Kosher Salt And Halal

[redmike]

A well meaning person suggested that I don't use the term kosher salt in my recipes because it would be similar to using the word halal, and might turn some people off the book.

He said that he's never seen salt labeled kosher salt in the UK

Why Most Recipes Ask for Kosher Salt (and When It's Really Necessary)

So how shall I describe it in my cookbook.

Coarse salt?

Thanks

 

[Gravy Queen]

It doesn't put me off a recipe , I just use salt , whats the difference between kosher and coarse salt ? I think if anything the term is a bit confusing ?

If you are writing a book then I presume you want to appeal to a global audience so you could use the term but suggest a sub for it ?

 

[redmike]

Well you have to use half the amount of table salt (fine) as you would kosher salt, coarse.

Hopefully table salt is fine salt everywhere.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Kosher is a convenient term that describes a particular kind of salt. There are fine grain, super-fine grain, and regular table salt. The super-fine is called popcorn salt around here, is that is what it's normally used for. Coarse salt can be in little chunks, like what you get on a pretzel. Kosher salt is like little, flat, flakes of salt, much larger than the granular table salt. So maybe you could call it flake salt.

It is used in Kosher foods to draw blood and moisture from the meat. It's shape makes it perfect for that purpose.

Yep, I think flake salt would work, but you would have to describe it to people. Again, where I live, it would be packaged as Kosher salt.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Andy M.]

A well meaning person suggested that I don't use the term kosher salt in my recipes because it would be similar to using the word halal, and might turn some people off the book.

He said that he's never seen salt labeled kosher salt in the UK

Why Most Recipes Ask for Kosher Salt (and When It's Really Necessary)

So how shall I describe it in my cookbook.

Coarse salt?

Thanks

Well you have to use half the amount of table salt (fine) as you would kosher salt, coarse.

Hopefully table salt is fine salt everywhere.

Thanks for the reply.

You give the reasons for using the correct terminology.

Kosher salt is the standard of use in most professional cooking and for serious home cooks as well. Anyone who's put off by the term needs to educated, not accommodated.

 

[Gravy Queen]

I suppose it depends where you are ,its not standard use in the UK hence I had to ask about it . There are lots of different terms used which is why if you want to appeal globally you can't assume everyone will use the term you are familiar with. Although as I said, personally it wouldn't put me off . I belong to different cookery forums so you get used to picking up different terms used , and if you don't know just ask .

 

[redmike]

You give the reasons for using the correct terminology.

Kosher salt is the standard of use in most professional cooking and for serious home cooks as well. Anyone who's put off by the term needs to educated, not accommodated.

I know and that it was how I had it listed in all my recipes.

I can however imagine somebody not buying a book if it listed Halal meat.

No point in losing potential buyers because they don't understand a term.

But sad that such things have become important.

My friend in the UK said that he has never seen "kosher salt" in a market.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

The term KOSHER SALT does not mean the salt conforms to Jewish dietary laws. It is simply the style of salt used to remove the blood from the meat during processing because blood is not permitted to be consumed by either Jewish or Muslim dietary laws.

 

[redmike]

The term KOSHER SALT does not mean the salt conforms to Jewish dietary laws. It is simply the style of salt used to remove the blood from the meat during processing because blood is not permitted to be consumed by either Jewish or Muslim dietary laws.

I know and we know but I can understand many people not knowing.

There are growing objections to supermarket in several countries that now sell Halal meat, so I guess there's a growing sensitivity to these things.

I don't have a problem with saying, coarse or sea salt instead of kosher salt.

 

[RPCookin]

Because kosher salt is more coarse than table salt, it dissolves more slowly. Used right, it can give little bursts of salty flavor without completely permeating the dish. I would probably not use table salt in a crust mixture for a roast or similar food. Kosher salt is often called for in rubs and coatings for that reason. If used in a slowly cooked dish like a stew or soup, it makes no difference (aside from the quantity used) because the cooking period is long enough to allow either type to dissolve completely.

Since it requires about double the volume of kosher salt to provide the same amount of saltiness as table salt, it tends to unnecessarily raise the cost of a dish in which the two are interchangeable.

I always have both on hand. I have natural sea salt too, collected on the Bahamian island we lived on (the most central settlement on the island is just named Salt Pond). The Bahamas first viable export was salt. The first native Americans to visit there from Cuba found large natural evaporation ponds with tons of crystallized salt around the edges. The first trade route that the Bahamas were part of took advantage of the easy to access salt deposits.

