition or something. Whatever. Between salts, you’re really splitting hairs – it’s SALT!

Here’s my salt guidance:

flake_salt_steak

Flake salt on a steak. Nice!

  • Table salt: belongs on the table
  • Kosher salt: use for cooking
  • Sea salt: don’t need
  • Pink salt: don’t need
  • Flake salt: if you want to be all fancy with a steak, have some, but mostly I enjoy steak at a restaurant

The only reason I can see to call out “sea salt” is to signal you’re a douche bag. Congratulations! So, sea salt, go forget yourself!