Celtic sea salt in the kitchen: grain size, moisture, storage

• Consider the grain size: For dissolving in a dish or seasoning: choose how you handle it based on the crystals and the recipe.
• Check the grinder: Moist salt should only be used in a salt grinder designed for it. The permitted grain size also matters.
• Store protected: Keep your salt supply well sealed and away from steam and splashes.

How can Celtic sea salt be used?

You can use sea salt as an ingredient for savory dishes: for example, for vegetables, side dishes, or seasoning blends according to a recipe. How you incorporate it is crucial. Is it meant to dissolve in a liquid, or do you want to season a finished dish? That determines which grain size is practical.

Coarse sea salts are used, for example, for cooking water, broths, and salt crusts. The salt producer Le Guérandais describes these uses for their coarse salts. For a salt crust, a recipe designed for this purpose is worth using; the amount of salt in another dish cannot simply be transferred. Source: Le Guérandais, use of coarse sea salt.

For a dish with already seasoned ingredients, their salt counts as well. Our guide using salted pistachios illustrates this with the example of salad and pesto: first taste all ingredients together, then continue seasoning.

Coarse or fine: What does the grain size mean?

When seasoning, pay attention to how evenly the crystals are distributed in the food. Coarser, unevenly distributed grains can intensify the salty perception. The consumer advice center (Verbraucherzentrale) therefore recommends salting cautiously when cooking and adding more if necessary.

In practice, this means: stir salt well into a liquid dish before tasting. If your recipe specifies an amount of salt in grams, weigh it out. Do not casually replace it with an estimated spoonful. Especially with a new grain size, it helps to stick to the recipe instructions at first. Source: Verbraucherzentrale, grain size and distribution.

What does moisture mean for sea salt?

Sea salt is offered both moist and dried. This is shown, for example, by the Le Guérandais range. You can find out which variant you have by looking at the specific product information. The characteristics of another sea salt cannot be transferred based solely on a similar name. Source: Le Guérandais, moist and dried sea salts.

In addition, salt can absorb water from its environment and clump as a result. You can find out whether anti-caking agents have been added to a salt via the label on the packaging. For handling, therefore, both the original composition and the storage location are important. Source: Verbraucherzentrale, moisture and anti-caking agents.

Can Celtic sea salt be used in a salt grinder?

Before filling, check the instructions for your grinder and the product information for the salt. The term "salt grinder" is not enough: Peugeot, for example, distinguishes between grinders for dry salt and special wet salt grinders. The permitted grain size also depends on the model.

Therefore, only put moist sea salt in a grinder that is intended for it. There is no generally applicable grain size for all grinding mechanisms. If its suitability is unclear, use the salt directly in a suitable cooking recipe first. Source: Peugeot, requirements for salt for grinders.

How do you store sea salt?

A dry pantry away from the stove is a suitable place. Seal an opened package carefully or transfer the contents into a well-sealing, food-safe container. The BZfE explicitly mentions salt as a food for the pantry and recommends well-sealed containers for opened supplies. Source: BZfE, storing supplies correctly.

It is practical to remove salt with a dry spoon and keep the container away from rising steam while cooking. Keep the product label when transferring and follow the storage instructions on the original packaging.

Sea salt for your kitchen pantry

At Feinwälder, you will find Celtic sea salt in a 1 kg pack. Information about the item can be found directly on the product page. For other ingredients for your recipes, you can browse our baking and cooking ingredients.