Flavoured Salt Recipes | Chew Town Food Blog (2024)

Flavoured Salt Recipes | Chew Town Food Blog (1)

Some years I’m all over Christmas… but most years I’m not.

Last year was definitely one of the latter years, but looking at how November is progressing I’m fist pumping at the universe because I’m dead on track to deliver Christmas joy all up in this place.

I’m not entirely sure why this is the case, but it might have something to to with a number of early requests I’ve had to create Christmas recipes for clients which has led to my own sense of urgency to do the same for Chew Town.

Each year I try and make food related gifts for friends (you may remember theseCandy Cane Meringuesfrom last year) but I’ve often found that demand usually outweighs supply and I’m usuallywishing I’d mademore gifts. So, this year, with early preparation and foresight, I’ve got Christmas gifts for friends sorted with48 80g jars of flavoured salts in four different flavours… Surely that will be enough.

Flavoured salts are officially my new favourite thing to make. This is largely because:flavour combinations are only limited by your imagination; they are very easy to make; and they elicit such joy from those on the receiving end who think they are harder to make than they actually are!

I had a list as long as my arm with flavours I wanted to try. And while I will slowly work through this list to bring you more great recipes, the four I chose to make first were:

  • Bacon and Shiitake Mushroom Salt
  • Roasted Garlic and Chilli Sauce Salt
  • Red Wine and Rosemary Salt
  • Coffee Salt

The recipes are all listed below, but I do recommend that you come up with your own flavour combinations tooas it is a lot of fun. To help with that, I can advise that flavoured salts will usually fall into one of two categories depending on the ingredients – the dry method, or the wet method.

Flavoured Salt Recipes | Chew Town Food Blog (2)

THE DRY METHOD

The dry method is the simplest way of making flavoured salts (the Bacon and Shiitake Mushroom Salt was made in this way). Basically, you take dried ingredients and use a spice grinder to break them down into very small pieces to then combine withthe salt. You will either need to dry the ingredients in the oven yourself first (like bacon, herbs etc) or buy dried ingredients. This method does not require further time to dry the salt out once the flavour has been added. I use a finer sea salt for this method.

THE WET METHOD

If you try to flavour salt with liquid(wine, coffee etc) it will melt the salt, but syrups and condiments won’t due to their viscosity. So, condiments like chilli sauce can be added directly to the salt, but liquids will need to be simmered in a saucepan for around 20 minutes till it has formed a syrup, which can then be added to the salt and blended. Bear in mind though that when you simmer liquid to turn it into a syrup, the flavour intensifies significantly (which is actually quite good for flavoured salts). Once the syrup is added to the salt and combined it needs to dry out in the oven at a low temperature for a couple of hours (turning as often as possible to promote even drying). I use coarser sea salt for this method, and after it has dried it can then be blended again to process the salt till it is a bit finer.

So without further ado, you will find my four recipes below – I hope you are inspired to create your own flavoured salts as gifts for Christmas!

Bacon and Shiitake Mushroom Salt

Ingredients

  • 300g lean bacon
  • 80g dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 750g fine sea salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 180° Celsius.

Place a cookie rack on a bakingtray and then lay bacon on top in one layer and bake until just before it starts to blacken (it needs to bevery crisp). Remove from oven, pat dry with paper towel and set aside to cool.

Chop the bacon roughly and then blitz in a spice grinder in portions until very fine then set aside. Repeat with the dried shiitake mushrooms and place in a food processor with the salt and pulse until combined.

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Roasted Garlic and Chilli Sauce Salt

Ingredients

  • 2 heads (bulbs) garlic
  • 1/3 cup chilli sauce (I used mexican Cholula sauce, but you could use Sriracha sauce)
  • 750g coarse sea salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 200° Celsius.

Place garlic bulbs on a baking tray and bake until cloves are soft (about 30 mins). Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Once cool, remove the garliccloves from skin and place in a food processor. Blitz until a paste, then add salt and chilli sauce and blitz until completely combined (the salt will turn an even orange colour).

Transfer the salt to a lined baking tray in an even layer and bake at a very low temperature (as low as your oven will go) for about 2 hours turning the salt every 15-30 minutes, to avoid clumping, till the salt has dried.

Once dry, blitz again if required (will depend on how coarse your salt is).

Print

Red Wine and Rosemary Salt

Ingredients

  • 750ml bottle red wine
  • 1/4 cup packed rosemary leaves
  • 750g coarse sea salt

Directions

Add wine to a medium heavy based saucepan and cook on medium heat till boiling. Once boiling reduce heat to low and continue simmering until the wine has reduced down to a syrup consistency (this will take about 20 minutes).

While the wine is simmering, blend rosemary leaves in a spice grinder until fine and set aside.

Place salt, rosemary and wine in a food processor and blend until completely combined (the salt will turn an even purple colour).

Transfer the salt to a lined baking tray in an even layer and bake at a very low temperature (as low as your oven will go) for about 2 hours turning the salt every 15-30 minutes, to avoid clumping, till the salt has dried.

Once dry, blitz again if required (will depend on how coarse your salt is).

Print

Espresso and Vanilla Salt

Ingredients

  • 2 cups espresso coffee
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
  • 750g coarse sea salt

Directions

Add coffee and vanillato a medium heavy based saucepan and cook on medium heat till boiling. Once boiling reduce heat to low and continue simmering until the coffeehas reduced down to a syrup consistency (this will take about 20 minutes).

Place salt and coffee syrupin a food processor and blend until completely combined (the salt will turn an even coffeecolour).

