How to make Smoked Salt

WHAT DOES SMOKED SALT TASTE LIKE?

The taste of smoked salt really depends on the hardwood that is used to produce the smoke as well as the type of salt. For example, hickory will give salt an intense, savory smoke flavor whereas a fruitwood, such as apple, will give it a sweet and more subtle smoke flavor. Then there are the subtle differences between sea salt and Himalayan salt due to their different mineral content. Overall smoked salt is a very intricate blend of bright salty and dark or earthy smoke flavors. When placed on meat, it can really make the natural flavors of the protein sing and come alive.

WHAT IS THE BEST TYPE OF SALT TO USE FOR SMOKING?

When choosing a salt to smoke, just be sure it is granular and has a large surface area to absorb the smoke. So normal table salt is out as a choice. Otherwise, it just comes down to your personal flavor preference and what you are cooking. Kosher salt, sea salt, and Himalayan salts are all very commonly smoked salts.

BEST WOOD PELLETS FOR SMOKING SALTS

Again, you can be as creative as you want to be here. Think of salt as your canvas, smoke as your brush, and wood as your paint. For bold wood flavors, try Hickory or Mesquite. For a nuttier taste, you could go with Pecan. And for sweet, any Fruitwood like Apple or Maple Hardwood is always a good choice. For more layered flavors, we recommend using our Pit Boss Competition or Classic Blend Pellets which combine different flavor profiles.

HOW TO SMOKE SALT

Salt can either be hot smoked or cold smoked on a wood pellet grill.

COLD SMOKING SALT

When cold smoking, you can either use an A-MAZE-N Smoke Tube on your Pit Boss Grill, or if you own a Platinum Series Lockhart, you can utilize the upper smoking cabinet. Either way, be sure the temperature is below 80°F. You can set the salt either in a baking pan, on aluminum foil with the sides folder up, or on a metal screen with holes that are small enough to prevent the salt grains from falling through. The length of smoke depends on your taste preference, but if it is your first time at it, try doing it for 4 hours and see if you like the flavor. You can also put it back in the smoker for longer if you think it is not enough.

HOT SMOKING SALT

To hot smoke salt, again you will set the salt on either container mentioned above and place it on the grill at 250°F. We recommend using the upper grill racks, if possible, to avoid any heat from the lower grill grates accidentally cooking the salt. Otherwise just use a lower temperature and it will be fine. We recommend smoking for an hour or two and then testing the flavor.

SMOKED SALT USES

The world is your oyster when it comes to recipes, but if you’ve never had smoked salt before, try it out on some steaks or salmon. After you think you’ve gotten a feel for which type of wood and how long you prefer to expose your salt to smoke, then you can use it on anything from brisket to desserts.

SMOKE SALT WITH A-MAZE-N

If you own a Pit Boss Grill without a cold smoking cabinet, then you HAVE to try A-MAZE-N Smoker Tubes. It’s an extremely affordable way to cold smoke cheese, fish, nuts, salt, or to add more smoke flavor to your hot smoked and barbecue dishes.