Ever spotted a recipe calling for kosher salt and wondered if it’s a kitchen essential or if table salt would suffice? Kosher salt is a favourite in kitchens everywhere, known for its bigger flakes, clean taste, and unique role in cooking and preserving. Here’s your ultimate guide to what kosher salt is, how it’s made, why it’s called “kosher,” and the many ways you can use it at home.
Key Insights
- Kosher salt is a coarse, additive-free salt known for its clean taste, easy handling, and even seasoning.
- Its name comes from its traditional role in the koshering process, drawing out moisture from meat.
- It’s made by mining rock salt or evaporating seawater, then rolling or pressing the crystals into large flakes.
- Compared to table and sea salt, kosher salt has larger flakes, a milder flavour by volume, and dissolves evenly.
- Common uses include seasoning while cooking, curing, preserving, fermenting, baking, garnishing, and making flavoured salts.
Kosher Salt 101: What is it & How is Kosher Salt Made?
Kosher salt is a coarse-grained, additive-free salt loved for its clean taste and easy handling. Unlike table salt, it doesn’t contain iodine, so the flavour is pure and simple.
But why is it called kosher salt? Its name comes from its traditional use in the koshering or kashrut process. As consuming meat containing blood isn’t allowed, the coarse salt coats the meat more evenly than table salt, effectively drawing moisture out to make the meat fit for consumption.
Today, many kosher salts are certified kosher. And of outside religious practices, it’s a go-to for everything, from seasoning pasta water to curing fish. Many chefs prefer kosher salt because it dissolves evenly without leaving sharp salt “pockets” in food.
How is Kosher Salt Made?
The process starts with either harvesting from mined rock salt deposits or evaporating seawater, similar to how sea salt is made. The difference lies in the shape and size of the crystals, which affect how the salt feels in your fingers and how it dissolves in food. Its signature flaky, coarse crystals are created by rolling or pressing the salt during production, making it less dense than table salt as it’s not as compacted. Kosher salt is also usually not iodised, although some brands may contain anti-caking agents.
The Differences Between Kosher, Sea & Table Salt
| Type of Salt | Kosher Salt | Sea Salt | Table Salt |
|---|---|---|---|
| How It’s Made | Mined from salt deposits or evaporated from seawater, then pressed or rolled into large, flat flakes. | Harvested from evaporated seawater, often sun-dried. Can be fine or coarse. | Mined from underground salt deposits, then refined into fine crystals. |
| Texture | Large, coarse flakes that are easy to pinch and sprinkle. | Fine, medium, or coarse depending on processing. | Very fine grains, often with iodine or anti-caking agents. |
| Taste | Clean, pure saltiness with no additives and dissolves evenly. | Mild to briny flavour depending on mineral content. | Sharper, more concentrated salty taste. |
| Measurement | Flakes are less dense, so you may need more by volume compared to table salt. | Similar volume-to-weight variations depending on grain size. | Very dense. A teaspoon contains more salt by weight than kosher or coarse sea salt. |
If you’re interested in other varieties and flavour profiles, learn about smoked salt
What Is Kosher Salt Used For?
Kosher salt’s coarse, flaky crystals make it incredibly versatile in the kitchen. Here are some popular uses:
- Seasoning While Cooking: Its texture makes it easy to pinch and sprinkle evenly over food. It’s less “salty” by volume than finer table salt, so it gives you more control over seasoning.
- Curing and Preserving: Perfect for pickling, or curing meats, fish, or vegetables, kosher salt helps pull out moisture and lock in flavour, keeping food fresh for longer.
- Salting or Drying: Kosher salt is often used in drying techniques because it doesn’t contain anti-caking agents and spreads evenly.
- Fermentation: Free of iodine or additives, kosher salt won’t affect the bacteria in fermenting processes and dissolves more easily when brining.
- Baking Breads and Savoury Pastries: Kosher salt is used in various recipes, from bagels to pies. Sprinkle it on top before baking for a satisfying crunch and burst of flavour.
- Cooking Water: Add kosher salt to water for boiling pasta or potatoes, sauces, and stir-fries to season your food from the inside out.
- Garnishing: You can finish a dish with a pinch of kosher salt for texture and taste, as it dissolves more slowly than ground salt. It’s also ideal for rimming cocktail glasses, especially margaritas.
- Creating Flavoured Salt: Its texture is favoured for combining with herbs, citrus peels or chilli flakes to make homemade flavoured salt.
Tips for Cooking with Kosher Salt
- Pinch and Feel: Many chefs and homecooks who season by touch find that the texture of kosher salt makes it easier to judge how much you’re adding, offering more control.
- Adjust Measurements: Because the flakes are larger, one teaspoon of kosher salt weighs less than a teaspoon of table salt.
- Store It Well: Ensuring your ingredients stay fresh matters in the kitchen. Learn how to keep salt dry, clump-free and ready to use.
- Try It in Rubs and Marinades: Its coarse grains make it ideal for spice rubs on meat, fish, or veggies, holding spices and herbs well.
- Different Brands Vary in Weight: Some flakes are larger and lighter, while others are denser, so always measure by weight if you’re following a precise recipe.
Bringing Kosher Salt Into Your Kitchen
Once you know what kosher salt is used for and get used to the pinch-and-sprinkle control, it’s hard to go back to table salt. From seasoning veggies to finishing a fresh batch of oven chips, it’s one of those pantry staples that quietly makes everything better.
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