Summer is in full swing, and our BBQ is getting quite the workout! From smoking everything we can fit on the grill (including a massive 20-pound turkey – but more on that another time 😉), we’ve been busy experimenting. Today, we’re diving into the art of making smoked salt and sharing the top 3 compelling reasons why you absolutely need to try it!
3 Reasons Why You Should Make Your Own Smoked Salt
- Unbeatable Flavor: Smoked salt tastes absolutely incredible! It’s the perfect finishing touch for dishes like tomato soup, avocado toast, or anything that could use a smoky kick. In fact, it rivals (if not surpasses) the pricey gourmet smoked salts you’d find at the store.
- Cost-Effective: Making smoked salt at home is a fraction of the cost of buying those fancy finishing salts. Plus, you can get creative with flavors and still save a bundle.
- Fantastic Gifts: Smoked salt makes an excellent host or hostess gift, especially during BBQ season. It’s also perfect for the foodie or BBQ lover on your holiday list. To make gifting even easier, I’ve included printable labels toward the bottom of this post so you can package your smoked salt in style.
But let’s be honest—you’ll probably want to keep it all for yourself! Once you taste it, you might just end up hoarding your smoky stash in your kitchen cupboard.
You have to try making a batch of smoked salt! Imagine this: in the middle of winter, when it’s freezing outside, you can add a pinch of fire-roasted goodness to your dishes and bring back a taste of summer.
The possibilities are endless:
- Smokey Mac & Cheese
- A sprinkle on creamy mashed potatoes
- Rimming the glass of a bold Bloody Mary
- Enhancing homemade mozzarella
- Crafting smoky rubs for oven-roasted dishes
- Adding depth to a comforting bowl of pumpkin soup
…and so much more!
Are you convinced yet? I sure hope so!
Must Know Tips When Making Smoked Sea Salt
When I first started experimenting with making smoked salt, I had so many questions. Through trial and error, I was able to narrow down the most important tips and answers that everyone should know before diving into smoking salt at home. Let me share them with you to make your journey a whole lot easier!
WHICH IS THE BEST SALT TO SMOKE?
After experimenting with various salts, we discovered the ultimate choice: sea salt—the flakier and chunkier, the better.
My personal favorite is Maldon salt, known for its thin, flaky texture that’s perfect for smoking. But don’t worry—you don’t need to splurge on Maldon to get great results. Coarse sea salt works beautifully, too, and is often more budget-friendly.
Interestingly, Maldon does offer a pre-smoked salt, but I found its smoky flavor to be underwhelming—that’s actually what inspired my journey to start smoking salt myself!
You can also smoke fine sea salt, but I think smoked salt shines best as a finishing salt. Fine salt lacks the satisfying crunch and that bold punch of fire-roasted smokiness that chunkier salts bring to the table.
WHAT’S THE BEST WOOD TO USE WHEN MAKING SMOKED SALT?
Our top choice for smoking salt? Applewood—hands down the winner!
After testing several types of wood with different salts, we both agreed that applewood smoked salt was superior. While the other woods also produced delicious results, applewood stood out for a few reasons:
- It’s incredibly versatile, pairing well with just about anything.
- It imparts a clean, balanced smoky flavor that enhances every dish without overpowering it.
Of course, taste is subjective, so I highly recommend experimenting with a few different woods to find your favorite. Smoking salt is super easy, and the possibilities are endless!
That said, I’ve never made a smoked salt I didn’t enjoy. Here are some other woods we’ve tried with great success:
- Hickory
- Cherry
- Rum barrel
- Maple bourbon barrel
If you’re not in the mood to experiment, start with applewood—it’s foolproof and produces amazing results every time!
WHAT TEMPERATURES ARE NEEDED TO MAKE SMOKED SALT?
We’ve experimented with smoking salt at temperatures ranging from 250°F to 400°F, and here’s what we found: the only real difference is how long you need to smoke your salt. The results are equally delicious whether you:
- Smoke at 250°F for 5–6 hours, or
- Smoke at 350–400°F for 2–3 hours.
We also tried a recommendation to cold smoke the salt for 12 hours, but I wasn’t a fan. The result was an overly strong, acrid smoky flavor that didn’t hit the mark for me.
If you prefer a bolder smoky taste, you can always extend the smoking time, but for a balanced and reliable smoked salt, I recommend sticking to 350°F for 2–3 hours. It’s simple, quick, and delivers fantastic results every time.
