People have a lot of questions about all the different salts in the market these days. Here’s a quick rundown of the four basic ones:
1. Table Salt
Right: Table; Middle: Kosher; Left: Sea
There’s regular table salt which is what we’ve cooked with for years and years. It has the smallest crystals and has a specific chemical taste to it from the iodine added to stop it from clumping. Generally, it is fine for most dishes and recipes.
2. Kosher
There’s kosher salt which a lot of chefs use. Many do not contain iodine though some will contain small amounts of additives to prevent clumping. And it’s much flakier than the regular table variety.
3. Sea
Then there are all the gourmet sea salts. As you can see, the crystals are much bigger. They can come in a variety of colors including pink and black. These are not used in cooking (and you definitely don’t add them to baked goods). Instead, you sprinkle them over the top of the food before you serve it and it adds a taste of the sea and this nice crystal texture.
4. Pickling
Pickling salt is different from regular. It doesn’t contain certain additives, including anti-caking agents. As a result, it can form lumps when if it is humid out. It is fine for use at the table or when cooking, baking, and of course pickling.
Regular salt in water makes it cloudy.
TAKE NOTE: Regular table salt with an anti-caking agent should not be used when canning or pickling because the anti-caking agent is not water soluble, and it can make your pickled food look cloudy.
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