Flavored salts can add a new dimension to your food, adding punch and spice, zest and depth to boost the flavor of a dish. From the ingredients you use to the foods you choose to season, flavored salts are wide open to your imagination. They are easy to make for yourself or as edible gifts for friends. Start with a flaky or coarse salt. Add herbs, spices, fruits, vegetables or condiments to give you a quick and unique way to season most anything. Take inspiration from the bounty of your garden and use flavored salts on meats, seafood, eggs, vegetables, cheese, even desserts! Use as a finishing touch on soups or salads or as a topping for popcorn or roasted vegetables. Make your own celery or garlic salt, or try something more exotic like sriracha lime salt on French fries, mushroom salt on buttered pasta and herb citrus salt on chicken or fish.
Coarser, flakier salts are preferable for their texture and appearance when used as a finishing salt. The larger grains aren’t overpowered by the flavor you are incorporating. Try kosher salt, Maldon salt, coarse sea salt or fleur de sel. If all you have is regular table salt, you can use that with a higher proportion of flavorings (increase by a teaspoon or two).
You can flavor salts with wet or dry ingredients. When using dry flavorings you simply mix and store. When using wet flavorings you need to dry the mixture before storing.
USING DRY FLAVORINGS:
The basic formula is 1 teaspoon of dried flavorings to 1/4 cup of salt. You can increase flavorings to taste. Flavoring options are nearly endless and depend entirely on your taste. Use your imagination! Think herbs, spices, chili peppers, citrus peel, edible flowers, tea leaves or powders, dehydrated fruits and vegetables.
Here’s what to do:
- Prepare flavorings. Ingredients should be dry and small (ground, chopped, flaked). Dried herbs and spices can be used as is. If you’re using fresh ingredients like flowers, celery leaves, or fennel fronds, you’ll need to dry them out first. To do this, cut them into small pieces and dry in the oven, a dehydrator, a microwave, or air dry them. Once they are crisp but not browned, they are ready. After drying, pulse in a small food processor, or coffee/spice grinder, or muddle with a mortar and pestle until finely ground. For thin-sliced ingredients like citrus zests, you can let them air-dry for 24 hours, then process into a powder, too.
- Blend flavorings and salt. Start with 1 teaspoon flavorings and 1/4 cup salt. Mix the ingredients until the particles of the dry flavorings are evenly distributed throughout the salt. The easiest way to do this is to pulse the salt and flavorings together in a food processor or coffee grinder, but you could also use a mortar and pestle or simply blend them by hand. Mix well but avoid pulverizing the salt. Taste and increase the flavorings, if desired.
- Store flavored salt in an airtight container.
Chili salt
Here are a few ideas for flavor combinations:
- Chili-Lime Salt: 1/4 cup salt + 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes + 1 teaspoon dried lime zest + 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Citrus-Rosemary Salt: 1/4 cup salt + 1/2 teaspoon dried lemon zest + 1/2 teaspoon dried orange zest + 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
- Spicy Cocoa Espresso Salt: 1/4 cup salt + 1/2 teaspoon ground espresso + 1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder + 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper [try this sprinkled on fresh baked brownies!]
USING WET FLAVORINGS:
You can also choose a wet condiment to add to your salt. The basic formula is 1 tablespoon flavoring per 1/2 cup of salt. You can increase flavorings to taste.
Here’s what to do:
- Choose your flavoring. Any thick cream- or oil-based condiment, sauce or dressing can serve as a base for an infusion. As a general rule, the condiment you use should be thick enough to spread. [Note: to use liquids such as wine or heavy liquors you would first need to reduce the liquid to a syrup, making the flavor more intense and reducing the viscosity so the salt will not dissolve on contact.]
- Combine ingredients in a bowl or food processor by sprinkling the wet ingredients over the salt. Then stir (or pulse) until combined and salt has completely absorbed the flavoring and changed colors. It will resemble a gritty paste.
- Allow the mixture to dry. Pour onto a baking sheet or a piece of parchment paper or waxed paper. Allow to air dry for about 48 hours (may take longer depending on humidity in the air), stirring frequently. You can also “heat dry” in the oven at 150-170°F for 2 hours (again, may take longer depending on humidity) stirring frequently. If your salt is stuck together after drying, you can pulse it in the grinder or processor again or use the back of a spoon on a hard surface to break up clumps into loose granules.
- Once dry, store in an air-tight container.
Here are a few ideas for flavor combinations:
- Sriracha Lime Salt: 1 cup kosher salt + 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons (depending on desired heat level) Sriracha + zest of 1 lime, grated
- Buffalo Ranch Salt: 1/2 cup salt + 1 1/2 teaspoons buffalo wing sauce + 1 1/2 teaspoons ranch seasoning mix
Keep a few different flavored salts on hand for when it’s time to take your homemade creations to the next level. Enjoy the bounty of the summer and mix up some yummy flavorful salts!
