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The other day whilst csg'ing some pink Himalayan salt crystals I read somewhere that it doesn't take smoke well, could anyone expand on this for me please?

I went ahead & gave it a go, with it very slowly taking on the merest hint of discernible colour, after 8 hrs on a muslin sheet, spread & sifted 4 times over that period.

by comparison the Maldon had around 7 hours burn time & again changed to a light brown in the main, not the caramel i've seen on maldons own site (oak & beech used in the csg for both).

Popped into the wee parfait jars they have a good strong aroma (i'm not a heavy salt user so not best to judge taste changes for better / worse).

the taste was pronounced (perhaps overly strong & multi-layered for the maldon, sampling whole crystals, but the pink was way less smokey.

asides from the clear difference in density of the two salt crystals could anyone please lead me out of this blind alley!?

(Marmite results coming soon).

Gus,

We're a week down the line. What's the taste like now?

Was there much difference between the grain sizes of the salt?

Phil

The moisture level of the salt should be considered a variable, I can't back this up with data, but I've had much better results smoking sea salts that were higher in hydration, than those that were very dry. I guess it makes sense because I'm pretty sure your not going to get any penetration into the mineral itself, but instead getting a transfer of flavor from the smoke to the moisture in and around the mineral, which then remains as the liquid evaporates. But what do I know for sure...not a whole lot beyond speculation and some very rough experiments a long time ago.

I suspect size, shape and density have something to do with smoke take-up, too. Maldon is a vacuum/evaporation salt where the process makes the thin, flat, hollow pyramids and sheets, while Himalayan salt is a mined rock salt from the Khewra salt mines in Pakistan.

Having smoked both, same time & duration I have decanted some of the himalayan pink into the grinder (not pure, a mix of seasoned salt topped up, so it doesn't assault the wifes senses, she's about hitting the layer now, myself? ...I got little from it & await her salt addict edict.

As for the Maldon, nice, light yellow colour hue subtle smoke flavour & heady scent (as expected) stupidly I used up all I had left, so can't compare side by side at this point raw vs "half baked" ..as Maldon is more to my taste.

I've rested them purposefully within parfait jars to see how they sit / mature / develop ..whatever.

something nagging within "more smoke" will update when i've got both head & tongue round it (sorry).

RodinBangkok wrote:The moisture level of the salt should be considered a variable, I can't back this up with data, but I've had much better results smoking sea salts that were higher in hydration, than those that were very dry. I guess it makes sense because I'm pretty sure your not going to get any penetration into the mineral itself, but instead getting a transfer of flavor from the smoke to the moisture in and around the mineral, which then remains as the liquid evaporates.

makes good sense to me, will note the air moisture next time I smoke.

My nagging concern was laying it out on taut muslin cloth, think there was too much absorbed by it in contrast to the salt, ..but it was to hand, i'm a beginner & not tricked out for smoking yet.

#Adhoc / #slatternly ..take your pick!

I lay mine on a foil 'boat'. Works fine for me with peppercorns as well

Come to the conclusion that the Himalayan salt crystal chunks are akin to brie tonight. ..ie long time no flavour, considering the brie transforms from a duckling to a swan after a long smoke (or 3) i'll keep hammering it till it takes.

After the current cheese glut is completed for ravenous family members i'll give a bit more smoke to the rested & jarred up Smoked salts, give a view on the marmite, olive oil, worcester sauce & soy sauce we are playing with, only so much time in the day & need to really get to grips with a permanent outdoors smoker.

Keep us posted Gus.

Phil

Marmite & soy on own threads now, lest it stray too far.

Kept in a parfait jar to mature, the flavour is still as stubborn to get out & across (it being minimal) after over a year in storage.

my advice, don't waste time on pink rock, do bash some smoke into maldon's & similar, (just make sure you have a few small parfait jars to store & mature in, 6 months to a year maturation, no harm done ..it's not like it's going off.

I'm putting the Pink, Himalayan salt down as an abject fail after 18 months of giving it laldy & time to step up to the plate in terms of flavour.

It has been in the grinder devoid of any other mix, & no-one has picked up on any smokey notes, especially not my smoke wary daughter, & that is saying something.

Therefore if you are going to bang the smoke hammer manically...

Do buy a good British dehydrated salt of quality (maldons / some welsh stuff that I can't get my tongue around without cleaning the walls of spittle)

Do buy up those posh parfait terrines after xmas for 50p full of "finest" fare etc.
Do max out the smoke, multiple times & sit to mature for a minimum of 6 months - 1 year.

Colour of the test salt, (maldons) "might have changed over that time the taste certainly has improved, whilst the Himalayan didn't bend in terms of flavour, & only minimal colour change (see elsewhere)

Himalayan pink salt = boring, stubborn smoke "fail" ..just don't bother, unless you are going to spray a fine mist solution of liquid smoke at every damn rock!

Maldon's for the win. (under multiple smokes), it will pay you back 3 fold in terms of flavour, worth the price tag.