I've got a little confused as to what types of salt you can or can't use in
a brine.

The majority of recipes for brine call for Kosher salt, however I recently
brined a Turkey where the recipe for the brine asked for 9oz sea salt OR 4
1/2oz table salt.

Now my query. Why would you not use iodised salt in brine? Does it impart an
unwelcome flavour? (When I have used it, I've never noticed an aftertaste
and it disolves easier than rock or sea salt) Iodine is in fact healthy and
I read that your daily intake should be at least 150 micrograms. All salts
use an anti caking agent so why recommend Kosher salt? Surely 100% sea salt
should be the salt of choice.

Graeme

In article >,
says...
>
>I've got a little confused as to what types of salt you can or can't use in
>a brine.
>
>The majority of recipes for brine call for Kosher salt, however I recently
>brined a Turkey where the recipe for the brine asked for 9oz sea salt OR 4
>1/2oz table salt.
>
>Now my query. Why would you not use iodised salt in brine? Does it impart an
>unwelcome flavour? (When I have used it, I've never noticed an aftertaste
>and it disolves easier than rock or sea salt) Iodine is in fact healthy and
>I read that your daily intake should be at least 150 micrograms. All salts
>use an anti caking agent so why recommend Kosher salt? Surely 100% sea salt
>should be the salt of choice.
>
>Graeme
>
>
>
>


While there are some subtle differences in flavor between sea salt, kosher
salt, idodized table salt, etc., I've never been able to taste the difference
when I used them in brines. Here, I think the term "salt is salt" is pretty
close. The biggest difference between table salt and kosher salt is density - a
handful of kosher salt weighs less than a handful of table salt. Some recipes
that specify a volume of salt will, for example, call for 1 cup of kosher salt
or 1/2 cup of table salt. Specifying the amount of salt by weight gives more
consistant results that aren't as dependant on the type.

Personally, I usually figure the amount of salt by adding it to cold water
until it tastes salty enough. I tend to use the local ocean as a "saltiness
standard," but that's just what works for me. For those that don't happen
to have an ocean handy, you can find a recipe that you like, then after you add
the specified amount of salt (and have completely dissolved it), taste the
brine. Next time, even if you're using a different type of salt, you can
achieve the same level.


Alan

In article >,
lid says...
> On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:08:24 -0000, (Alan
> Street) wrote:
>
> >Personally, I usually figure the amount of salt by adding it to cold water
> >until it tastes salty enough. I tend to use the local ocean as a "saltiness
> >standard," but that's just what works for me. For those that don't happen
> >to have an ocean handy, you can find a recipe that you like, then after you add
> >the specified amount of salt (and have completely dissolved it), taste the
> >brine. Next time, even if you're using a different type of salt, you can
> >achieve the same level.
>
> This is how I do it as well. The saltiness is determined by the
> amount of time until I cook it, and item to be brined. I go
> strictly by tasting the solution.
>

If you want to get real ocean brine levels, you can go to an aquarium
shop and buy a salinity meter. This is a little plastic box with a
swing arm that tells you the specific gravity of the water. Sea water
is about 1.023.

Patrick

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:08:24 -0000, (Alan Street)
wrote:

>While there are some subtle differences in flavor between sea salt, kosher
>salt, idodized table salt, etc., I've never been able to taste the difference
>when I used them in brines. Here, I think the term "salt is salt" is pretty
>close. The biggest difference between table salt and kosher salt is density - a
>handful of kosher salt weighs less than a handful of table salt. Some recipes
>that specify a volume of salt will, for example, call for 1 cup of kosher salt
>or 1/2 cup of table salt. Specifying the amount of salt by weight gives more
>consistant results that aren't as dependant on the type.

If you are not going to use hot water to dissolve the salt, then stick
with table salt or pickling salt. Kosher salt dissolves very slowly at
room temperature. (Kosher gets its name from it popularity for use in
koshering meat. Its structure allows it to absorb a lot of moisture
before it dissolves).

how about te trick with the unboiled egg?
some say, add salt till the (fresh, otherwise to much air in the egg) egg
floats.
will this work for all kinds of salt?

