Thread 21584684

Why does virtually every american recipe specifically call for kosher salt?

It refers to the shape of the salt crystals, and it has a particular taste compared to other types of salt.

>>21584684 (OP)
Makes 'em feel clever and refined, even though all salt is kosher.

>>21584707
no salt is kosher. salt is used to draw "blood" out of the meat, which makes the meat kosher.
a more apt term would be koshering salt.

anyway kosher salt just sticks to meat better than table salt. that's it.

>>21584684 (OP)
Because they use volumetric measurements instead of mass. This means you need to be aware of the size/density of your salt to properly convey the quantity required for the recipe. 1 tablespoon of iodized table salt is going to be different than 1 tablespoon of kosher salt.

>>21584718
>they use volumetric measurements instead of mass
Kinda dumb, no?

>>21584719
Sure, but they have literally generations of cooks who grew up with it, and generations worth of recipes written with those measurements.

It's not a simple thing to change.

>>21584707
not all salt is kosher. only the ones certified by jews, which is not done dor free mind you, may call their product kosher

>>21584719
Every other country did the same before scales became dirt cheap. It's a system designed for poor people

>>21584719
Very, you can easily double your salt intake and ruin your dish if a recipe doesn't specify the salt used

>>21584730
You just need to weight the teaspoon of salt.
Half of my cookbooks have a table in the beginning detailing the density (volume to mass) of the various ingredients
>>21584684 (OP)
Some sort of weird jew worship. They do this even when the salt is dissolved so it's not a texture thing.

iinm, it's just the most common form of non-iodised salt this side of the pond. I use pickling salt to the same effect because it's also non-iodised as well as less than half the price of kosher salt (surprise surprise). Back home, sea salt is more common.