Liven Up Your Cooking with Versatile Sea Salt

Now that gourmet sea salt has become readily available at most of the major grocery and mass market stores, using wondrous sea salt in recipes is easier than ever. Gone are the days of searching high and low for a particular type of sea salt. Stock up on all you can find, because they do not expire.

My all time favorite gourmet sea salt is smoked sea salt. It is made by taking evaporated sea water, usually by means of an open fire that features various woods like cherry and oak. This gives the smoked sea salt it's distinct smoke flavor, that is excellent used in recipes featuring beef and chicken. Can also be used on any other food where a smoke flavor is desired.

Sea salt differs from conventional salt in the fact that sea salt often retains the flavors of the area to which it was extracted. For example, Portuguese sea salt often has a strangely sweet taste to it. It can be used in almost any recipe, and it is terrific as a table salt.

One thing you should remember when cooking with any type of sea salt, is that it has a stronger flavor than regular salt. This is particularly true of rock sea salt, which is coarse and rather big. If a recipe calls for a half teaspoon of salt, and you are using sea salt, just put in slightly less. It is always better to not use enough than to use too much.

A wonderful way that I have found to use sea salt is for turkeys. Instead of everyday plain salt, substitute coarse smoky sea salt. Along with cracked pepper, the smoked sea salt takes the bird from ordinary to marvelous.

Hawaiian sea salt is red or pink in color, because it is harvested from areas in Hawaii with an abundance of clay. It is superb when used on grilled foods, especially seafood, because it gives the food a more mineral, less salty taste, and really livens up the natural flavor of the fish.

When you use gourmet sea salt instead of table salt, no matter what dish it is, you bring interesting flavor and texture into every meal. Try out the different types of sea salt that are available to you, and you will discover a new world in eating enjoyment.

Another use for sea salt is it's ability to dry foods, such as ham and beef. The salt stops germs from forming in the meat, and gives it that signature salty flavor, that many people love.

No matter what you use gourmet sea salt on, you are sure to create a dish that is both delicious and memorable.