"Graeme... in London" > wrote in message
...
> I've got a little confused as to what types of salt you can or can't use
in
> a brine.
>
> The majority of recipes for brine call for Kosher salt, however I recently
> brined a Turkey where the recipe for the brine asked for 9oz sea salt OR 4
> 1/2oz table salt.
>
> Now my query. Why would you not use iodised salt in brine? Does it impart
an
> unwelcome flavour? (When I have used it, I've never noticed an aftertaste
> and it disolves easier than rock or sea salt) Iodine is in fact healthy
and
> I read that your daily intake should be at least 150 micrograms. All salts
> use an anti caking agent so why recommend Kosher salt? Surely 100% sea
salt
> should be the salt of choice.
>
> Graeme
>
>
>
>

"Graeme... in London" > wrote in message
...
> I've got a little confused as to what types of salt you can or can't use
in
> a brine.
>
> The majority of recipes for brine call for Kosher salt, however I recently
> brined a Turkey where the recipe for the brine asked for 9oz sea salt OR 4
> 1/2oz table salt.
>
> Now my query. Why would you not use iodised salt in brine? Does it impart
an
> unwelcome flavour? (When I have used it, I've never noticed an aftertaste
> and it disolves easier than rock or sea salt) Iodine is in fact healthy
and
> I read that your daily intake should be at least 150 micrograms. All salts
> use an anti caking agent so why recommend Kosher salt? Surely 100% sea
salt
> should be the salt of choice.
>
> Graeme



Pickling salt my friend. No anti-caking agents (silicon dioxide = sand
(food grade sand though))

Pickling salt is pure to produce a clear pickle brine. We were discussing
brines, right? <G>

Personally I don't give a shit if my brine has sea, kosher, pickling, or
rock salt in it. It'll all do the purpose if it's in solution.

TFM®

Wonder what would happen if I used actual Ocean water? P-U-L-E-N-T-Y a few
hunert yards pass the cliffs.
Bruce-n-Gold Beach

> On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 17:16:41 -0000, "Graeme... in London"
> > wrote:
>
>
>> I've got a little confused as to what types of salt you can or can't
>> use in a brine.
>>
>> The majority of recipes for brine call for Kosher salt, however I
>> recently brined a Turkey where the recipe for the brine asked for
>> 9oz sea salt OR 4 1/2oz table salt.
>>

Right, that's the accepted ratio because of kosher salt's volume to weight
ratio differential as compared to table salt. 1 table salt = 2 kosher.

I can taste the iodine and really prefer kosher. We get plenty of iodine as
it is already.

Here's previous discussions on the subject:
<http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...ewwindow=1&saf
e=off&q=salt+volume&meta=group%3Dalt.food.barbecue >

Dale
--

"Ol' Hippie" <olhippieATcharterDOTnet> wrote in message
...
> Wonder what would happen if I used actual Ocean water? P-U-L-E-N-T-Y a few
> hunert yards pass the cliffs.
> Bruce-n-Gold Beach

Don't do it. Last time I went swimming in the ocean I also peed in it.
Ed

http://pages.cthome.net/edhome

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 03:06:11 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" >
wrote:

>
>
>"Ol' Hippie" <olhippieATcharterDOTnet> wrote in message
...
>> Wonder what would happen if I used actual Ocean water? P-U-L-E-N-T-Y a few
>> hunert yards pass the cliffs.
>> Bruce-n-Gold Beach
>
>Don't do it. Last time I went swimming in the ocean I also peed in it.
>Ed

>http://pages.cthome.net/edhome
>
And fish **** in it . . . . . That's it - I will never eat shellfish
again!

Harry :0)

"Harry Demidavicius" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 03:06:11 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" >
> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >"Ol' Hippie" <olhippieATcharterDOTnet> wrote in message
> ...
> >> Wonder what would happen if I used actual Ocean water? P-U-L-E-N-T-Y a
few
> >> hunert yards pass the cliffs.
> >> Bruce-n-Gold Beach
> >
> >Don't do it. Last time I went swimming in the ocean I also peed in it.
> >Ed
>
> >http://pages.cthome.net/edhome
> >
> And fish **** in it . . . . . That's it - I will never eat shellfish
> again!
>
> Harry :0)
Ya know what , Harry? Those fish are peeing in the water too.
Jack