A Better Understanding Of Salt Will Amp Up Your Meals

Close-up of three different types of salt in three measuring spoons. Kosher salt is on the left in a tablespoon, Maldon sea salt flakes are in the middle in a teaspoon, and fine sea slat is on the right in a quarter-teaspoon.

Have you ever wondered why food tastes so much better in restaurants? It’s simple – they use more salt and the right kind of salt. Salt is the one true staple of any good cook or baker’s kitchen, and there are many different types of salt that you should have on hand to truly take your recipes to the next level. From Kosher salt to flaky sea salt, we’ll cover it all so let’s dig in!

Kosher Salt

Kosher salt was originally made for kashering, the process of drawing blood out of meat so that it meets Jewish dietary laws and traditions. It has a very coarse grain and is the predominant salt in professional kitchens and cookbooks. There are two leading brands of Kosher salt – Diamond Crystal and Morton’s. Diamond Crystal has larger grains so it’s going to be less “salty” teaspoon for teaspoon than Morton’s, which has a smaller grain. It also dissolves better than Morton’s, leading to a more uniform flavor throughout the dish. However, Morton’s is the brand carried at most major grocery stores, so it’s more readily available if you don’t want to order your salt online. If you use Morton’s, be sure to use 3/4 teaspoon for every teaspoon called for in most recipes.

Fine Sea Salt

If you like a more earthy, mineral taste in your salt, you’ll love sea salt. Fine sea salt can be used instead of kosher salt in recipes, but you may want to cut back by 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon depending on how salty your sea salt is in comparison with kosher salt.

Flaky Sea Salt

Flaky sea salt is most commonly used as a finishing touch for both savory meals and sweet baked goods. In addition to adding a boost of visual appeal with its pyramid-shaped flakes, a sprinkle of flakey salt adds just the right bit of extra saltiness that a dish needs to be perfect. Maldon is a very popular brand of flakey sea salt that can be found at most grocery stores!

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Iodized Salt

This is probably the most common type of salt in American kitchens, but that doesn’t mean it’s the most useful unless you have an iodine deficiency. Because its crystals are the smallest of any salt it is the saltiest in taste – 1 teaspoon of iodized salt is equal to 2 teaspoons of Diamond crystal salt.

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