Salt types

[GatorAGR]

What type of salt should be used in snack sticks and/or smoked sausage? I’ve read non-iodized but Coarse Kosher seems to coarse. What about Sea Salt?

 

[SmokinEdge]

Any pure salt such as Kosher, canning and pickling, or sea salt. I use the latter.

 

[DougE]

Any non-iodized salt is fine. Coarse like Kosher or fine like table salt both work equally well. The salt dissolves as you mix your sausage batter.

Just go by weight, not volume and you'll end up with the same amount of salt no matter the grind size.

 

[Hijack73]

Just to add on, like Doug says, always use non-iodized for curing meat. It doesn't matter if it came from a salt mine in Missouri or the Dead Sea, as long as it's just salt.

 

[GatorAGR]

Thanks guys. Great help.

 

[Fueling Around]

What type of salt should be used in snack sticks and/or smoked sausage? I’ve read non-iodized but Coarse Kosher seems to coarse. What about Sea Salt?

I avoid non iodized table salt as it has anti caking agent added.
I use either canning salt or sea salt.
I run all my spices including salt through a blade type coffee grinder to reduce the mix into a fine powder. 50¢ chip brush from HFT to wipe out the grinder.

 

[Nodak21]

I avoid non iodized table salt as it has anti caking agent added.
I use either canning salt or sea salt.
I run all my spices including salt through a blade type coffee grinder to reduce the mix into a fine powder. 50¢ chip brush from HFT to wipe out the grinder.

Hi Fueling! What type of coffee grinder and what is a chip brush? Thanks for all of your help! You have been very instrumental in my few years of perusing this forum!

 

[Fueling Around]

Grinder is just an inexpensive Krups unit we picked up at Walmart.
Sorry, a chip brush is a smaller paint brush with shorter stiffer bristles. Machine shop term as we used those to wipe away chips .

 

[gmc2003]

Question: Why is iodized salt a no-no?

Chris

 

[SmokinEdge]

Question: Why is iodized salt a no-no?

Chris

Most iodized salt has other stuff added to stop clumping and make it flow better, those agents combined with iodine can leave an off taste in the meat as well as interfere with the curing process, some claim. Most Chefs caution about using iodized salt generally on meats and in brines because it can leave an off taste. I cook with kosher salt and do all my curing with sea salt, not even sure if we have any iodized salt in the house.

 

[indaswamp]

Note- if you use either coarse or fine salt do weight it out on a scale. the weight by volume will be wildly different! 1.5~2% salt is standard.

 

[zwiller]

I have been using iodized with my curing and sausage think it's a non issue.

Also, one time I did a salt shootout. Was amazed how different they all tasted... Then, took them all (6-7 IIRC) and weighed them equally and put into cups with equal amounts of water and let them dissolve. Myself and my family could not tell ANY apart.

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

I use mostly the non-iodized table salt. I started that when curing bacon. I find the particle size similar to the cure#1 and sugar. Does that actually matter at all? No. Lately, Kosher salt seems hard to find at the grocery store, though.

 

[SmokinEdge]

I use mostly the non-iodized table salt. I started that when curing bacon. I find the particle size similar to the cure#1 and sugar. Does that actually matter at all? No. Lately, Kosher salt seems hard to find at the grocery store, though.

I think the grain size does matter, because when mixing cure #1, salt and sugar, the closer they all are in grain size the better they mix and stay mixed. Kosher for example is large grain and cure #1 wants to classify itself away from the kosher. I feel I get more even distribution of cure #1 when mixed with fine salt, that to me is a positive difference. Ymmv.

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

I think the grain size does matter, because when mixing cure #1, salt and sugar, the closer they all are in grain size the better they mix and stay mixed. Kosher for example is large grain and cure #1 wants to classify itself away from the kosher. I feel I get more even distribution of cure #1 when mixed with fine salt, that to me is a positive difference. Ymmv.

It's good to know I'm not totally crazy for doing that!