brining salmon....
Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 11:45 pm
i'm new to smoking salmon. whats the difference between iodized salt and kosher salt when brining?
Everything you always wanted to know about salt and then some.
Iodised salt (also spelled iodized salt) is table salt mixed with a minute amount of one of four iodine-containing salts of hydriodic acid or iodic acid: potassium iodate or potassium iodide, and sodium iodate or sodium iodide. It is used to prevent and remedy iodine deficiency. Worldwide, iodine deficiency affects about two billion people and is the leading preventable cause of mental retardation. It also causes thyroid gland problems, specifically endemic goitre. In many countries, iodine deficiency is a major public health problem that can be cheaply addressed by iodisation of salt.
Iodine is a micronutrient that is naturally present in the food supply in many regions. However, where natural levels of iodine in the soil are low and the iodine is not taken up by vegetables, iodine added to salt provides the small but essential amount needed by humans.
Koshering salt usually referred to as Kosher salt in the USA, is a term that describes one of the most commonly used varieties of edible salt in commercial kitchens today. Kosher salt has a much larger grain size than regular table salt, and a more open granular structure. Like common table salt, kosher salt consists of the chemical compound sodium chloride. Unlike common table salt, Kosher salt typically contains no additives (for example, iodide), although some brands will include anti-clumping agents in small amounts.
Kosher salt gets its name not because it follows the guidelines for kosher foods as written in the Torah (nearly all salt is kosher, including ordinary table salt), but rather because of its use in making meats kosher, by helping to extract the blood from the meat. Because kosher salt grains are larger than regular table salt grains, when meats are coated in kosher salt the salt does not dissolve readily; the salt remains on the surface of the meat longer to draw fluids out of the meat.
Common Types of Salt
Rock salt
is very common. It's uses include melting ice on roads and sidewalks and making ice cream. It usually contains many impurities which can negatively affect the taste of foods. Rock salt is salt just as it comes from the salt mine. The only processing done to it is crushing and sifting.
Table Salt
Table salt is available in two varieties...iodized and non-iodized. Iodized salt contains a very small amount of iodide, which is a required nutrient for us humans. However, iodized salt can add a metallic off-flavor to foods.
Non-iodized salt is free from the added iodide, so it can be a better choice, flavor-wise, than the iodized variety.
However, both types of table salt contain anti-clumping agents, which keep the salt free-flowing in humid weather. One of these is sodium silicoaluminate, which doesn't sound appetizing at all. Anti-clumping agents can add unwanted flavors to your food.
Canning Salt
Also known as pickling salt, this is a very pure salt made for food use. It contains no additives of any kind, and since there are no anti-clumping agents, it can form lumps if it's exposed to humidity. This doesn't harm the salt at all...just break up the lumps and it's fine to use. This salt is also finer grained than table salt, so it dissolves quicker. It is excellent for brines, marinades, and general use in cooking and seasoning.
Sea Salt
There are many different varieties of sea salts available. Made by drying the seawater of various locations, a few are considered gourmet quality, and command hefty prices. Black salt, Celtic salt, Pink Flake salt, Fleur de Sel, Hawaiian Red Salt...these are just a few of the gourmet sea salts you can find. All are claimed to enhance the flavor of foods much better than run of the mill table salt.
Kosher Salt
This is also a very pure salt, and is rather large grained. The shape and structure of kosher salt give it the impression of being "fluffy". That's why it seems to have a lighter, less intense flavor than other salts.
Some of these may contain anti-caking agents. Kosher Morton Salt contains yellow prussiate of soda.
It is lighter than table salt or canning salt by volume. There is more salt in a cup of canning salt than there is in a cup of kosher salt...something to be aware of when substituting one for the other in recipes.
Curing Salt
Curing salt is more than just salt. It's a mixture of pure, very fine grained salt, with sugar, sodium nitrate, and sodium nitrite. The last two ingredients help the meat retain its pink color, and also inhibit bacterial growth.
Morton Tender Quick® is one brand of meat cure. It doesn't take a lot to cure meat...for small meat cuts, just one tablespoon per pound, rubbed into the meat, will cure the meat in four to eight hours. It can also be used in brine curing.