Whether you love grilled meat, fresh salads, or buttered bread, sea salt is a staple of any meal. Fine, French, or Smoked sea salts are all worth trying, and we’ve got all the details on each here. Here’s a closer look at some of the most popular types. You’ll also learn what to look for in a sea salt container.
Fine sea salts
The production of sea salt is a delicate process, requiring careful attention to salinity and water quality. A pipeline from a strait to the salt factory passes the water through sand and charcoal. As the brine evaporates, crystals form on the brine’s surface. Every morning, the workers hand harvest flakes. Flakes are rinsed and drained before drying and packaging.
The extra-fine screened salt comes from the Pacific Ocean, and is recommended for products requiring a fine crystal size. Extra-fine salts are best used in cereal, flour mixes, and spice blends. They’re also great for topping snack foods. But remember to use fine sea salts sparingly, since these can cause foodborne illnesses. The taste and mouth feel of these salts depends largely on the mineral content.
Finishing salts
Fleur de Sel, a French finishing salt, is a prized product. Its crisp, light texture is a popular choice for roasting vegetables and is exceptional when sprinkled on steamed vegetables. The delicate, crystalline salt is harvested using traditional wooden rakes. This salt is produced in small quantities only once a year, so you can’t buy too much! Here are three examples of Fleur de Sel:
Faux sea salts come in a variety of flavors. The flavor of smoked sea salt can range from tobacco to dark fruit. This variety pairs well with red meat, grilled lamb, and umami-rich foods such as aged cheddar and gouda. It’s also great on fruits and vegetables. Finally, smoked sea salt is a classic choice for any kitchen. For a delicious, elegant finish, choose from one of these two salts.
Smoked sea salts
Whether you’re preparing a grilled meal or just cooking in general, smoked sea salts are an excellent way to achieve the flavor of freshly grilled meat. These gourmet sea salts come in a variety of flavors, including applewood, bacon, and alderwood. You can use them to flavor dishes and marinades for chicken, fish, or steaks. Salts Worldwide carries an extensive line of smoked salts.
Smoked sea salts can improve the flavor of smoked salmon or oven-broiled meat. They also are perfect for rims of beverages, including Bloody Mary recipes. Applewood smoked sea salt is great for adding a smoky flavor to vegan collard greens. Andes Desert salt is another popular choice for cooks. All of Salts Worldwide’s smoked salts are sourced from sustainable sources.
French sea salts
The pristine mineral content of French sea salts is what makes them a great alternative to table and tabletop salts. These salts are not refined, making them more nutritious than table salt. And they are never iodized, which is important in the modern world, where iodine is rarely a problem. French home chefs use these salts to enhance their dishes. They often serve vegetables with butter and salt, but fleur de sel adds a unique flavor to vegetables.
One of the most famous French sea salts is Fleur de Sel. This salt is hand-harvested on the protected Isle of Noirmoutier. It is produced by ancient Celtic methods that have not been altered by chemical processes. Its smooth flavor and mineral-rich composition make it a popular addition to dishes and desserts. In addition to its unique texture and richness in minerals, Fleur de Sel is also affordable.
Hawaiian sea salts
Hawaiian red salt is one of the most nutritious sea salts available in the world, and it is extracted from the unpolluted waters off the island of Molokai. It contains more than 80 different minerals and electrolytes, including potassium, magnesium, iron, and calcium. Unlike most refined table salt, Hawaiian red salt is 99% sodium chloride, which makes it a healthy choice for cooking and bathing.
The first Hawaiian salt was harvested by a group of farmers who traded with European sailors. Then, these people carved large shallow salt pans, where the salt vaporized and crystallized. Many of these salt pans were carved from red volcanic clay, and the salt mixed with the clay during the harvesting process. This resulted in the famous Hawaiian Sea Salt. In 1839, Captain James Cook commented on the quality of Kaua’i salt.