What can I substitute for kosher salt?

In this brief article, we will answer the question, “What can I substitute for kosher salt?” with an in-depth analysis of the taste of coarse sea salt. Apart from this, the nutritional content of coarse sea salt, some uses of the coarse sea salt, different recipes in which coarse sea salt is used, the health benefits and disadvantages of using coarse sea salt, have been mentioned.

What can I substitute for kosher salt?

In Slovenia, in the first half of the 20th century the estimated goitre prevalence was 58% among schoolchildren, and up to 80% in the general population. Mandatory iodisation of all table salt was introduced in 1953 at the level of 10 mg iodine per kilogram of salt. This led to a drop in the prevalence of goitre in school children to 22% in 1959, and to 12% in 1991 (8).

Kosher salt is the salt that is right for koshering meat. Some salts can be used as a substitute for kosher salt, for instance, coarse sea salt. Due to the size of the coarse grains, flaky sea salt can be used as one ratio one replacement of kosher salt.

Jewish dietary laws have been in existence for thousands of years but have received little attention from the scientific community for their potential beneficial effects for improving the quality and safety of poultry products (2).

Salt has been used by the food industry as a preservative ingredient. An alternative use of salt in poultry processing is the salting of carcasses during processing of kosher products. Kosher salt does not dissolve readily when applied to broiler carcasses during the koshering process. The kosher name is attributed because of its use in making meats kosher: by extracting the blood and other pigments from the meat. Because of its larger grain size compared with regular table salt, this product does not dissolve readily when meats are coated. The salt tends to remain on the surface of meat for longer time periods, thus allowing fluids to leach out of the meat. The koshering operation is accomplished by immersing the bird in cold water (8 to 12°C) for 30 min, a process called Shriah, to remove coagulated blood (1).

Taste of Coarse sea salt

Coarse sea salt has characteristic saline flavour table salt. Its grains are large and smooth. In comparison to standard table salt, coarse sea salt retains a crispier and crunchier texture. Due to its crispier and crunchier texture, it is a great choice for finishing salt and it can also be used as a topping for baked goods like crackers.

Sea salt is created by evaporating seawater. It is perceived that sea salt is less dense than table salt and brings about a less salty taste. However, a preference test on three salts commonly applied in the culinary preparation of foods within the foodservice industry was carried out. Results indicate that participants could not taste a significant difference between sea, kosher and table salts (3).

The nutritional content of coarse sea salt

Sea salt is produced by evaporating ocean or sea water. It is also composed mostly of sodium chloride, but sometimes contains small amounts of minerals like potassium, zinc, and iron depending on where it was harvested (4).

Following are some of the nutrients that can be availed by adding coarse sea salt to our daily diet. However, the presence of minerals depends on where the salt was harvested (7).

• Potassium
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Sodium Chloride
• Sulfate
• Iron
• Fluoride
• Iodide
• Silicate

Uses of coarse sea salt

Larger, coarser salt granules do not dissolve as easily or evenly in cooking, but offer a burst of flavor. They are best used sprinkled onto meats and vegetables before cooking or immediately after. They should not be used in baking recipes. Keep in mind that measurements of different salts are not always interchangeable in recipes. Generally, sea salt and table salt can be interchanged if the granule size is similar. However, table salt tends to have a more concentrated, saltier flavor than kosher salt, so the substitution is one teaspoon of table salt for about 1.5 to 2 teaspoons of kosher salt depending on the brand (4).

Following are some uses of the coarse sea salt

• Used as a flavour: Coarse sea salt is a very good option to be used as a favour to any food as it is very good to use coarse sea salt as a finishing salt on vegetables, roasted potatoes, fries, and chocolate fruit desserts.
• Used for making soup: As coarse sea salt dissolves quickly in warm and boiling water that’s why it is used largely for making soup, stews, salad dressing, and some other dishes.
• Used for baking: Coarse sea salt can be utilized as baking salt-crusted fish, beets, or potatoes. Some most common types of coarse salts include sel gris, gros sel, and fleur de sel.  

