Which is the best brand of salt for your kitchen?

According to the American Heart Association, the average person consumes over 3,400mg of sodium daily, far exceeding the recommended limit, making the type of salt we use a critical consideration. Navigating the salt aisle can be overwhelming, but understanding what makes each variety unique is the first step in determining which is the best brand of salt for your cooking and dietary goals.

Quick Summary

This guide compares popular salt brands and types, from everyday kosher salt to gourmet finishing flakes. It delves into differences in texture, flavor, mineral content, and ideal uses to help home cooks make informed choices for their pantry, separating marketing from culinary reality.

Key Points

• Kosher Salt is for Cooking: Chefs prefer kosher salt, especially Diamond Crystal, for everyday seasoning and brining due to its easy-to-control flakes and clean flavor.

• Maldon is for Finishing: Flaky sea salt, like Maldon, is best used as a finishing touch to add texture and a burst of flavor to cooked food, not during cooking.

• Texture Matters: The crystal size impacts flavor intensity by volume; denser salts like table salt or Morton's kosher are saltier per teaspoon than flakey Diamond Crystal.

• Health Benefits are Minimal: While gourmet salts contain trace minerals, the health impact is negligible and does not significantly alter the fact that excessive sodium intake can pose risks.

• Consider your Purpose: Use fine-grained salt for baking, kosher salt for general seasoning, and a high-quality flaky salt for finishing to achieve the best culinary results.

• Iodine is a Factor: Table salt is often iodized for public health, a consideration for those who do not get enough iodine from other dietary sources.

• Flavor Profiles Vary: Different salts, like earthy Himalayan or oceanic Celtic sea salt, offer subtle flavor differences, but moderation is key for all.

Understanding the Types of Salt

To determine the best salt brand, it's crucial to first understand the different types of salt available and their intended uses. While all salt is fundamentally sodium chloride, the source, processing, and crystal size create distinct characteristics that impact flavor, texture, and how the salt interacts with food.

Kosher Salt

Kosher salt gets its name from its traditional use in the koshering process, where its coarse grains help draw out blood from meat. It is the workhorse of most professional and home kitchens due to its large flakes, which are easy to pinch and control. Unlike many table salts, it typically contains no additives like iodine or anti-caking agents, providing a cleaner, more pure taste profile.

• Diamond Crystal: A favorite among chefs, Diamond Crystal kosher salt is known for its light, hollow, and delicate flakes that dissolve quickly. This makes it easier to season food evenly without over-salting, giving the cook greater control.
• Morton's: Morton's kosher salt features denser, flatter crystals than Diamond Crystal. Because of this, it is saltier by volume, so a recipe calling for '1 teaspoon of kosher salt' will taste very different depending on the brand used. It's recommended to use about half the amount of Morton's if a recipe was developed with Diamond Crystal.

Sea Salt

Harvested from evaporated seawater, sea salt is minimally processed and can retain traces of minerals like magnesium, potassium, and calcium, which can add subtle complexity to its flavor. The flavor profile is also influenced by the sea from which it's harvested.

• Maldon Salt: Considered the gold standard for finishing salts, Maldon is famous for its large, delicate pyramid-shaped flakes. It provides a clean, crisp, and satisfying crunch when sprinkled on food just before serving. Its flavor is fresh and almost sweet, without the bitterness that can be found in some other salts.
• Celtic Sea Salt: A moist, hand-harvested sea salt from the French Atlantic coast, Celtic sea salt (or sel gris) gets its light gray color from the clay lining of the salt pans. Its naturally high moisture content and mineral profile contribute to a rustic, savory flavor.
• Fleur de Sel: French for 'flower of salt', this is a very delicate, high-end sea salt skimmed from the surface of salt evaporation ponds. It has a unique texture and flavor that melts slowly on the tongue and is best used sparingly as a finishing touch.

Himalayan Pink Salt

Mined from ancient salt deposits in the Punjab region of Pakistan, Himalayan pink salt is prized for its aesthetic pink hue and claims of high mineral content. While it contains trace minerals like iron, potassium, and magnesium, the actual nutritional benefits are considered negligible in the small amounts consumed. It offers a clean, straightforward saltiness.

Table Salt

This is the most common and familiar salt, finely ground and often fortified with iodine to prevent deficiency. It typically contains anti-caking agents to prevent clumping. While useful for baking where it dissolves easily, some find it has a harsher, sometimes metallic, taste.