Transfer the salt to a lined baking tray in an even layer and bake at a very low temperature (as low as your oven will go) for about 2 hours turning the salt every 15-30 minutes, to avoid clumping, till the salt has dried.

Once dry, blitz again if required (will depend on how coarse your salt is).

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Flavoured Salt Recipes | Chew Town Food Blog (7)

Flavoured Salt Recipes | Chew Town Food Blog (2024)

FAQs

What can you do with flavored salt? ›

Alder- or applewood-smoked salt is a nice finish for, say, grilled shrimp or scallops, or other similarly quick-grilled items that cook too fast to pick up smoke flavors (or when you rill with a gasser); smoke-, herb-, or chile-flavored salts are nice on or in egg dishes; herb- or citrus-flavored are good on fresh or ...

How do you infuse salt with espresso? ›

Place 1/4 cup of the salt, oregano, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a spice grinder or food processor. Pulse about 5 times until the oregano turns into small pieces. Combine with the remaining salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add in the espresso and stir until the espresso is absorbed.

What foods are good with sea salt? ›

Top Ways to Use Sea Salt for Everything on the Menu
  • Salting boiling water for pasta and potatoes.
  • Seasoning beef, pork poultry and vegetables prior to cooking.
  • Sea salt can enhance scratch-made dressings and marinades.
  • It can also serve as a very important element to start batters and bases.

What is flavouring salt? ›

Besides being a bright, beautiful finishing salt for your seafood entrée, flavored salts reinforce savory, yet subtle flavors. Try a flakey white fish lightly drizzled in a garlic chili sauce and garnished with Lime Fresco sea salt.

How long do flavored salts last? ›

Store: Store salt in an airtight container.

Ideally, let it sit at least a day before using. Intensity of flavor will diminish over time, but it can last for up to a year.

How do you add flavor to salt? ›

Making the flavored salt is an easy process, simply pulse the dried flavoring in your (clean!) coffee or spice grinder to break up the large pieces, then add your sea salt and pulse to evenly incorporate. Literally 10 seconds and you're done.

How do you make gourmet salt? ›

Use about one cup of loosely packed fresh herbs per cup of salt or sugar. Simply process the herbs or citrus rinds in a food processor with a cup of sugar or salt until well blended. For an even more flavorful salt, add a clove of garlic to some of the savory herbs.

What is the best salt for infusing? ›

Coarser, flakier salts are recommended because they have better texture and appearance. Kosher salt is affordable, but you can upscale with fleur de sel, sel gris, or Maldon salt. Store always in an airtight container in a dark place, and let it sit for a couple days after mixing to allow flavours to infuse.

What does putting salt in coffee do? ›

“Not only does salt cut the bitterness, it also smooths out the 'stale' taste of tank-stored water. Research has proven that salt is actually better at neutralizing bitterness than sugar,” he said. Although Brown wasn't the first to put salt in coffee, he drew widespread attention to the technique.

What is Celtic salt? ›

Celtic sea salt also known as sel gris or grey salt is a simpler, less mucked-around kind of salt. It hails from the coastal stretches of France. There are a few special things about it that seal its uniqueness from other salts.

What not to eat with salt? ›

Meats, Poultry, Fish, Legumes, Eggs and Nuts
  • Smoked, cured, salted or canned meat, fish or poultry including bacon, cold cuts, ham, frankfurters, sausage, sardines, caviar and anchovies.
  • Frozen breaded meats and dinners, such as burritos and pizza.
  • Canned entrees, such as ravioli, spam and chili.
  • Salted nuts.

Which salt is good for high blood pressure? ›

Background: The Himalayan salt (HS) has become a popular alternative for the traditional table salt (TS) due to its health benefit claims, particularly for individuals with arterial hypertension.

Can salt be Flavoured? ›

The dry method is the simplest way of making flavoured salts (the Bacon and Shiitake Mushroom Salt was made in this way). Basically, you take dried ingredients and use a spice grinder to break them down into very small pieces to then combine with the salt.

What is the basic rule for seasoning and flavoring? ›

In general, fresh seasonings are added late in the cooking process while dry ones tend to be added earlier. It is good practice to under-season during the cooking process and then add more seasonings (particularly if you are using fresh ones) just before presentation.

What is a flavorful salt substitute? ›

Nutritionists and dietitians often recommend that people looking to reduce their sodium try cooking with different herbs, spices and seasonings. Some flavorful salt substitutes to experiment with in your cooking are: Garlic. Lemon juice or zest.

What can you do with gourmet salt? ›

It is a popular table salt replacement with a subtle flavor that goes well with any dish, from vegetables and meat to desserts or as a co*cktail glass rim.

What can you do with pink salt? ›

How is it used? People use this type of salt and common table salt in the same way: As part of cooking, to season meals, and to preserve food. Blocks of pink salt sometimes become serving dishes, cooking surfaces, and cutting boards. Some people also use pink Himalayan salt in place of bath salts.

What can you do with fancy salt? ›

For the most part, fancy sea salts and artisan salts are used as “finishing salts.” This just means that instead of measuring them into cakes or stirring them into soups like we do with table salt or kosher salt, we sprinkle them over our finished dishes for one last burst of salty goodness before digging in.

What do you do with vanilla salt? ›

Vanilla salt is so very versatile, and the sweet/savory flavor profile is the perfect addition to just about any dessert. Sprinkle on brownies, homemade caramels, popcorn, soft and chewy homemade pretzels or even in your favorite hot cocoa. Of course, you can't make vanilla sea salt without vanilla!

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