Salt is a transformative ingredient (if you’re in any doubt of that, see “Salt Fat Acid Heat”), but it isn’t just one monolithic substance. There are several different types of salt, and we don’t just mean kosher salt and sea salt. Technically, yes, all salts are primarily sodium chloride, but depending on where they’re harvested and how they’re treated, they offer a huge range of distinctive textures, colors, and flavors that makes them so fun to play with. Some can be used during cooking, but many are best highlighted as finishing salts, sprinkled over a dish just before serving.
For a long while, salt in general was vilified, much like eggs. But we’re glad to see it getting more respect, and even being celebrated (perhaps we owe a partial debt to Salt Bae too). Here, then, are some of our favorite kinds of salt, most of them naturally occurring, but with a few infused varieties included because like we said, they’re fun (and add tons of flavor to a dish)!
1. Fleur de Sel de Guérande, 8.8 ounces for $17.99 on Amazon
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Although you can find fleur de sel from southern France and Spain, some say that it originated in a town in the French province of Brittany called Guérande. This light and snowy sea salt is hand-harvested—and is, as a result, expensive—so it’s best used for finishing dishes; that way you can enjoy its crunch and flavor. We top Parker House Rolls with it or add it to steamed new potatoes for an extra spark. It’s also delicious sprinkled on sweets from caramels and chocolate mouse to ice cream sundaes.Try It
2. Light Grey Celtic Sea Salt,16 ouces for $7.92 on Amazon
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Celtic grey salt is made in the same ponds as fleur de sel and is also called sel gris. This unrefined variety is hand-raked out of the salt ponds (as opposed to being skimmed carefully from the top like its expensive cousin), its tint courtesy of the minerals in the clay lining the ponds. It’s cheaper than fleur de sel and makes a good table salt, but you’ll have to pinch it from a bowl because its moistness makes it tough to get through a grinder or shaker. You’ll find other types of gray salts on the market, but this one is highly rated.Try It
3. Hawaiian Alaea Red Sea Salt, 16 onces for $9.47 on Amazon
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This reddish-pink mix is a blend of sea salt and red Hawaiian volcanic clay (alaea). Iron oxide in the clay gives the salt its unusual color. Use this to cook kalua pig or season steak, or sprinkle on a poke bowl; one Chowhound warns that it’s a hard salt that doesn’t melt easily, which makes it good for precooking or crushing finely onto chicken or fish.Try It
4. Maldon Sea Salt, 8.5 ounces for $5.49 on Amazon
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This hand-harvested salt comes from the east coast of England. It has a distinct flaky texture and a relatively mild taste (though you can also buy smoked Maldon sea salt). We particularly like the flakes sprinkled on chocolate mousse.Try It
5. Himalayan Pink Salt, 2.2 pounds for $7.95 on Amazon
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This salt is mined in the Himalayan foothills and in addition to bags both coarse and finely ground, it’s often sold in chunk form with a grater. In any case, it picks up its pretty pinkish color from minerals like iron, and it adds a toothy bite to many dishes. You can also find it in large, flat blocks: some that can be heated and cooked upon, and some that are used cold as serving plates to impart a bit of saltiness to moist foods. It tends to be especially popular among paleo dieters, but we think everyone should keep some on hand.Try It
6. Persian Blue Salt, 65 grams for $21.50 on Amazon
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Much like another expensive Iranian foodstuff (caviar), this rock salt is expensive largely due to being rare. It appears blue due to the intense pressures exerted on the salt deposits, causing it to refract light in an unusual manner; when ground, the color is less intense, but there are still pale blue pieces visible, and its mild sweetness makes a nice finishing salt for special dishes, both savory courses and desserts.Try It
7. Kala Namak Black Salt Powder, 5 ounces for $8.99 on Amazon
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Often called black salt or rani black salt, kala namak is actually grayish-purple or pink; don’t confuse it with other black salts. It’s mined around India, and adds a distinct flavor to Indian fare like Jal Jeera, a refreshing drink made with cumin, mint, and lemons. Chowhounds also like it sprinkled on fresh fruit (such as watermelon) or mixed into raita. Its flavor has a sort of boiled-egg note, which comes from sulfurous compounds—and makes it a nice secret ingredient for vegan tofu scrambles and other vegan “egg” dishes!Try It
8. The Spice Lab Hawaiian Black Lava Salt, 1 pound for $9.95 on Amazon
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Unlike kala namak, Hawaiian black salt is truly black. It’s made by mixing sea salt with activated volcanic charcoal. Some claim it has detoxifying properties, and though we can’t vouch for that, we can say that it creates a dramatic effect when sprinkled over foods as a finishing salt. Incorporate it into a Halloween menu, or just stock it in your standard goth kitchen. Cyprus black lava salt is made in the same way, only with Mediterranean sea salt.Try It
9. Viking Oak-Smoked Sea Salt, 12 ounces for $9.95 on Amazon
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There are many varieties of smoked salts out there, but this one is smoked over an open fire of mainly oak wood (“in the same way that the Vikings smoked salt many years ago”), resulting in a “bonfire-like aroma” and naturally smoky taste, not to mention a toasty golden-brown color. Try using it as a dry rub on meat, but be careful, because a little goes a long way.Try It
10. Korean Roasted Bamboo Salt, 60 grams for $31.47 on Amazon
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Popular in Korea, this salt might be sold as jukyom, jook yeom, or Korean bamboo salt. It’s made by packing salt into a piece of bamboo, sealing the ends with mud, and heating the stalk in an extremely hot kiln. The salt’s then transferred into a new bamboo sheath and the process is repeated multiple times (usually either three or nine), supposedly to purify and enhance the product. You can buy it in large crystals, or finely ground. There are a lot of claims made about this salt—it’s an ancient Taoist cure-all; it inhibits the growth of cancer cells—but all we can say for sure is that it can be used as a standard table salt, albeit with a kala namak-like sulfurous nuance that gets stronger the more times it’s roasted. After nine roastings, it also takes on a purple tint. If it ends up having magical healing properties too, count that as a bonus.Try It
11. Chicken Salt, 4 ounces for $8.99
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While this may not have the same elusive allure or ancient pedigree of some of the other salts on this list, chicken salt is pretty magical stuff, and beloved in its native Australia (where it’s a popular fry seasoning, though they call those chips, of course). You can get chicken salt that actually contains chicken, but this particular brand is actually vegan (and gluten-free). It’s technically a seasoning blend, made from sea salt, turmeric, onion powder, and garlic powder, so you could easily make your own and adjust to your specific palate.Try It
12. Falksalt Wild Mushroom Salt, 4.4 ounces $6.99 on Amazon
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This brand of Swedish sea salt is actually harvested in Cyprus, and has some of the larger flakes around, which can be used sparingly to add a nice crunch and pop of flavor to food just before serving. It comes in a variety of infused flavors like garlic, rosemary, and citron, but wild mushroom is a favorite for the big umami boost it can lend to foods; Josh Ozersky once admitted to snacking on this by itself, but also recommended it sprinkled over pudding or crème brûlée (maybe not the mushroom flavor, but then again…you never know until you try it).Try It
13. Jacobsen Salt Sampler, $32.98 on Amazon
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If you want to delve even farther into the landscape of flavored salt, this sampler highlights a variety of single ingredients, including lemon zest, vanilla bean, pinot noir, and ghost pepper among them. Again, the salt flakes themselves are on the large side for a nice crunch and a bigger hit of flavor. Sprinkle them on dishes to finish with a flourish. You can also easily make your own infused salt, but this sampler is a great gift, whether to yourself or someone else.See It
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An earlier version of this post was published on July 29, 2008.
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