Comparison of Top Salt Brands

Brand	Type	Best For	Flavor Profile	Texture	Price Point
Diamond Crystal	Kosher	Everyday cooking, brining, seasoning	Clean, neutral	Light, hollow flakes	Low to Moderate
Morton's	Kosher	Everyday cooking, grinders	Clean, intense	Denser, coarser grains	Low
Maldon	Flake Sea Salt	Finishing, garnishing, baking	Clean, sweet, delicate	Large, pyramid flakes	High
Celtic Sea Salt	Sea Salt (sel gris)	Cooking, curing, finishing	Oceanic umami, rustic	Moist, coarse grains	Moderate to High
Redmond Real Salt	Mineral Salt	Cooking, baking, finishing	Sweet, subtle, earthy	Various grinds	Moderate
Thrive Market	Himalayan Pink	Finishing, garnishing	Clean, earthy, mildly sweet	Various grinds	Moderate

Choosing the Right Salt for the Job

Since there is no single 'best' salt for every purpose, the right choice depends on the application. A well-stocked kitchen will have a few different varieties.

For Everyday Cooking

For seasoning during the cooking process—such as boiling pasta, salting soups, or prepping meat—kosher salt is the ideal choice due to its texture and pure flavor profile. Professional chefs often swear by Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt for its exceptional control and rapid dissolving properties. For a budget-friendly and widely available option, Morton's Kosher Salt is a reliable alternative, but remember to adjust quantities.

For Baking

In baking, precision is key. Fine-grained salts dissolve easily and distribute evenly throughout batters and doughs. Fine sea salt, like La Baleine Fine Sea Salt, is an excellent choice for this, providing consistent seasoning without an overly salty bite. Some older American recipes were developed using table salt, so it can also be used if accuracy is a priority.

For Finishing Dishes

Finishing salts are all about adding a final burst of flavor and texture. For this, nothing beats the dramatic flakes of Maldon Sea Salt Flakes. Sprinkling these over sliced steak, chocolate chip cookies, or even just fresh tomatoes adds a delightful crunch and clean flavor. Other great options include delicate fleur de sel or the aesthetic Himalayan pink salt.

For Brining and Curing

For brines and cures, where a large quantity of salt is needed, a coarse, affordable salt is best. Kosher salts work well for this purpose, as their crystals adhere easily to the food's surface. The larger surface area allows for better contact and more efficient curing.

Considerations Beyond Brand

Ultimately, the choice of salt is a personal one, influenced by both cooking style and personal preference. The minimal nutritional differences between brands should not be the deciding factor. Instead, focus on the salt's texture and flavor profile for the task at hand. For more in-depth salt selection guides, culinary resources like Serious Eats offer valuable insights.

Conclusion

There is no single best brand of salt, but rather a best salt for the task at hand. For general cooking, a chef-favorite kosher salt like Diamond Crystal offers unparalleled control. For a memorable final flourish, the delicate flakes of Maldon sea salt are a top-tier choice. While claims about superior mineral content and health benefits should be viewed with skepticism, the unique textures and subtle flavor variations of salts like Celtic or Himalayan can certainly enhance your culinary creations. By choosing the right salt for the right application, you can elevate your dishes with precision and flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Himalayan salt healthier than regular table salt?

While Himalayan salt contains trace minerals, the nutritional difference is negligible in the small amounts typically consumed daily. The main health benefit of iodized table salt is its iodine content, which prevents deficiency.

Why do chefs prefer kosher salt over table salt?

Chefs prefer kosher salt for cooking because its larger, coarser flakes are easier to pinch and sprinkle, giving them better control over seasoning. Unlike many table salts, kosher salt usually contains no additives, providing a cleaner taste.

What is the difference between Diamond Crystal and Morton's kosher salt?

Diamond Crystal kosher salt has lighter, hollow, and more delicate flakes than Morton's, which has denser crystals. This means a tablespoon of Morton's is saltier than a tablespoon of Diamond Crystal, requiring recipe adjustments.

When should I use a finishing salt like Maldon?

Finishing salts like Maldon should be used at the end of cooking or sprinkled on food just before serving. Their large, delicate flakes add texture and a burst of clean saltiness, elevating the final dish.

Can I use sea salt and table salt interchangeably?

Yes, but with caution. Gram-for-gram, they have a similar sodium content. However, fine sea salt is denser than coarse varieties, so a teaspoon can have more sodium. Always taste as you go to avoid over-salting.

Do different salts taste different?

Yes, but subtly. While the primary taste is saltiness, trace minerals can impart slight differences. For example, Himalayan pink salt can have an earthy sweetness, while Celtic sea salt can have a briny, rustic flavor.

Which salt is best for baking?

Fine-grained salts are best for baking because they dissolve easily and distribute evenly throughout the dough or batter. Fine sea salt or table salt are ideal choices.

Does salt contain microplastics?

Some sea salts have been found to contain microplastics due to ocean pollution. This is a consideration for some consumers who may opt for mined rock salts like Himalayan pink salt.