Can I Smoke Salt In A Gas BBQ?
Yes, you absolutely can! I highly recommend the A-MAZE-N 12” Pellet Tube Smoker.
This nifty little device is a game-changer for anyone looking to cold smoke with a gas BBQ. I’ve used it in the past, and it works incredibly well. It’s designed to take pellets (not wood chips or chunks), which is an additional investment, but it’s totally worth it. With the A-MAZE-N smoker, you can easily convert your gas BBQ into a cold smoker, opening up a whole new world of smoking possibilities. It’s a solid investment if you’re serious about smoking!
Ingredients Needed TO Make Homemade SMoked Sea Salt
To make this smoked salt, you’ll need:
- Flaky sea salt (or coarse salt)
- Your favorite wood for smoking
- A BBQ or smoker
- Time
When I was first figuring out how to smoke salt, I experimented with a variety of woods, methods, and lots of salt! Here’s what we used to make our favorite applewood smoked salt:
- Char-Griller Akorn Kamado Kooker Charcoal Barbecue Grill and Smoker
- Maldon Sea Salt Flakes – Pack of 2
- 13” Splatter Screen
- Apple Wood Chips
Our Char-Griller Akorn Kamado has been an absolute game-changer. It’s the best BBQ we’ve owned and we still love it! After three summers of consistent use, it’s still in top condition, and I can’t recommend it enough. My husband smokes everything in it:
- Turkeys
- Cheese
- Salt
- Pizza
- Grilled cheese
- And much more!
Honestly, if it’s food, we’ve likely tried BBQing or smoking it.
For the salt, I also bought a stainless steel frying pan splatter screen, which I bent the handle up on so it would fit inside the BBQ. This screen is perfect for coarse salt because it allows the smoke to reach both the top and bottom at the same time, speeding up the process and making the job much easier.
How To Smoke Salt IN A Smoker
Smoking salt is incredibly easy—way easier than making pie! Here’s my go-to method:
- Preheat your BBQ to 300-350°F.
- Smoke 2 cups of salt for 2-3 hours.
- Stir your salt and add new smoke chips every hour for consistent smoke flavor.
Pro Tip: Don’t soak your wood chips! Soaking them will only slow down the smoking process and cool down the coals. Just use dry wood chips for the best results.
And that’s it! Simple, quick, and delicious.
GREAT SMOKING BOOK
If you’re looking for an excellent BBQ book that dives deep into the science of heat, smoke, and flame, I highly recommend Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling. It’s hands-down the best BBQ book out there, packed with fascinating tidbits that will elevate your BBQ skills.
While How to smoke salt isn’t covered in the cookbook, you’ll find plenty of incredible recipes for your summer BBQ that are sure to impress. It’s a must-have for any BBQ enthusiast looking to up their game!
Storing Your Smoked Salt
I have to admit, the salt actually improves over time! It mellows out, becomes smokier, and just keeps getting better with age.
I prefer to store my smoked salt in mason jars, and it lasts indefinitely. In fact, I still have some from last summer, and you’d never guess it wasn’t freshly smoked—it tastes just as good!
Just make sure to use airtight storage containers if you’re planning to store it for a while. That way, it keeps all that smoky goodness sealed in for months to come.
SMOKED SALT LABEL DOWNLOAD
I’ve made these adorable labels that you can print off and add to your jars! You can print them on sticky label paper for easy application, but you’ll need to cut them out. A paper trimmer is a huge help—it makes the job quick and simple, giving your jars a polished and professional look. Perfect for gifting or just adding a little extra flair to your homemade smoked salt!
I printed mine on cardstock and used a glue stick to attach them to the front of a 500ml (2 cups) mason jar. To give it an extra special touch, I added a bit of craft paper to the lid and tied it all together with a twist of twine. It makes for a charming and personalized gift, or just a fun way to keep your smoked salt looking cute on the shelf!
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, making smoked salt at home is an easy, fun, and rewarding process. With just a few simple ingredients—flaky sea salt, your favorite wood, and a bit of time—you can create a unique finishing touch for your dishes that’s both flavorful and cost-effective. Whether you’re using it for your own cooking, gifting it to friends, or experimenting with different types of wood, smoked salt adds a deliciously smoky kick to just about anything. Plus, with the right storage, it only gets better over time!
So fire up your BBQ, gather your supplies, and start smoking your own salt—you’ll be amazed at the rich flavors you’ll create. Happy smoking!
