Friday, March 28, 2008

Ask Mary: Kosher Salt

Dear Mary,
What is kosher salt and how should I use it?

Kosher Salt is a large grain of salt that typically has no additives, unlike table salt, which contains iodine. Like many chefs, I prefer kosher salt to regular salt because the grains are bigger, and this allows for better coverage on meats. Also, kosher salt is coarser, so it does not absorb into the meat. Rather, it stays on top. This gives food a nice and tasty outside. (Tidbit: Salt is used to make meats kosher because it helps to extract juices from the meat – part of the koshering process.)

Happy Cooking!