Himalayan Salt Block Cooking
Summertime is here! Summer means more opportunities for grilling whether it’s at home or on a camping trip. Have you ever grilled with a pink Himalayan salt block? It’s amazing!
Salt blocks are the newest kitchen essential. As a non-stick pan with the ability to circulate heat throughout, they provide the newest trend of modern cooking. Salt blocks do not solely cook alone, they also cure, cool, freeze, caramelize, brown, soften, firm, crisp and so much more. Just slice a cucumber and leave it on a salt block to enjoy the 84 different minerals in one single bite!
Before we dive into cooking with the salt block, let’s look at why it works so well. For one, pink Himalayan salt has every mineral in the earth’s crust combined into one practical salt. This super salt has virtually no residual moisture to it so they can be safely heated or chilled to extremes. We are talking about 700 degrees hot extremes! Salt retains heat better than cast iron if you can believe that. Salt also delivers salt to food in a very modest amount offering a complex taste.
A few things you need for salt block cooking that you might not ordinarily have. Your cute oven mitt will not work when lifting this heavy block off a grill. A professional oven mitt that sustains high temperatures is a must as you will be literally touching flames while lifting the block. You will need a trivet or some other protection for your table when placing the hot stone down to serve.
Before cooking with your salt stone, know that they can crack so you have to heat them slowly. It is a natural stone subject to natural consequences. Set it off to the side from your heat source on your grill while it heats up, or better yet, set two levels of coals. For a gas grill, start with the lowest temperature and gradually increase it. Slowly move it closer. If using an oven, start with 200 degrees and slowly increase the temperature as the stone heats up. Once you have cooked with your stone, you can continue to use it for cooking but not for serving. So that cucumber infused with fresh salt will need a new block (I have several!) Once you’re done cooking, the salt block requires no soap to clean. After it cools completely, simply scrub off the layer and it will be ready for your next day of grilling.
The options for cooking on a salt block are endless. I recommend the book “Salt Block Cooking” by Mark Bitterman for ideas. I’m going to share one simple idea here. Grilled chicken is often superior on a grill when it’s weighted down with a brick. Using a salt block instead, not only weighs it down, but it infuses it with salt leaving it juicy and perfectly seasoned. Salmon is a personal favorite on a salt block. I season it with tarragon and pepper. Once my block is hot, I lay it skin down on the salt. For the last few minutes of cooking, I flip the salmon carefully and let the salt seep through for a perfect finish.
Ready to give it a try? Stop by Bluegrass Salt of Life and purchase your salt block today! It will be the talk of your summer grill parties. Mention this blog post and receive 20% off your purchase!