Know Your Salt

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Pigs On The Wing BBQ

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Note the soduim levels.

Iodized Morton is 590mg also. Just thought you might like to know.
First on the left is Morton canning and pickling salt 590mg In the middle Morton Kosher 480mg On the end Dimond Kosher salt 280mg. Big diffrence.
 
But what that doesn't tell you is how much you need to use of each when you are replacing one with the other. When exchanging one salt for the other, you need to do it by weight if you are using a recipe that you want to come out like it did with another salt. That brings the sodium levels back in line with each other. Its not that there is more or less sodium in the salt, it's the size of the crystals and the quantity of crystals that fit in 1/4 tsp (the measurement that was on the box).

Conversly, I do replace table salt with kosher 1:1 in my food because I NEED to reduce my sodium intake. But if I'm cooking for others, I use weight as the measurement to make sure the recipe comes out right.
 
True Finster. Each salt has it's place. Example, a huge plate of french fries gets Dimond. My rubs get Morton Kosher. All the flavor of salt with less sodium.
 
I don't get it. How can bags of salt have different sodium levels? They are all 100% sodium chloride, right?

Griff
 
We need a salt primer here. :D Add to list what the "cures" are what they do. Tenderquick is mostly sodium with a drizzel of other stuff... :?
 
I actually make it a point to try and use the Morton Iodized. Alot of folks don't realize that Iodine is a necessary nutrient and there are few sources.
 
Griff said:
I don't get it. How can bags of salt have different sodium levels? They are all 100% sodium chloride, right?

Griff

Somehow, I thought I explained this in my post above.... :?

Finney said:
Its not that there is more or less sodium in the salt, it's the size of the crystals and the quantity of crystals that fit in 1/4 tsp (the measurement that was on the box).
;)
 
I'm with Woody. There are some applications where I use sea salt or kosher but in most cases, I stick with iodized. The reason they started adding iodine to it in the first place is because your body needs it to help keep the thyroid working properly and prevent goiters.

More info is here:

http://www.saltinstitute.org/37.html
 
Woodman said:
I actually make it a point to try and use the Morton Iodized. Alot of folks don't realize that Iodine is a necessary nutrient and there are few sources.
The problem with using salt with Iodine is that it leaves streaks when using in BBQ and sausage make stuff...
 
Griff said:
I don't get it. How can bags of salt have different sodium levels? They are all 100% sodium chloride, right?

Griff
Notice that the "serving size" is 1/4 teaspoon for each one. The actual weight of that 1/4 teaspoon will vary depending on the size of the particles. If you divide the weight of sodium for each product by the weight of the serving size, you'll get: Morton Canning Salt - 590mg/1500mg = 0.393
Morton Kosher Salt: 480 mg/1200 mg = 0.4
The other kosher salt: 280 mg/700 mg = 0.4

This makes sense because the molecular weight of sodium chloride is 54.4428, of which the sodium (atomic weight 22.989) makes up 39.337%

So they all basically contain the same percentage of sodium. As Finney said, it's the amount that fits in that 1/4 teaspoon "serving" that counts.
 
Larry D. said:
Griff said:
I don't get it. How can bags of salt have different sodium levels? They are all 100% sodium chloride, right?

Griff
Notice that the "serving size" is 1/4 teaspoon for each one. The actual weight of that 1/4 teaspoon will vary depending on the size of the particles. If you divide the weight of sodium for each product by the weight of the serving size, you'll get: Morton Canning Salt - 590mg/1500mg = 0.393
Morton Kosher Salt: 480 mg/1200 mg = 0.4
The other kosher salt: 280 mg/700 mg = 0.4

This makes sense because the molecular weight of sodium chloride is 54.4428, of which the sodium (atomic weight 22.989) makes up 39.337%

So they all basically contain the same percentage of sodium. As Finney said, it's the amount that fits in that 1/4 teaspoon "serving" that counts.

I knew I heard that somewhere. [smilie=imslow.gif] [smilie=a_chuckle.gif] [smilie=imslow.gif]
 

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