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How do you use coarse sea salt?

Published in Salt Uses 2 mins read

Coarse sea salt can be used in a variety of ways to enhance the flavor and texture of your cooking.

Grinding for Finishing

  • Finishing Touch: One of the most popular uses for coarse sea salt is to grind it over a dish right before serving. This provides a burst of salty flavor and a delightful textural contrast.
  • Freshly Ground: Use a salt grinder to achieve the desired fineness for a more nuanced flavor. This is great for adding a pop of flavor on anything from salads to steak.

Culinary Applications

Salt Crusts

  • Meat and Fish: The large crystals of coarse sea salt are ideal for creating a salt crust on meat or fish. This technique helps to seal in moisture and create a flavorful, crispy exterior.
  • How it Works: The salt draws out some moisture, but when cooked the salt firms and creates a barrier, keeping the contents juicy.

Pickling Brines

  • Pickling: Coarse sea salt's larger grains are perfect for creating brines used in pickling. It ensures a proper balance and even salt concentration for preserving vegetables.
  • Flavor Development: The salt’s impact on flavor development is essential when pickling for preserving foods.

Salting Dishes

  • Cooking: You can also use coarse sea salt to add flavor when cooking. Its larger crystals can add a more distinctive salty taste in soups, stews, and pasta.
  • Layered Flavor: Coarse salt's slow dissolving provides flavor in a more layered way than table salt.

Summary

Here's a quick recap of how to use coarse sea salt:

Use Case How To Use It Benefit
Finishing Salt Grind over meals just before serving. Enhances flavor and texture.
Salt Crusts Use large grains to create a crust on meat or fish. Seals in moisture, creates a crispy exterior.
Pickling Brines Add to brines for pickling vegetables. Ensures proper salt concentration for preservation.
Salting While Cooking Add to soups, stews, and pasta. Provides salty flavor and layered taste.

Coarse sea salt is a versatile ingredient that can add depth and flavor to a wide range of dishes. Its texture and flavor are different from regular table salt, making it a welcome addition to any kitchen.