Flake salt - a new thing to me

RRP

Seems like I'm always learning something new! But I have to ask - how many of you already know this or use it since I don't recall any recipes here mentioning it. 

Per Cargill Proprietary Research
Compared to granulated salt, flake salts will stick better to food, dissolve faster, and blend more evenly. It is also highly sought after by chefs and culinary experts in kitchens around the world due to its “pinchable” texture, meaning it’s easier to crush between your fingertips and deliver better seasoning control.  Because of these differentiated characteristics, flake salt is especially favorable for a wide variety of food processing and foodservice applications. For instance, flake salt is ideal for koshering meat, since its larger surface area makes it better for absorption. It also works exceptionally well in fried and topical applications due to its stronger adherence and visual appeal.

DoubleEgger

“Proprietary Research” was the red flag for me and as I suspected, Cargill is peddling flake salt. 

https://www.cargill.com/food-beverage/na/alberger-flake-salts#:~:text=Alberger®%20brand%20flake%20salts%2C%20exclusively%20from%20Cargill%2C%20are%20tiny,with%20a%20hollow%20pyramid%20shape.

fishlessman

RRP said:

Seems like I'm always learning something new! But I have to ask - how many of you already know this or use it since I don't recall any recipes here mentioning it. 

Per Cargill Proprietary Research
Compared to granulated salt, flake salts will stick better to food, dissolve faster, and blend more evenly. It is also highly sought after by chefs and culinary experts in kitchens around the world due to its “pinchable” texture, meaning it’s easier to crush between your fingertips and deliver better seasoning control.  Because of these differentiated characteristics, flake salt is especially favorable for a wide variety of food processing and foodservice applications. For instance, flake salt is ideal for koshering meat, since its larger surface area makes it better for absorption. It also works exceptionally well in fried and topical applications due to its stronger adherence and visual appeal.

diamond crystal in most supermarkets is a flake style salt. theres less sodium by volume so the recipes dont work with standard kosher recipes like morton does unless you increase the dry measures or use a scale. for what its worth, wet salt  from seawater has a slightly different flavor but it comes with a price, other than that, salt tastes like salt to me.

TechsasJim

I've been a fan of black flake lava salt for years.

Legume

Have known about it - I think many of the fancy salts are flake, but I just haven't made room for more salt types, just keep fine and kosher style sea salt.

fishlessman

Legume said:

Have known about it - I think many of the fancy salts are flake, but I just haven't made room for more salt types, just keep fine and kosher style sea salt.

the fancy french wet seasalt lightly dried on floating seagrass picked by hand smokes better..........you, know, for rimming a bloody mary glass........

ColtsFan

I’ve kept a 20oz bucket of Malden flake salt on hand for years. Great finishing salt for all the reasons listed. 

lkapigian

This is all I use in all my cooking and curing, salt being the # 1 ingredient , to me it’s worth the extra, for those doing curing , these unrefined salts contain naturally occurring nirtrites ( and yes unfortunately microplastics) 

HeavyG

I have kept a box of Maldon's on hand over the years and that is about the extent of my flake salt journey.

I keep Diamond kosher salt on hand but don't use it as a flake type salt like I would Maldon's. I also keep Morton's kosher on hand as I could never remember the conversion between the two.

RRP

I suppose since I already started this salt topic rolling I might as well ask another salt question. I have followed a pork brining method started here by someone using equal parts refined sugar and canning salt. BTW canning salt is SUPER fine…practically like comparing table salt to kosher salt. Anybody else have a suggested use of canning salt other than canning and the fore mentioned brining?

lkapigian

RRP said:

I suppose since I already started this salt topic rolling I might as well ask another salt question. I have followed a pork brining method started here by someone using equal parts refined sugar and canning salt. BTW canning salt is SUPER fine…practically like comparing table salt to kosher salt. Anybody else have a suggested use of canning salt other than canning and the fore mentioned brining?

As long as you are weighing it, you can use it likes y other salt , the issue that comes into play is when you go by volume … otherwise canning salt is just sodium chloride without anti caking agents