# Grey Sea Salt?



## Mylegsbig (Apr 3, 2007)

Anyone use this stuff?

If so, what do you use it on?

Cheers


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## jennyema (Apr 3, 2007)

Only as a finishing salt.  

On salads, quite often.  Sliced tomatoes.  Bread dipped in good evoo.


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## kitchenelf (Apr 3, 2007)

I use it too for the same thing as jennyema.  I love that burst of flavor (and texture) a hunk of the salt can give a warm tomato!


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## GB (Apr 3, 2007)

I agree with both Jenny and Kitchenelf. It is that burst of salt and the crunch that I love it for.


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## kadesma (Apr 3, 2007)

_After taking a hot foccacia out of the oven, I brush on evoo then sprinkle on grey salt..heaven!_

_kadesma _


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## Mylegsbig (Apr 3, 2007)

So a finishing salt.

What about on filet mignon?  Someone was talking about cooking filet mignon with grey sea salt.


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## Snoop Puss (Apr 3, 2007)

I have some grey sea salt from Brittany - it's extremely coarse. Judging by the above comments, you can get finer grey salt in the States. The stuff I have is capable of shattering fillings in teeth - I know from experience. I like the taste, but I'm not sure I'd use it as a finishing salt. I'd much rather have fleur de sel as a visual and a taste experience on a steak.


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## jennyema (Apr 3, 2007)

Mylegsbig said:
			
		

> So a finishing salt.
> 
> What about on filet mignon? Someone was talking about cooking filet mignon with grey sea salt.


 
I wouldn't cook anything with it. If it gets dissolved, you lose the subtle mineral flavor and the crunch that makes it special.  It's no better than kosher salt then.

Some people use it as a finishing salt on cooked meats, but IMO the rule is that meat should be properly seasoned before cooking it, not after, so I'm not big on that.


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## mudbug (May 20, 2007)

Is this the stuff that Michael Chiarello is always on about?


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## Caine (May 20, 2007)

It's salt, for crying out loud. You put in on food, it makes the food salty, just like every other salt known to man. 

Use regular old Mortons kosher salt in a 2 pound box and use the money you save for an heirloom tomato or a better cut of steak to put the salt on!!


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## kadesma (May 20, 2007)

mudbug said:
			
		

> Is this the stuff that Michael Chiarello is always on about?


Yes Bug, one and the same  I use it all the time..As I said before in another post, after baking my foccacia, I liberally brush it with evoo and then sprinkle on the gray salt..It does give you crunch and a nice taste.

kadesma


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## mudbug (May 20, 2007)

Thanks, kadesma.  But is it all that diff from the kosher salt Caine is recommending?  I usually have a box of that, which gives a nice crunch to steaks and such.


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## kadesma (May 20, 2007)

mudbug said:
			
		

> Thanks, kadesma. But is it all that diff from the kosher salt Caine is recommending? I usually have a box of that, which gives a nice crunch to steaks and such.


Bug,
for me I find that is has a different taste to it. I love it. But, my DH sees no difference, the kids don't give a whack as long as they don't have to cook  Except Cade who has discovered salt!
If possible I'd just get a small pack of it, I'm beginning to see all the salts in the grocery store now. See if there is a difference for you before spending much on it. I have noticed that the price on these salts is now coming down. Guess they have been out long enough to be standard fair. I think also, that they are beautiful especially the ones with sun dried tomato and garlic in it and that using them gives a pleasure when fixing something everyday, making it just a little special..Makes ya feel good. 
kadesma


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## GB (May 20, 2007)

Mudbug, I have never been able to detect a difference in taste between salts. I did a blind taste test once and could not tell a taste difference at all between any of the ones I tried. What I did notice was the difference in the crystal size and shape. The "finishing salts", like this gray salt, have a large crystal which contributes to a fantastic crunch. You would not get that crunch with something like kosher salt. That burst of salty goodness when I bite into it is what I enjoy about those salts.


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## mudbug (May 20, 2007)

thanks, kadesma and geebs.  I was assuming it must be something about the crystal size, and "oomph" factor.

the "makes ya feel good" factor is really what it's all about, isn't it?


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## kitchenelf (May 20, 2007)

Caine said:
			
		

> It's salt, for crying out loud. You put in on food, it makes the food salty, just like every other salt known to man.
> 
> Use regular old Mortons kosher salt in a 2 pound box and use the money you save for an heirloom tomato or a better cut of steak to put the salt on!!



Yes, it is salt.  Not one person is saying otherwise.  I think what we are all saying about gray salt is because it is a larger chunk it gives a wonderful texture to many foods and a larger "chunk", be it gray or otherwise, gives a certain "burst" that not even kosher can give.  In the end, yes, it's salt - but it's still different too.


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## GB (May 20, 2007)

Mud, buy a few different types and try them yourself. While some of us here might not taste a difference, there are plenty of people who do. Your pallet may be better suited to detect the subtle flavor differences. You never know.


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## Constance (May 20, 2007)

We don't have all those fancy salts available around here. I can find Morton's regular or coarse sea salt and Kosher salt. 
Kim often uses Margarita salt when he wants a crunch.


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## Caine (May 20, 2007)

kitchenelf said:
			
		

> Yes, it is salt. Not one person is saying otherwise. I think what we are all saying about gray salt is because it is a larger chunk it gives a wonderful texture to many foods and a larger "chunk", be it gray or otherwise, gives a certain "burst" that not even kosher can give. In the end, yes, it's salt - but it's still different too.


 
I challenge anyone except a professional taste tester to be able to tell the difference in taste from one salt to another, just like I challenge anyone except a professional taste tester to detect a difference in salted and unsalted butter.

I actually quit watching Ina Garten because when she says "I always use unsalted butter so I can control the salt in my recipe", I can't stop laughing. For at least week, that statement will come back to me and I will just start laughing uncontrollably. People have tried to have me hospitalized several times because of it. One thing that woman has proved time and time again is when it comes to salt, she doesn't know the meaning of the word *control.*


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## GB (May 20, 2007)

Caine said:
			
		

> just like I challenge anyone except a professional taste tester to detect a difference in salted and unsalted butter.


You are joking right? You can't tell the difference between salted and unsalted butter? You may want to have your doctor check you out because there might be something wrong with your tongue. Salted butter is _salty_ unsalted butter is not. Are you really saying that if you butter one piece of bread with one and another piece with the other then you could not tell the difference?


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## Katie H (May 20, 2007)

Unfortunately we live in an area that has little to offer than Morton's Kosher salt, so can't weigh in on the differences in salt.  Of course, I could order via Internet but, at this time, it's not high on my list of priorities.

As for the salted butter issue, I can _definitely_ tell the difference between salted and unsalted butter.  Even the less expensive "house" brands.


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## toni1948 (May 21, 2007)

I can tell the difference between salted and unsalted butter.  Especially in baking, if the recipe calls salt, I wouldn't use salted butter.  A friend made chocolate chip cookies and used salt because that's what the recipe called for, but she also used salted butter.  They didn't taste right.  

     Also if you are toasting Szechuan peppercorns with salt to grind with a mortar and pestle, you need a coarse grained sea salt.  Kosher salt is too fine.

     Even smokers can tell the difference between salted and unsalted butter.


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