Cold Smoked Salt & Spices - First time questions

[illini40]

Hello

I would like to try cold smoking salt and some other spices, and I have some questions. I use an AMNPS for cold smoking.

1) Salt - is sea salt or kosher salt best to cold smoke? If sea salt, I assume leave whole and then you would grind it when ready to use (if finer grind is needed)?

2) Is there a best way to place the salt in or on something while smoking? Can it be in a pan and just stir regularly, or does it need to be spread out in a very thin layer?

I have seen people use a splatter screen. Will that really hold salt?

3) Besides salt, what other spices smoke well? Paprika? Whole pepper corns?

4) Roughly how long in the smoke?

Thank you!

 

[Jabiru]

Salt works very well. We love it. Just use any coarse salt. I use sea salt, splatter screen is perfect for smoking salt. I smoke it for a few hours normally when I do cheese.

when you put it in a jar for storage just mix it around every few days at the start and the colour will even out.

ive got some I did months ago, when I open the jar it is strong smoke smell in kitchen.

 

[illini40]

Salt works very well. We love it. Just use any coarse salt. I use sea salt, splatter screen is perfect for smoking salt. I smoke it for a few hours normally when I do cheese.

when you put it in a jar for storage just mix it around every few days at the start and the colour will even out.

ive got some I did months ago, when I open the jar it is strong smoke smell in kitchen.

Thank you. So if you use coarse sea salt, I assume you then put that in a grinder and grind when you use it?

 

[Jabiru]

Yep. Pop in a sealed jar when done, top up grinder as you need.

Smoked Salt is a finishing salt, I never use it when cooking.

 

[Steve H]

You can get small sifters on line that work great for course spices.

They are cheap. And work very good for this. For finer ground spices like paprika. Then just use a regular bowl. And stir the spices every 30 minutes to get smoke on all the spices.
I smoke these:

Course salt, both Kosher and sea salt. I use course or ground for both cooking and finishing.
Rubbing olive oil and salt on potatoes before you bake them is fantastic! You can smoke table salt. Just put in a bowl.

Pepper, both whole and ground.

Paprika. smoking this really set off the flavor. You'll need to do this in a bowl.

Chili powder, use a bowl.

Garlic powder. Use a bowl.

Onion powder. Use a bowl.

White pepper. Use a bowl unless you have whole corns.

I keep these separate from the others in there own rack.

 

[tropics]

Use a coffee filter for the salt & Paprika
Richie

 

[Steve H]

Forgot about that trick. Good point!

 

[Murray]

Window screen, steel not nylon can purchase screen at any home improvement store

 

[Steve H]

Window screen, steel not nylon can purchase screen at any home improvement store

I read somewhere that if you use window screen to wash it well first to remove any steel particles and oil.

 

[Murray]

Agreed, I’ll give it a good “cook” on the BBQ first to burn off the undesirables

 

[tropics]

Dollar Stores sell splatter screens They work I used 1 when I did salt 1 time.
Richie

 

[sdkid]

To add to this, how about sugar and butter???

 

[Steve H]

To add to this, how about sugar and butter???

Butter is very good. Cream cheese as well. I haven't tried sugar though.

 

[sdkid]

I didn't think of cream cheese......

 

[mojoman83]

Hi,

what wood do you use to Smoke Salt and Pepper?

 

[Steve H]

Hi,

what wood do you use to Smoke Salt and Pepper?

I use hickory.

 

[mojoman83]

I use hickory.

Thank you i will try over the weekend.

 

[Steve H]

Course ground pepper and course kosher salt are good. After smoking you can grind them if you wish. Or, smoke whole pepper corns and use as you wish.