All About Kedem, The Saltiest kosher Salt
A good friend of mine goes to her favorite kosher grocery store on a regular basis and she has no problem buying kosher salt. Yet, when I go to the same store I am sometimes surprised to see that they only had kosher salt on the shelf. kosher salt is actually a brand of salt that is not kosher and yet it still has the seal of the kosher certifying group on it. kosher salt has to be made in a certain process and the same way kosher salt is made that kosher salt is also kosher. In fact kosher salt is a manufactured product and it is made strictly according to Jewish dietary laws.
The kosher salt on the market today is mostly produced by chemical additives. Most kosher salt is not kosher because there are no added enzymes or any kind of nutrients. It is just salt… plain old table salt. There is nothing special about kosher salt; it’s just table salt plain and simple. So, why is kosher salt kosher and what are the kosher salts that are not kosher?
The first kosher salt was created during the 19th century based on the study of ancient Mayans and their preparation of food. Their recipe for salt involved crushed garlic and rock salt. It was soon recognized as a very flavorful salt and the process was formalized and now kosher salt is recognized as a traditional seasoning that enhances the flavor of many foods.
Today kosher salt is recognized as a distinct type of salt with its own distinct set of kosher nutritional and kosher dietary guidelines. Kosher salt contains no yeast, bacteria, enzymes, saltpetre, or any of the other additives that are commonly found in regular table salt. Kosher salt is created by following strict kosher guidelines and by only using natural minerals and by removing other additives. For example, kosher salt may be used in only very small quantities on meats or on fish or poultry. It is prohibited to use kosher salt on vegetables, rice, wheat products, dairy products, fruits, wine, vinegar and alcohol.
Although kosher salt does not contain yeast, it is said that the yeast in regular table salt reacts with the meat and creates the characteristic cheesy or bread crust on the surface of the meat. Some kosher salt brands are made with crushed garlic to preserve the flavor of the meat. Although kosher salt is not used for the preparation of bread, it has great flavor in sausages and also on fish and poultry. If you eat meat that is not kosher, be sure to find a brand of kosher salt that includes “kosher-D” on the list of ingredients.
Kosher salt is often available in both kosher and regular salt varieties, and kosher salt is usually a bit less expensive than regular table salt. This salt may come in different natural color shades, however, and is also available in various crystal sizes. Generally kosher salt comes in two different crystal sizes: small and large.
kosher salt is used as a seasoning component for preparing all kinds of cuisines such as seafood, poultry, and fish. Most kosher salt is made by using coarse-grained salt (kosher or sea salt) mixed with water and some kind of food coloring agent like red pepper or carotene. This mixture is then cooked in a pan over a low temperature until the desired degree of doneness is achieved. Certain herbs and spices may need to be mixed into the salt mixture during the cooking process to enhance their flavors.
Kedem – This kosher salt is the saltiest form of kosher salt. The kosher edible salt is harvested from a specific part of the kosher tree. The leaves of the tree are harvested and then ground up to create this salty flavor additive. However, certain additives, such as artificial flavors, must first be added to the mixture before the leaves can be harvested.