I noticed in the Brining 101 not all salt is equal. Are there easy rules of conversion?
I.E. If I want to use sea salt instead of Kosher?
Thanks
Briggsy
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thanks for posting here Brigsy.
Nope, all salt is NOT the same.
1 cup of table salt doesn't equal one cup of kosher or one cup of sea salt.
To be PRECISE it's best to weigh all cooking stuff, but we don't usually talk weight. In fact I've always used just simple stuff like 1 cup to help since most people don't use weight (but in the restaurant I use weight for consistency)
The only table I know for sure doesn't mention sea salt, so we'll have to figure it out:
Simple thing to do is take a cup of table salt and weigh it (my recipes are based on TS).
Then weigh the sea salt for the same weigh, regardless of volume.
Here's what I know (I think this is in Brining 101):
1 cup of Table Salt equals
1 1/2 cup of Kosher salt or
2 cups of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt.
Maybe someone can find a conversion table of sea salt to Kosher or table. Key also will be the type of sea salt. Flake, fine, regular, etc, etc.
One important point about Sea Salt (or really all salts).
ALL salts are the same, sodium chloride is sodium chloride (NaCI). The only difference is the trace minerals that you get with the different types.
For me? I wouldn't spend the money on an expensive salt to put in a brine that will have all those other flavors.
Save the expensive stuff as a topping (like for steak or salad) where you can taste the flavor.
Nope, all salt is NOT the same.
1 cup of table salt doesn't equal one cup of kosher or one cup of sea salt.
To be PRECISE it's best to weigh all cooking stuff, but we don't usually talk weight. In fact I've always used just simple stuff like 1 cup to help since most people don't use weight (but in the restaurant I use weight for consistency)
The only table I know for sure doesn't mention sea salt, so we'll have to figure it out:
Simple thing to do is take a cup of table salt and weigh it (my recipes are based on TS).
Then weigh the sea salt for the same weigh, regardless of volume.
Here's what I know (I think this is in Brining 101):
1 cup of Table Salt equals
1 1/2 cup of Kosher salt or
2 cups of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt.
Maybe someone can find a conversion table of sea salt to Kosher or table. Key also will be the type of sea salt. Flake, fine, regular, etc, etc.
One important point about Sea Salt (or really all salts).
ALL salts are the same, sodium chloride is sodium chloride (NaCI). The only difference is the trace minerals that you get with the different types.
For me? I wouldn't spend the money on an expensive salt to put in a brine that will have all those other flavors.
Save the expensive stuff as a topping (like for steak or salad) where you can taste the flavor.
quote:Originally posted by Smokin':
Nope, all salt is NOT the same.
I agree and I've found that cheap table salt works well, but make sure it is non-iodized!
Thanks Cal,
Yup, I use non-iodized as well, I can always taste that "metalic" taste if I use it inadvertently.
Yup, I use non-iodized as well, I can always taste that "metalic" taste if I use it inadvertently.
I agree with Smokin and Cal. I haven't used iodized salt in years, in fact there is none in the house. If I feel the need for iodine, I'll go to the drug store. Buy whats on sale, or if practical by the case. For brines, Pickling/Canning salt will dissolve in cold water easier than the others. Don't confuse the pink Himalayan salt with pink curing salt.
quote:Originally posted by SmokinOkie:
Maybe someone can find a conversion table of sea salt to Kosher or table. Key also will be the type of sea salt. Flake, fine, regular, etc, etc.
The "Go To" salt in our house for most purposes is Diamond Crystal Kosher. A few years ago I ran out of it and all I could find was Morton's Kosher. I knew there were weight/volume differences between salts, but couldn't recall what they were. I did a little research and tinkering with the two Kosher salts, as well as other salts that we commonly have on hand, and came up with the following. Hope it helps.
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I use Morton's Kosher or Morton's Canning/Pickling salt as it is pure NaCl with no additives (such as Anti-caking additives). I have a small scale I salvaged from the lab where I work that I use to weigh ingredients and wood chunks for my AmeriQue. DLS, I love Malden's sea salt, but it is WAY too expensive for brining or general cooking. It is a GREAT finishing salt.
Mike - I use DC Kosher for wet brining, and save the La Baleine fine and Maldon sea salts for finishing. I primarily use the La Baleine coarse sea salt to make a wine salt mixture that's used as something of a "dry brine" for meat, poultry, or fish.
quote:Originally posted by dls:
sea salt to make a wine salt mixture that's used as something of a "dry brine" for meat, poultry, or fish.
Sounds interesting. Care to share the recipe/technique?
quote:Originally posted by dls:quote:Originally posted by SmokinOkie:
Maybe someone can find a conversion table of sea salt to Kosher or table. Key also will be the type of sea salt. Flake, fine, regular, etc, etc.
The "Go To" salt in our house for most purposes is Diamond Crystal Kosher. A few years ago I ran out of it and all I could find was Morton's Kosher. I knew there were weight/volume differences between salts, but couldn't recall what they were. I did a little research and tinkering with the two Kosher salts, as well as other salts that we commonly have on hand, and came up with the following. Hope it helps.
Sorry, but no wonder I hated Science Class - LOL. The table really confuses me.
Briggsy
quote:Originally posted by Pags:quote:Originally posted by dls:
sea salt to make a wine salt mixture that's used as something of a "dry brine" for meat, poultry, or fish.
Sounds interesting. Care to share the recipe/technique?
Pags - I don't mind sharing at all. Rather than putting the info here as a reply I did as Smokin' suggests and posted it in the "Favorite Recipes" section headed as "Red Wine Salt".
Thank you.