The thing with the kosher salt

Morton is a famous kosher salt in USA. Photo: Walmart website

'What is the big deal of using kosher salt?', 'What it is so special about this?' I am often asked by non-Jewish friends, intrigued that even the salt should be kosher in order to be accepted in a clean kitchen. 

In fact, things are easier as they look like. The confusion and questions would have been avoided if instead of 'kosher salt', it would have been named 'koshering salt'. This coarse-grained salt made from salt crystals and usually not iodized is used to kosher the meat, meaning it is strong enough to absorb the blood, therefore his qualities. Structurally and chemically, there is not a big difference between kosher and the usual table salt, as both are close to the composition of 100% pure NaCl. Eventually, the kosher has some traces of additional elements. 

Besides this, due to its special processing, it has noteworthy qualities every good cook appreciates. For instance, it disolves more quickly, it is less refined, versatile, is recommended for seasoning meat, and last but not least, it can be easily pick between your fingers and thus, you have a tighter control over seasoning. 

As for the kosher stamp, some brands do have the required Rabbinical approval when it comes to highly observant people, especially during Pesach - Passover - when should be sure that no crumbs fell during the preparation process. But otherwise, as salt is a mineral, regardless of the brand and the kashrut supervision, it is always kosher. 

In case you are looking for some good kosher salt brands, Morton and Diamond Crystal are the best known and recommended.