Grinding salt?

[Michael_in_TX]

I was watching a YouTube video this morning and the creator kept reaching for a salt grinder whenever he wanted to season something. I got to thinking, what is the point of this? Salt is not a peppercorn or some other whole spice....it's salt; grinding is just cleaving it. You're not releasing any aromatic compounds or oils.

Do any of yall use a salt grinder? Is there a culinary benefit I am missing?

Now, I have some salt that has some very large crystals. (Mostly Hawaiian-type salts, all of which I have gotten as gifts.) But, these I would use as a finishing salt and not grind them; the large crystals are part of the point.

One use case I have to agree with is....well, I've seen those pepper cannons. They sure look fun. If you have a salt one it is double the fun, I suppose. I will grant that.

[MBMorgan]

Yep ... I use a salt grinder frequently ... whenever I don't want big crunchy Kosher salt crystals ruining the texture or when I simply want the salt to dissolve quickly. I just keep my grinder loaded with some of that aforementioned big crunchy (Morten's) Kosher salt for such occasions. Works great!

[Donw]

Same here.

[Panhead John]

+2 I keep my battery operated grinder filled with Himalayan Pink Salt or sea salt.

[58limited]

I have a salt grinder that I use occasionally, usually when I want to use sea salt on something but don't want the extra large crystals. You can also use rock salt in it and adjust the grinder for whatever size you need at a given moment.

[Michael_in_TX]

Okay, the adjustable size thing I didn't think about.

[FireMan]

Yessir, most of the time, since I have a big bag of Himalayan pink stuff and the "rocks" are to big to sprinkle, with pinky in the air mind you.

[ComfortablyNumb]

Looks like I'm not the only one with a Berkey.

[jayjordan]

I have 4 of these IKEA grinders. One has sea salt and sits on the table. The other three have different peppercorns. I have a wooden salt container with kosher salt by the stove that’s for cooking. The salt grinder on the table is for plated food.

[Purc]

I use a sea salt grinder. FWIW, I only add salt to fried chicken, corn on the cob and in a recipe. My salt is 3+ years old in the grinder, aging well.

[SheilaAnn]

Believe it or not, I do not. I just have different salts. DC for most cooking, fine sea salt for table salt, bougie salts for finishing.

[Donw]

Just realize I may use a bougie salt. “Sel gris de Guerande.” A French gray salt for finishing certain dishes. Not sure if my “Red Alaea Hawaiian sea salt” is bougie or proletarian?

[texastweeter]

Ditto. And if I want popcorn salt it gets it in the bullet blender.

[SheilaAnn]

Actually, I forgot that I was gifted Diamond Crystal Baking Salt. So, yeah, popcorn salt.

[Oak Smoke]

There’s a salt grinder and a pepper grinder that are on the dinner table always. About all I keep on hand is kosher salt so there are times a finer grind is called for, especially at the table.

[Michael_in_TX]

Okay, the Himalayan salt in grinder on the table does make sense. Himalayan salt does look pretty on food and those crystals, typically, are large.

[texastweeter]

Which is actually Pakistani pink salt...

[RonB]

I have:

fine sea salt
coarse sea salt
popcorn salt (extra fine)
fine table salt (almost as fine as popcorn salt)
regular grind table salt (like Morton's)
kosher salt
Maldon flake sea salt

I don't grind salt

[Michael_in_TX]

I actually used table salt for the first time in years a few days ago and I was shocked at how fine it was. I don't think I've touched table salt in maybe close to a decade.

[Carolyn]

I don't grind salt with a grinder, but I don't see the point of paying for popcorn salt, so I put regular ol' Mortons on a plate and pulverize it with the bottom of a glass. Voilà, popcorn salt.

[Michael_in_TX]

Speaking of popcorn salt.....I totally scratched up the inside of my food processor by trying to grind kosher salt in there. It ground it very fine, so it was perfect for popcorn, but my food processor vessel is now permanently "clouded."

[fzxdoc]

Maybe for the caveat, Donw ?

Kathryn

[Michael_in_TX]

Wow....I have no idea how that became a question. Weird little forum hiccup.

[SheilaAnn]

Donw
Michael_in_TX

it WAS a selected answer because of a fat finger scrolling error! So sorry!

[ComfortablyNumb]

I don't use shakers or grinders. I keep my salt in a bowl, take a pinch when needed, and rub it while dropping it in my food where I want it, unlike a shaker which seems to send it all over the plate.

[Duanessmokedmeats]

I have one for salt and one for pepper grinder.

[jtw]

Iodized Morton table salt in the cardboard cylinder for when a recipe calls for "salt." Diamond crystal in the salt pig for sprinkling and seasoning. Morton kosher in the shaker for brining. Been looking at Maldon finishing salt but haven't bothered so far...