DIY Finishing Salts

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You’ve certainly seen the gourmet finishing salts available in our markets and online? EXPENSIVE! Make your own? Why not? The process is simple: Combine good quality salt with your fresh ingredients. Citrus, Mushroom, and Dill DIY Finishing Salts are 3 of my favorites, and I’ve brought you DIY instructions and ideas for their use …

You just want to do a simple meal on the grill? A piece of poultry, fish, or meat, and some grilled veg? When there’s no time for a marinade, you can boost the flavor with a finishing salt! They require only a couple of easy-to-find ingredients, and a few inactive hours to make. The active time varies by ingredient. From left to right: Citrus Finishing Salt (about 15 minutes active), Mushroom Finishing Salt (about 10 minutes active), and Dill Finishing Salt (about 5 minutes active).

Focus Ingredient: Salt

Once upon a time… salt was just that. Salt. It came in a cylindrical blue and white container, and we poured it into a dreary salt “shaker.” I don’t even own a salt shaker anymore, much less a salt and pepper shaker set.  😆 The evolution was gradual… I started with coarse sea salt in a salt grinder beside my pepper grinder. Pretty soon, a pinch bowl of fine sea salt joined them on the counter. Then it was all over!!! I started seeing specialty salts all over – red Hawaiian, alderwood smoked, Himalayan pink, fleur de sel, flake salt – so many options. Before I knew it, those lovely salts were incorporated into finishing salt blends. Wow! So, I guess I’ve developed something of a salt addiction, and my addiction has spread to friends and family as well…

In every recipe/post, I try to emphasize the importance of tasting and seasoning your food. Salt highlights flavors, suppresses bitterness, and enhances umami, sour, and sweet flavors. Avoid bland food. USE. SALT. I even include sea salt in my frozen desserts – Double (Fresh) Ginger Pumpkin Custard Ice Cream and Raspberry Double-Chocolate Sorbet with Stout.

My choice for DIY finishing salts is flake sea salt. The irregularly shaped and sized flakes provide a bit of crunch and a burst of flavor that is quite appealing. It is perfect for making a finishing salt.

So, once you make one or three of these finishing salts, how do you use them? At first glance, the Citrus Finishing Salt pairs beautifully with fish and shellfish, the Mushroom Finishing salt complements beef (great on a grilled steak or burger), and the Dill Finishing Salt enhances fresh grilled asparagus and steamed English peas.

Once you’ve got the technique down (which is basically drying an ingredient that goes well with salt and getting it to an appropriate size), be creative. You can substitute your favorite fresh herb for the dill, combine whichever citrus fruits you’d prefer in the citrus, substitute truffles (expensive!) for the mushrooms. You can try adding Aleppo pepper (a new favorite of mine), hot chiles, your favorite spices.

I hope this post has inspired you to add a few finishing salts to your pantry. I found the cute and practical cork-topped glass containers at my local grocers. You can also use small mason jars. My “recipe” makes a fairly small quantity, as the flake sea salt is not cheap, and I like to do a variety (rather than 1 large batch). I use Falksalt Crystal Flakes which I find at my HEB market. You can order them on Amazon here. Keep in mind, DIY Finishing Salts make really nice and inexpensive gifts!

What do you think? Do DIY Finishing Salts appeal to you, or are they “too much like work?” Inquiring minds want to know!

Yield: About 3/4 cup

Mushroom Finishing Salt

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Add a little umami flavor to your favorite grilled meat or egg dish... Use your imagination!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 6 hours

Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 ounces crimini mushrooms, stems removed and sliced very thin
• 1/2 cup flaked sea salt, see post

Instructions

1. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange the thin-sliced mushrooms in a thin layer. Some overlap is fine.
2. Place in the oven on "warm" or "proof." Stir and spread about once per hour. Allow the warm oven to completely dry the mushrooms. My oven took about 5-6 hours.
3. Pulse mushrooms in a small food processor several times, then add the flaked sea salt, and pulse a few more times until the mushrooms are well combined.
4. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

I make a fabulous Roasted Mushroom Stock. Whenever I have mushroom stems, I pop them into a zip bag. When I've collected plenty, I make stock! Waste not, want not!

 

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 1

Nutrition is an approximation and for reference purposes only!

Citrus Finishing Salt

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Just a hint of citrus will brighten grilled fish, seafood, and chicken, and liven up grilled, steamed, and sauteed veggies!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 6 hours

Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 blood orange, (see notes)
• 2 lemons
• 1 lime
• 1/2 cup flaked sea salt

Instructions

1. Remove zest from your citrus using a peeler or wide slot microplane. Don't use a citrus zester. 
2. Place on a baking sheet or glass pan sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Place in a warm oven ("warm" or "proof" setting). Allow to remain in the oven until zest is completely dehydrated. This process takes about 6 hours (depending on temperature).
3. Add citrus zest and flaked sea salt to the bowl of a small food processor. Pulse several times until well combined, and there are not large pieces of zest.
4. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

I used the 3 citrus fruits mentioned above. Feel free to use your own combination. You're looking for 3/4-1 cup of loosely packed zest...

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 1

Nutrition is an approximation and for reference purposes only!

Yield: About 1/2 to 3/4 cup

Dill (Fresh Herb) Finishing Salt

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A fresh, herbilicious finishing salt for grilled salmon, asparagus, English peas... 

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh dill, stems removed and packed
• 1/2 cup flake salt

Instructions

1. Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the fresh dill on the baking sheet, and place in a warm oven ("warm" or "proof" setting). Allow the dill (or other herb) to completely dry. My oven required about 2 hours.
2. Carefully scrape the dill into the bowl of a small food processor. Add the flaked sea salt. Pulse several times to combine
3. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Substitute your favorite fresh herbs. Each will require different amounts of time to dehydrate.

Dill is pretty fragile, and will break down quickly in the processor. Don't over-process!

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 1

Nutrition is an approximation and for reference purposes only!