Smoked Salt?

[Janet H]

I have a recipe that calls for smoked salt. I looked it up but have lots of questions. Has anyone used this before?

How smokey is it?
Is there a flavor difference between one smoke (e.g. alder vs. mesquite) flavor and another?
Can it be used at the table or as finish or should it only be used in cooking?

 

[Silversage]

I have some smoked salt that I don't use very often.

We have a spice shop in Sarasota that sells a variety of smoked salts. I was able to smell and taste them side by side. The one I selected was hickory, which was one of the stronger ones. The crystals are very large like a coarse sea salt.

I've found that when I put it in a dish during the cooking/seasoning process it gets lost in the food. In order to use enough to get a smokey taste, the food is over-salted.

For me, it works much better as a finishing salt.

 

[kadesma]

I saw Bobby Flay use it as a finishing salt. Considering that he is a chef and knows far more than I do..I'd just use it as he does.
kadesma

 

[Michael in FtW]

I use it as a finishing salt, too. And, yes, the different woods do make a difference in the flavor - just like it makes a difference when smoking food.

 

[GB]

I have never heard of it being used in cooking. I have only seen it used as a finishing salt.

How smoky it is depends on who made it and how they made it. Some can be very mild while others are very strong and then there is everything in between.

If you are able to tell the flavor differences in BBQ when different woods are used then you will be able to tell the same in smoked salts.

 

[froggythefrog]

If you have a hard time finding smoked salt, I've heard that you can actually smoke some large-grained salt in your oven with an oven smoker. Has anyone tried this, and did it work well? What kind of dishes usually call for smoked salt?

 

[LadyCook61]

I have used smoked seasalt, for rubs on beef tenderloin.