Salt types and measuring
Table, kosher and sea salt are all mostly sodium chloride. They differ in crystal size. Small crystals pack tightly and big flakes leave air gaps, so a teaspoon of table salt holds more salt than a teaspoon of flaky kosher.
Weigh salt in grams
Grams ignore crystal size, so a weighed amount seasons the same every time. Kosher brands differ too: Diamond Crystal is lighter per spoon than Morton. Flaky sea salt shines on top of food, where it dissolves slowly and stays crunchy.
Test yourself
Questions from the interactive lesson, with the answer and the why.
A recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and you use 1 tablespoon of table salt. What happens?
The dish comes out saltier. Fine table salt packs more salt into the same spoon.
True or false: A teaspoon of fine table salt typically holds more salt than a teaspoon of flaky kosher salt.
True. Fine crystals pack tightly, so more salt fits in the same space.
Fill the blank: For the same saltiness every time, measure salt by ___.
For the same saltiness every time, measure salt by weight. Grams stay constant across brands and crystal shapes.
What went wrong? You follow a recipe written for Diamond Crystal kosher salt, but use the same volume of table salt. The soup is too salty.
Table salt is denser, so the same volume holds more salt. Use less table salt, or weigh the salt instead.
Which salt gives a crunchy sparkle on a cookie fresh from the oven?
Flaky sea salt, sprinkled on top. Large flakes dissolve slowly and stay crisp.
True or false: Sea salt is a different compound than table salt because it comes from the ocean.
False. Both are sodium chloride. They differ in crystal size and trace minerals.