 

[Gravy Queen]

Redmike and RPC , thanks for the information I understand this a bit better now , at first glance I thought it did refer to Jewish dietary requirements. I can now have a look and maybe see what the equivalent would be here so as not to get it wrong using a recipe that refers to kosher salt , which I can now see would be easy to do . It still doesn't put me off but I did need to understand it more .

Possibly the UK equivalent or near to it is Maldon sea salt or what we call Rock Salt . Terminology of course depends entirely on where you are so what's "correct " in one country doesn't work in another . Of course they are both correct we just use different words .

 

[Whiskadoodle]

Why not just use the terms Coarse sea salt and Fine sea salt in your recipes. Those seem both neutral and pretty clear which type of salt to use.

 

[Andy M.]

Why not just use the terms Coarse sea salt and Fine sea salt in your recipes. Those seem both neutral and pretty clear which type of salt to use.

The real issue among the salts is measurement accuracy. ATK has compared table salt, Morton's and Diamond Crystal kosher salts. Measuring equal volumes (tablespoons, cups, etc.) they found there is twice as much table salt as DC kosher in any measure. There is 1.5 times as much table salt vs. Morton's in a measure.

As a result, it's important to a recipe to specify which salt you are measuring.

Sea salts, being mostly an artisan product, are less standardized than the commercial products mentioned above. You really are in the dark trying to measure them compared to a standard such as DC kosher or table salt.

 

[redmike]

Why not just use the terms Coarse sea salt and Fine sea salt in your recipes. Those seem both neutral and pretty clear which type of salt to use.

Thanks for the reply.

I have personally never seen fine sea salt in market.

And why sea salt?

Is Kosher salt, sea salt?

Do your see using the phrase, "cause salt" as being a problem?

 

[Andy M.]

All salt is sea salt. It's just a matter of when the sea water the salt was a part of evaporated.

 

[Whiskadoodle]

Do your see using the phrase, "cause salt" as being a problem?

I do not see this as a problem if your fingers would learn to not make typos.

Good explanations coming from several directions from you all.

Coarse salt and fine salt seem to be pretty distinctive and neutral terms.

 

[Zagut]

Perhaps a general guideline for of the amount of "course" or "fine" salt with the disclaimer of "To Taste" will fit what you're looking for.

Anyone who's put off by the term needs to educated, not accommodated.

I so agree with this statement.








Also a small explanation of the names and differences of salts could find it's way into your book.

The best cookbooks to me are ones that discuss techniques and ingredients and are more then just a collection of recipe's that I'll modify to fit my own desires.

 

[redmike]

All salt is sea salt. It's just a matter of when the sea water the salt was a part of evaporated.

Where does Salt come from?

Please explain how it relates to cooking recipes.

 

[RPCookin]

Where does Salt come from?

Please explain how it relates to cooking recipes.

As much as possible, salting a dish should be done to taste if the type of food allows it. This is necessitated by exactly what we are discussing - all salt is not created equal, and mixing and matching can result in both under and over seasoning.

For so many dishes, it's really important to taste as you go and adjust seasonings (not only salt) for your preferences, or for what you feel the food should taste like. It's fine to start with a baseline, but in many recipes, that baseline is short of what I feel is necessary.

I find that for most recipes, when I make them for the first time, they come out underseasoned. If it's possible I may taste and add additional quantities of some of the flavorings during cooking. If it isn't possible to do that (like bread or a baked casserole that can't be stirred or tasted once it's in the oven), and if I deem the recipe worth doing again in the future, I will note any needed changes, then incorporate them the next time, and repeat as often as necessary until I get it where I feel it's right.

 

[Andy M.]

...Is Kosher salt, sea salt?

Do your see using the phrase, "cause salt" as being a problem?

Where does Salt come from?

Please explain how it relates to cooking recipes.

redmike, you asked if kosher salt was sea salt so you got answers.

I think "coarse salt" is too ambiguous. What's coarse to one person may not be to another.

As RPC said, salting a dish is ultimately a "to taste" exercise. However, when listing salt as an ingredient in certain parts of recipes, a measurement is necessary. That's when an accurate statement is important.

Seasoning to taste is the final step near the end of the recipe. The salt called for in the recipe may be too little or just right. That's when you do some tasting and adjust or not to complete the dish.

Recipes often tell you to adjust the seasonings near the end of a recipe. That doesn't mean salt wasn't added yet. It just means it may not be enough.