Gluten Free Pantry Primer - Salt

Wars were fought over it. States were formed and destroyed because of it. We derive our word salary from it. Salt, it just may be one of the most important commodities in our world with one of the most checkered pasts. One of five elemental components of our palate, along with sweet, sour, bitter and umami, salt sharpens flavor, pulls together other tastes and is essential to every gluten free pantry.

Like so many other foodie things, people are becoming savvy about salts. In addition to my everyday kosher salt, I have at least five different types in my pantry. They all have a different flavor, texture, application and can be had for a reasonable price. There are so many to choose from, this is just a small sampling of the variety to be had.

1. Table Salt
This is a fine grain, everyday salt that has been mined from rock-salt deposits. Additives are sometimes added to prevent caking and keep the salt free flowing. It is cheap, easy to find and can be used in virtually anything. Since it has a small, uniform crystal size, it dissolves quickly making it a good choice for cold dressings, marinades, sauces and baking.

2. Iodized Salt
Iodized salt is really just table salt mixed with a minute amount of potassium iodide, sodium iodide or sodium iodate mixed in. This is supposed to help reduce the chance of iodine deficiency which can lead to disease of the thyroid gland. Only tiny quantities of iodine are required to prevent this disease and today, with a reasonable diet, it is completely unnecessary to consume iodized salt. I personally find the flavor of iodized salt a bit medicinal and this is one that is never in my pantry.

3. Kosher Salt
Kosher salt is made by compacting table salt between rollers which produces large irregular flakes. However, unlike table salt, kosher salt contains no additives. The larger crystal size makes this a great salt for pinching between your fingers and sprinkling over foods in an even layer. For regular cooking, nothing beats kosher salt and if I could only have one salt in my pantry, this would be it.

4. Himalayan Pink Salt
This is a hand-mined salt that is derived from ancient sea salt deposits. It is believed to be one of the purest form of salt available. The high-in-mineral crystals range in color from sheer white, varying shades of pink, to deep reds. I like to buy large chunks that I grate fresh to finish any dish.

5. Sea Salt
Sea salt is actually a family of salts and is created when ocean waters flood shallow beds along the coastlines. During the summer months, the water evaporates leaving large salt crystals. Most commercial sea salt comes from the Mediterranean unless specified and can contain trace elements such as sulfur, magnesium, zinc, potassium, calcium and iron. For connoisseurs who seek out the various kinds of sea salt, the different waters and minerals from the surrounding land lend their flavors to these salts. Here are a few examples.

Maldon Sea Salt is an English sea salt. It gets its delicate flavor from a tradition of boiling the sea water to form hollow pyramid-shaped crystals that look and feel very flaky. You can actually crush the crystals between your fingers. This makes for a light taste on your tongue. It also comes in a smoked variety.

Sel Gris is harvested on France’s Atlantic coast where shallow basins are flooded with ocean water. Evaporation takes place between May and September when artisan harvesters rake the salt to the edge of each bed. The salt picks up its gray color and distinct flavor from the minerals in the bed’s clay bottom. It is large and coarse in texture. I think it adds a delicious salty crunch when sprinkled over a grilled steak.

Fleur de Sel is created only when the winds are calm and the days are warm - how poetic is this salt? It is on these rare few days that the gray slat blooms lacy white crystals. This is the “flower of the salt” and is carefully skimmed from the surface. It has an irregular crystal size and a slightly moist texture. This is my favorite salt to sprinkle on caramels and chocolate. 

Red Hawaiian Sea Salt is a specialty finishing salt. While the color is striking, the flavor is tends to have an iron taste from the soil that’s used to add color. Perfect on pig, I use it to finish succulent slices of pork tenderloin.