How To Smoke Salt: [WHEN AND WHY YOU NEED TO?]

Smoked salt is a versatile typical seasoning that infuses food with a tasteful smoky flavor. It is primarily sold in groceries. However, you can make yours at home. So, how do you smoke salt?

There are two popular methods to smoke salt, including the hot smoke method, where you will have to heat your grill to 275 degrees F, then add salt to a disposable aluminum pan and spread it evenly. Add your favorite wood chips as per the model of your grill, and then smoke the salt until it reaches the optimum flavor. The other method is the cold smoke method.

There is more than just knowing the methods of smoking salt. This article explains every detail you need to understand about smoked salt.

What is Smoked Salt?

This is salt smoked using the low and slow method over burning wood chips for not over two weeks. The smoke flavor you get highly depends on the wood chips you use. The common wood for smoking salt is oak, maple, cherry, alder wood, applewood, hickory, and mesquite.

In addition, the type of salt you use highly affects the flavor you get as well. Most recipes for smoked salts use kosher salt, Himalayan Pink salt, or coarse sea salt. However, you can as well choose to smoke table salt, but it cannot absorb much smoky flavor like how coarse sea salts do. Smoked salt differs much from flavored salt, usually flavored using liquid smoke or created additives.

Smoked salt is perfect for the intense smoky flavor of your barbeque rubs, cocktails, and soups. Also, smoked salt is excellent for vegetarians.

Methods for Smoking Salt

You can embrace different methods when it comes to smoking salt. They include;

Hot Smoke Method

This method requires a pellet grill or a smoker box to hot-smoke your salt. Start by preheating your grill to 275 degrees F, use a disposable aluminum pan to fill your salt in, and spread the salt evenly to form one layer. Add wood chips. In this step, you must add wood chips per your grill model’s directions. Then smoke the salt for a minimum of four to twenty-four hours. Stir occasionally until your salt reaches the desired level of flavor.

Cold Smoke Method

To use this method, you must have a gas grill and a pellet smoke tube to smoke your salt successfully. A pellet smoke tube uses wood pellets to produce smoke while the temperatures are maintained below 80 degrees F. Use an aluminum pan or a heavy-duty aluminum foil sheet. Place the material directly on the edges of your grill grates, just like how we did it in the hot smoke method; spread your slat evenly to form one layer. Smoke the salt for about four to twenty-four hours. Stir occasionally until your salt reaches the desired level of flavor.

What is Smoked Salt Used for?

Smoked salt is among the most versatile seasonings used in many different recipes. Here are some ways in which you can use smoked salt.

• Bacon crumbles substitute – vegetarians are not left behind. Smoked salt can substitute for bacon by sprinkling it on a salad or deviled eggs. You will get the exact and even better taste than the one bacon gives.
• Barbeque rubs – smoked salt will give your ribs, briskets, and even chicken an authentic smoky flavor within the shortest time possible. You no longer need to cook for long hours for your meat to absorb smoke from your grill. Here is a simple example: add hickory smoked salt to your favorite seasoning blend and then rub it evenly on your meat before you cook it on your grill or stove.
• Sweet savory – sometimes you get confused about which one to choose, between sweet and savory. However, you can as well have both. Grind your smoked salt over buttered popcorn or even toffee fudge. You can as well add smoked salt to caramel ice cream. Smoked salt can be added to many different sweet treats and give you a mouthwatering flavor.
• Enhance the flavor of your snack – to better your snack, add smoked salt to any meaty snack or sprinkle it over a bowl of juicy melon. This makes a perfect snack, and after tasting this, you will remain to wonder why you have never tried it before.
• In cocktails – you can add smoked salt to the rim of your bloody Mary or margarita glass. It adds a perfect flavor making it a fantastic compliment to any margarita.

 

 Is Smoked Salt Healthy?

Yes, smoked salt is healthy. It has many other health benefits besides boosting your cuisine’s flavor. It makes the best option for anyone looking forward to adding smokier flavor to their meals, from meat eaters to vegetarians who still want to get the smoky flavor in their food. Smoked coarse sea salt is a fantastic taste enhancer that easily imparts smoke-grilled saltiness without using harsh and chemical-processed additives to give you a smoky flavor.

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The following are other health benefits of using smoked salt:

• Promotes the wellness of your digestive system
• Balances body fluids, thus preventing dehydration
• It can be used together with herbs and spices in making a marinade
• When compared to table salt, smoked salt is found to be a healthier and natural option.

Smoked salt has unique features that make it easy to use in preparing many different delicious and healthy recipes. They are chemical-free and safer than the gaseous smoke some people love. You can get excellent flavor in your meal without worrying about contaminants or long hours of smoking to attain a particular level of flavor.

Does Smoked Salt Make a Difference?

Yes, smoked salt makes a tremendous difference, especially in influencing the flavor of your meal. As mentioned, this salt adds a deep smoky flavor to your dishes. It is not only used in barbeque meats or meals. You can use it in many other areas, such as cocktails, snacks, and as a bacon substitute. Also, it gives you various health benefits, such as supporting the digestive and nervous systems and preventing dehydration, among many other benefits.

Does Smoked Salt Lose its Flavor?

Smoked salt can lose its flavor when used directly when one is cooking. For instance, adding pasta and salt to the water and then cooking it on heat will cause it to lose its flavor. However, to ensure that your salt retains its taste, you should use it after cooking. This means that you first need to cook your food, and then when it is ready, you sprinkle it over just like you do with barbeque sauce or any other type of BBQ rub.

Also, store your smoked salt in areas of low humidity. Store it away from moisture because moisture significantly reduces your salt’s shelf life and quality.

Does Smoked Salt Expire?

Smoked salt does not expire. However, any salt that contains additives such as iodine can expire. But, the antibacterial nature of smoked salt and lack of moisture still makes it have a long shelf life. While the additives, on the other hand, cut short the shelf life of salt.

Conclusion

You can use smoked salt in many different recipes to give a tasteful flavor to your meals. Additionally, you can use any of the two ways to smoke your salt based on the flavor you want to achieve or even get one from your grocery store. Undoubtedly, it enhances your meat’s flavor and leaves you with many health benefits.