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Kosher Salt Quick Facts

• Kosher salt is coarser-grained and additive free (meaning it does not contain iodine or anti-caking agents like table salt).
• The shape of the crystals are determined by the evaporation process and can be flaky or diamond-shaped.
• Despite the name, not all kosher salt follows Jewish dietary guidelines. Salt that does adhere to the appropriate standards will be labeled as such.
• The name ‘kosher salt’ comes from the Jewish tradition of not eating meat with blood. Because coarse salt coats meat more evenly than table salt, it is more effective at drawing out blood, and therefore was eventually called ‘kosher salt.’
• Most chefs swear by kosher salt for two reasons: 1. it is easiest to pinch and sprinkle in food, offering more control over how flavor is distributed in food and 2. it is iodine free.
• You can substitute table salt for kosher salt, but go slow: “generally, when using table salt as a substitute for kosher salt, use about half as much. It’s easy to add more salt, but impossible to subtract it from a recipe after it’s been added.”
• When baking, more recipes will call for fine sea salt rather than kosher salt because it is smaller in size and will dissolve more evenly in baked goods

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