Salt is a variable ingredient because the densities of salt changes based on the shape and size of the salt crystals. Many peoples assume that all salt is the same, but a specific volume of salt, such as a teaspoon or a tablespoon, will contain different amount of mass depending on the type of salt being used. Fine table salt is very densly because the small crystals of fine table salt pack together tightly and leave very little air in a measuring spoon.
Coarse salt isnt dense because the large crystals of coarse salt create large gaps of empty space between the crystals. Because coarse salt has more empty space than fine table salt, a tablespoon of coarse salt will weigh less than a tablespoon of fine table salt. Thus, if you use a volume-based measurement like a teaspoon to swap one salt for another, the amount of sodium you add to the food will be incorrect.
How Salt Grain Size Affects Measuring and Cooking
A person can avoid this problem by using a scale to measure salt by weight. When you measure salt in gram, the weight of the salt remains accurate regardless of the crystal size, and weighing salt in grams ensures that you are adding the correct amount of salt to your recipe. For example, if you are baking bread, you must use a scale so that the amount of salt in the bread is consistent every time you bake the bread.
If you dont have a scale, you must use substitution ratio to adjust the volume of the salt. If a recipe call for a small amount of fine table salt and you only have coarse Kosher salt, you must use a larger volume of Kosher salt to reach the same weight of salt. You must use more volume because the large grain of Kosher salt take up more space and contain less mass per teaspoon than fine table salt.
The type of salt you use also affects the specific task you are performing in the kitchen. Different salts has different properties, and these properties make certain salts better for certain tasks. For example, you use pickling salt for canning because pickling salt is pure and does not contain iodine or anti-caking agent.
Because pickling salt does not have these additives, pickling salt will not make a brine cloudy or interfere with the fermentation of vegetable. Additionally, you use specialty salts like flaky salt for finishing food rather than seasoning the interior of food. The cook uses flaky salt at the end of the cooking process because the texture of flaky salt provide a crunch that fine salt cannot provide.
When you apply salt to food, the method of application affect how the salt is distributed. If you sprinkle salt from a height, the salt grain will disperse more even across the surface of the food. If the salt is not dispersed evenly, you may create a salt pocket, and a salt pocket is a concentrated area of salt that makes one bite of food too salty.
Furthermore, when you are making a brine, the ratio of salt to water are a critical calculation. The concentration of the salt in the water determine how much moisture and flavor the salt moves into the meat. You should of use a guide for different proteins because using the correct amount of salt in a brine ensures that the meat is neither too salty nor too bland.
Finally, understanding the relationship between the size of the salt grain and the weight of the salt will allow you to use salt accurate in all cooking tasks.