Recipes in which coarse salt is used as an ingredient

Coarse sea salt is used for making several dishes. Following is the list of some dishes in which coarse sea salt is used as an ingredient

• Sheet Pan Ratatouille: In the first step, the oven is preheated to 400 degrees F. Crushed tomatoes, minced garlic, and fine sea salt is mixed in a bowl. After slicing the eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, and onions into rings, they are tossed with olive oil, dried oregano, and dried basil to coat evenly. 

On the sheet pan, vegetables are layered into rows. After baking for forty minutes, it is removed from the oven and brushed with olive oil. After five minutes, it is sprinkled with fresh herbs and served.

• Caramelized Mushroom and roasted cherry tomato strata: After whisking the eggs milk, coarse sea salt, cheese are added to a large bowl. The baking dish is layered with the cubed bread, sautéed mushrooms, spinach, and cherry tomatoes. 

The egg mixture is poured directly over the bread. It is refrigerated overnight, after covering with the plastic wrap. The oven is heated to 350 degrees F. Before serving, let it cool for some minutes.

• Smoked Chili Lime salmon with grilled pineapple miso salsa: Grill is prepared with charcoal over medium to high heat. Honey, lime juice, garlic, and sesame oil is mixed in a small bowl. 

Place salmon skin-side down on the prepared grill, cooking for 5-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets until salmon is cooked to the desired temperature.

Health benefits of using coarse sea salt

Following are some of the health benefits that can be availed by including coarse sea salt in our daily diet

• Aids digestion: Coarse sea salt is very helpful to aid digestion. Sodium chloride helps to absorb and transport nutrients in the intestines once they are broken down during digestion. Studies show that high-salt diet may alter the composition of gut microbiota and has a certain impact on protein digestion (6).
• Good for skin health and inflammation: Coarse sea salt decreases skin dryness and inflammatory skin. A study showed that Skin roughness and redness of the skin as a marker for inflammation were significantly reduced after bathing in the salt solution (5).

Disadvantages of coarse sea salt

Following are some disadvantages of using coarse sea salt

• Overconsumption of coarse sea salt leads to high blood pressure, osteoporosis,  and some other health issues.
• Coarse sea salt is also very harmful to people with kidney disease.
• It can also cause calcium losses, some of which may be pulled from bone (4).

Other FAQs about Salt that you may be interested in.

Can you substitute table salt for kosher salt?

How to Know if a Compound is a Salt

Does Molly Taste Like Salt

Can you use regular salt instead of kosher salt?

Conclusion

In this brief article, we have answered the question, “What can I substitute for kosher salt?” with an in-depth analysis of the taste of coarse sea salt. Apart from this, the nutritional content of coarse sea salt, some uses of the coarse sea salt, different recipes in which coarse sea salt is used, the health benefits and disadvantages of using coarse sea salt, have been mentioned.

References

1. Shin, D., et al. Effect of kosher salt application on microbial profiles of poultry carcasses. Poultry sci, 2012, 91, 3247-3252.
2. Oscar, Thomas P. Persistence of Salmonella serotypes on chicken skin after exposure to kosher salt and rinsing. J food safe, 2008, 28, 389-399.
3. Undergraduate Creative Inquiry Team. Preference for salts in cooking as perceived by sensory panelists. J Foodserv, 2006, 17, 166-172.
4. Salt and Sodium. The Nutrition Source. University of Harvard.
5. Proksch, Ehrhardt, et al. Bathing in a magnesium‐rich Dead Sea salt solution improves skin barrier function, enhances skin hydration, and reduces inflammation in atopic dry skin. Int j dermatol, 2005, 44, 151-157.
6. Wang, Chao, et al. High-salt diet has a certain impact on protein digestion and gut microbiota: a sequencing and proteome combined study. Front Microbiol, 2017, 8, 1838.  
7. NAFEES, MOHAMMAD, et al. Analysis of rock and sea salts for various essential S and inorganic elements. J Sci Technol Univ. Peshawar, 2013, 37, 9-20.
8. Žmitek K, Pravst I. Iodisation of Salt in Slovenia: Increased Availability of Non-Iodised Salt in the Food Supply. Nutrients 2016, 8, 434.