Salt 101: The Essential Ingredient
Whether it comes from deep underground deposits or is harvested from the sea, salt is, at its heart, simply sodium chloride. But not all salt is created equal. Texture, shape and mineral content set the different kinds apart, and they change how salt tastes, how quickly it dissolves, and how it behaves in your food.
Salt is the one ingredient in almost every recipe on this site, so it is worth getting right. Here is everything I wish someone had told me as a young cook: the types to buy, how they measure up, and why chefs throw it around like they are feeding pigeons in the park.
How Much Salt Is in That Teaspoon?
Grain size changes everything when you measure by volume. A teaspoon of fine table salt packs in far more salt than a teaspoon of big, hollow kosher flakes, so switching salts without adjusting is the quickest way to ruin a dish.
1 teaspoon table salt = roughly 1¼ to 1½ teaspoons Morton kosher salt = about 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
If you have a kitchen scale, weigh it. Grams are grams, whatever the brand. On this site I say which salt a recipe was tested with, and I usually give the weight too.
Types of Salt and How to Use Them
Table Salt
What it is: Fine, uniform crystals made by rapid vacuum evaporation, often with an anti-caking agent to keep it flowing freely.
Best for: Baking and general cooking, because the fine grains dissolve quickly and measure consistently.
Shopping tip: Iodised or not is your choice. Some cooks notice a faint metallic note from iodised salt in delicate dishes, so I keep a box of plain salt for baking.
Kosher Salt
What it is: Originally used for koshering meat, it is coarser and flakier than table salt, made by raking the salt as it evaporates, and it contains no additives.
Best for: Seasoning meat and most everyday cooking. It is easy to pinch, clings well and spreads evenly.
Shopping tip: Morton and Diamond Crystal are the two big brands, and they are not interchangeable. Diamond Crystal is lighter and flakier; Morton is denser. Measured by volume, the difference really matters.
Sea Salt
What it is: Made by evaporating seawater. It carries trace minerals that subtly affect flavour and colour, and the best kinds form irregular, delicate flakes.
Best for: Finishing. Once it dissolves in a pot, expensive sea salt behaves just like table salt, so save it for the end, where its crunch and briny complexity shine.
Shopping tip: Do not be swayed by fancy origins. What matters is texture. Look for large, flaky crystals, such as Maldon.
The Salt Bae Science: Why Chefs Season from Height
Ever seen a chef throwing salt around like they are feeding pigeons in the park? It looks like showing off, and admittedly it sometimes is. But there is science behind it.
Sprinkling salt from about 8 to 12 inches above your food lets the grains spread out before they land, so they fall evenly instead of in clumps. You do not want one bite tasting like the Dead Sea while the next is blander than a cup of tea your granny made with the bag barely dipped in.
And season early. Salt needs time to do its work, especially on meat, where it slowly draws in and seasons the flesh rather than sitting on top. Add it all at the end and it just sits there, glaring at you like your mum when she caught you nicking a biscuit before dinner. A final pinch of flaky salt at the table is a finishing touch, not the main event.
Final Thought
Salt is not just an ingredient. It is the most powerful tool in the kitchen. Choose the right one for the job, measure it with care, season from a height and season early, and every dish you make will taste more like itself.
Recipes to Try
Put it into practice with my Crispy Hawaiian Fried Chicken, Smash Burgers with Magic Sauce, and Prime Rib Roast.
This lesson is part of my Anyone Can Cook Kitchen School. Next, learn knife skills.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between kosher salt and table salt?
Kosher salt has larger, flakier crystals and no additives, so a teaspoon holds less salt than a teaspoon of fine table salt. One teaspoon of table salt equals roughly 1¼ to 1½ teaspoons of Morton kosher salt or about 2 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal.
Can I swap Diamond Crystal for Morton kosher salt?
Yes, but not spoon for spoon. Diamond Crystal is much lighter, so use more of it by volume, or weigh your salt for the most accurate result.
Is sea salt better than table salt for cooking?
Not once it dissolves. In a pot of soup or pasta water, sea salt behaves like any other salt. Save flaky sea salt for finishing, where you can taste its crunch.
Why do chefs sprinkle salt from high up?
Seasoning from 8 to 12 inches above the food spreads the grains out so they land evenly, rather than clumping in one spot.
When should I salt meat?
Early. Salting meat ahead of time, from 45 minutes to a day before cooking, gives the salt time to season it all the way through.
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