Smoking Salt advice

[JOHNESTES]

I want to try and smoke my own salt. My 1st attempt failed - it was not flavorful and was bitter.
I used a Weber 22" Kettle Grill, Kingsford charcoal briquettes, and applewood chips. I placed course sea salt on a splatter screen and kept the temperature between 250F-300F occasionally adding briquettes and wood chips and turning over/mixing the salt over about 5 hours.
Where did I go wrong? Any advice would be greatly appreciated...

[Oak Smoke]

There will be someone along soon who knows the answer to your question. I just wanted to welcome you to the group. Welcome from central Texas.

[Huskee]

I've not been able to smoke salt or sugar with any noticeable success. I gave up on it after a few attempts. I just smoke the meat instead.

[Jerod Broussard]

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/the-pit-mastery-program/rubs-pastes-marinades-and-brines/323525-smoked-salt

[Red Man]

I’ve never smoked salt, but you did do a couple things that risk imparting bad flavors to smoked food. Adding fresh, unlit briquettes, especially Kingsford, during a cook is not ideal. I’d recommend B&B briquettes and load the kettle with enough to not require adding any more during the cook. Use wood chunks instead of chips.

[Huskee]

Smoker_Boy Good question! What Red Man said, plus the amount of fresh coals slowly being lit is nowhere near a chimney full at once, whcih we typically think of with 'fresh coals being lit', and is far, far outpaced by the good smoke the meat is getting.

[Huskee]

Red Man, Your words are interesting to me. The first time I tried B&B I thought they smelled like a trash fire when lighting. I think Kingsford smells better, lol.

[jfmorris]

Huskee to me the B&B smells more like a wood fire, while KBB is the dumpster or maybe a chemical plant on fire….

[Bad Hat BBQ]

I was going to try smokin' Celtic Sea Salt.....really large crystals, great for a finishing chuckies or rib-eyes

Amazon.com : Celtic Sea Salt, Light Grey Pouch, 8 oz : Coarse Salts : Grocery & Gourmet Food

[IowaGirl]

I smoked a handful of kosher salt in a separate pan for, oh, maybe 5-6 hours. I saved the salt in an air-tight container until my next long-ish cook, then smoked the salt again.

The salt doesn't have to be smoked as a separate activity -- might as well make supper too if you've got enough room in the smoker.

I have found the smoke flavor can be quite harsh at first, then mellows. Same with smoked cheese -- gotta let it age.

After maybe 10 hours total smoke time, the salt is a caramel tan color and has only a light smoke flavor if tasted all on its own. I can't say smoked salt is going to add a lot of smoke flavor when mixed into food, so it's probably better as a finishing salt.

[Oak Smoke]

Great to hear from you again. I thought of you yesterday when I was gathering the things to make tamales.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

I use tin foil make a big sheet with shallow sides, kosher salt, sometimes I'll pin hole the foil sometimes I don't. I'll run mine in the pellet cooker for 12+ hours so usually have a butt or brisket going at the same time. Mix/stir/fold whatever the salt every few hours. If you're gonna grind the salt lightly mist it with water a few times it will be extra smokey that way, but even with mixing it will get too clumpy to use in a rub or as straight table salt.

The most important part IMO is that you get it from the cooker to a sealed container asap when done.

[mrteddyprincess]

I am not opposed the idea of smoking salt. I'm thinking about what circumstances I would use smoked salt. I BBQ, I mostly salt the meat, then smoke it. Smoking the salt and the meat.

Are there recipes/ideas for cooking that call for "smoked salt?" What are those recipes?

Brian

[ssandy_561]

I’ll use smoked salt on things like fried or scrambled eggs, simply steamed vegetables and things like rice with butter. It won’t replace smoking any food on any cooker but it imparts a subtle smoke flavor to simply prepared foods.

[IowaGirl]

What ssandy sez -- use the smoked salt on foods that aren't otherwise smoked but you want to add a little something extra.

Smoked food + smoked salt = don't bother

[texastweeter]

Doesn't smoking bath salts make you a zombie like Florida Man?

[Spinaker]

I would smoke it at like 300 and dont add the salt until you are running clean smoke. Acrid taste is usually from a smoldering fire.

[ssandy_561]

I use my pellet grill now to smoke salt but in the past I did it a couple times on my Weber Kettle. I used the snake method set up on my kettle with wood chunks (not chips). Both times it created a good smoked salt.

I also use a stainless steel splatter screen to place the salt on.

Also place a pan of water in the center of your kettle to create a moist environment in your kettle. This will help the smoke to adhere to the salt.