Kosher salt is a fine kosher sea salts with a higher concentration of sodium chloride. Usually kosher salt has a yellowish colour and is considered very coarse, and less refined than regular table salt. Used mostly in the kitchen and not on the table, it usually consists of potassium chloride and does not contain anti-caking agents like other salts. It is a great way to add flavour and texture to food, and it's one of the main ingredients in Jewish deli sandwiches and pastrami.
Iodine is added to kosher salt for its hardness properties, which make it better for binding dough. To get the best taste from kosher salt, make sure that the kosher salt you are using contains an iodine content of about 2 mg/ kg. Iodine has the tendency to change its salt characteristic over time, so that the more recently kosher sea salts will be harder to notice than older kosher salt. However, if you are looking for a salt with a distinctive taste or one with special properties, consider buying kosher salt that has been prepared at sea.
Another alternative to using table salt is pickling salt. While not actually kosher, pickling salt mimics the taste of the kosher salt. The only difference is that pickling salts are made with all natural seasoning, no salts or vinegar and are therefore more beneficial for your health. There are many recipes available online, which allow you to prepare pickling salts, but before you get started make sure to read up on the different ingredients to make sure you have all the necessary equipment and utensils.
There are two different ways to salt vegetables, kosher salt and sea salt. Sea salt has a much more intense flavour and should only be used on salty foods, such as fish and shellfish. Kosher salt is less powerful and tends to give salty texture to food. Most chefs agree that the best texture comes from kosher salt but feel that regular table salt does provide a similar function. In addition to texture, kosher salt also provides a higher concentration of iodine. Iodine is necessary for the body to be healthy, so if you're trying to avoid diseases such as cancer, you should stay away from regular table salt.
So, what's the main difference between kosher salt and regular salt? The main difference is in the way it's processed and the amount of iodine in the product. Kosher salt has been prepared to create a high concentration of iodine, which creates a very salty and "botanically" flavoured product. This texture is what's set it apart.
Regular salt won't have the same effect because it doesn't have the right concentrations of iodine to really "taste good". If you want to experience a kosher salt to taste, the best thing to do is to eat meat that is kosher. It's the most natural way to have this salt taste.
But what about sea salt? Sea salt is often used on its own or as an ingredient in foods. Is there a kosher salt that is superior to sea salt? Well, first, the concentration of minerals in seawater is much lower than that in land water. Also, salt formations found in seawater are typically larger and contain crystals of tiny sodium and calcium minerals. Kosher salt deposits generally don't contain large crystals, unless they have been specially prepared.
So, the conclusion we can draw is that the real differences are in the process of processing. Sea salt is processed by soaking it in seawater (or another liquid) to release the salt and minerals. Processed salts are then exposed to heat and pressure in order to make them softer and less expensive. Kosher salt isn't processed, so it's just naturally occurring crystals. And, while there may be some difference in price between kosher and regular sea salt, the cost of purchasing kosher salt isn't much more expensive than that of regular sea salt. So, which is better for you?
