Kinds of Salt

Sea salt has a coarse flake texture. Sea salt may contain impurities, most notably trace amounts of minerals from evaporated seawater. Its mineral content may impart a slight flavor or discolor food and it is thus unsuitable for preserving foods.

Kosher salt has a coarse flake texture. It is often sold in its unaltered, crystal form. Kosher salt’s large surface area allows for absorption of more moisture than a similarly sized cubic salt crystal. It usually contains calcium silicate or another anticaking agent. It is free of iodine. Many cooks champion kosher salt for its flavor and texture. Kosher salt is generally pure salt suitable for preservation techniques, such as canning, pickling, and meat curing. Like other coarse salts, it can be used in recipes that call for a salt crust. It is to be noted that kosher salt is itself not kosher, but is used in the process of koshering meat. Koshering meat entails soaking meat in water for thirty minutes to remove blood or impurities, then salting it heavily. The salted meat stands and drains for one hour and is then rinsed thoroughly.