Recipes and cooking tips in salt block. Ten tips to help you use your salt block, plus salt block recipes including a watermelon feta cheese salad, salted baked nut buns, salt-block cucumber salad, and melted chocolate fondue with salt.
Have you heard of a block of salt before? I hadn’t until my dad surprised me with one recently and I’ve been intrigued and in need of recipes and salt block cooking tips ever since. Over the weekend I attended a Sur La Table cooking class with my dad for an early Father’s Day and birthday gift. If you are interested in buying a block of salt to use in your kitchen, have one and need inspiration on how to use it or just curious about the trend of cooking salt blocks, this post is for you! I’m excited to share information I learned in class about what a block of salt can be used for, tips on how to use one, recommendations on where to buy a block of salt, and recipe inspiration.
I
get a lot of character traits from my father: a passion for learning new things, a love of cooking and eating, and quality time as a love language, so I knew going to a cooking class with him would be wonderful, and it was! Now let’s move on to the relevant recipes and tips for cooking blocks of salt!
Salt blocks
Salt blocks can be used for cooking, curing, cooling, serving, or baking. It brings the temperature slowly to the desired temperature through heating or cooling and then goes from there. In my opinion, it’s not necessarily a super practical or efficient means of cooking, but it’s a lot of fun and beautiful to use. Our teacher, Chef Manny, kept saying that it’s actually mainly because of the “wow factor” in entertainment, and I agree. I really love presenting food in a nice way and anyone who knows me well knows I’m a bit obsessed with salt, so I’m going to use my salt block frequently.
You can scroll through a sample of different salt block options below. There are different sizes, shapes and shades of color. If you’re going to use it for high-temperature cooking, you’ll want one that’s at least 2 inches thick, but if you know you only want to use one for cooling and serving, then a thinner one is fine.
You can even order a block of salt on
Amazon for the best price I’ve ever seen
. 10 tips for using your salt block to cook in salt block
recipes 
Salt
blocks
- can be used for serving, cooling, curing, cooking, or baking
- Do not try to clean it in the dishwasher. Disappear.
- Let the block reach room temperature before cleaning it with a sponge or scrubber and water. Repeat until you have cleaned the stuck pieces of food. Dry with a clean cloth and then sit for a few hours to evaporate moisture.
- Soap isn’t necessary and could actually ruin your salt block.
- Enjoy the beautiful state your block is in when you first get it; after using it it will never return to its original state of splendor.
- serve cold foods, pre-cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours You can use
- your salt block to cook on a grill or stove. Place the block over low heat on the gas grill or stove for ten minutes, turn the heat to medium for 10 minutes, increase the heat to medium high for about 20 minutes or more until your block has the desired temperature.
- The salt block can be said to be hot enough to use when you can only hold your hand above it for a few seconds.
- It is ideal to use a block of salt that is at least 2 inches thick for any high-temperature cooking application.
- You can use salt blocks in the oven to bake cookies, buns, pizzas, and more. Simply temper the block first by heating it on the stove before placing it in the oven.
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To use the salt block to cool or
Salt block cooking recipes <img src="https://rainbowdelicious.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/salt-block-cooking-recipes-240×300.jpg" alt="Salt block
cooking
recipes Watermelon feta salad
” />
Mark Bitterman’s Watermelon Feta Cheese SaladSalt Block
Cooking: 70 Recipes for Roasting, Cooling, Burning and Serving on Himalayan Salt Blocks Salt BlockCut Watermelon
SlicesFeta, Mint or Basil Leaves, Style
- Cut gauze Pre-cool the salt block in your refrigerator for a minimum of two hours
- Place the watermelon slices in an arrangement directly over the salt block. The more the watermelon touches the salt block, the saltier the watermelon will taste.
- Sprinkle the shredded feta cheese over the watermelon, and then garnish with the mint or basil leaves.
- Serve and enjoy!
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We made around seven different saltblock cooking recipes during our two hour class and this watermelon, feta cheese and mint salad was my favorite. I love how good it presents and tastes amazing with the salt-infused edges. You can serve this salad in the salt block, but since our class was large after salting the edges of the watermelon, we served it on a white tray. When I do this again, I would definitely serve it on the salt block instead… How pretty! Another amazing salt block salad is this Caprese peach.
<img src="https://rainbowdelicious.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/10.jpg" alt="Salt block cooking recipes"
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Baked Nut Buns with Salt by Mark BittermanSalt Block Cooking: 70 Recipes for Roasting, Cooling, Burning, and Serving on Himalayan
Salt Blocks
Salt Blocks (2 Recommended, 12 X 8 Inches Recommended)1 1/2 C Flour1/2 C Sugar1 1/2 T Baking Salt Powder6 T Unsalted Butter, cut into small pieces6 egg yolks1/4 C heavy cream1 C
- chopped walnuts Temper your salt block by heating it on top of your stove over very low heat to heat it to about 125 F, it should take 10 to 15 minutes. Then place the block on a heavy baking sheet and place it on the central rack of the oven. Turn on the oven at 350F and let the stone heat there for an hour.
- In a food processor or kitchenaid, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until combined. Add the butter and combine until evenly distributed among the flour mixture. Add the egg yolks and cream and mix until mixed (do not mix too much). Add the nuts until combined.
- On a clean, floured work surface, form the dough into a large circle, then cut it into 8 pieces (like a pizza).
- Place the buns in the hot salt block and bake until lightly browned and swollen, about 18 minutes.
These buns are sweet, rich and the salty bottom edge really adds a nice touch. However, you could really use any scone recipe in a block of salt, so get creative! Buns are one of my favorite saltblock cooking recipes because you can really taste the salt flavor!
<img src="https://rainbowdelicious.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/10-683×1024.jpg" alt=
“Salt Block Cooking Recipe Cucumber Salad” /> Salt Block
Cucumber Salad by Mark BittermanSalt Block Cooking: 70 recipes for roasting, cooling, burning and serving in Himalayan salt blocks4
small
Kirby or Persian cucumbers, cut into 1/3-inch slices2 T olive oil1 garlic cloves, chopped1/4 small red onion1/4 t freshly ground black pepper1 T vinegar rice wine2 T chopped fresh dill
- Place as many cucumber slices in the salt block as you can in a single layer. Let them sit for two minutes and then make the opposite side for 1 minute. Repeat this step until you have cured all the cucumber slices.
- Remove the slices from the block and gently wipe away excess moisture with a paper towel.
- Put the cucumbers in a serving bowl and add olive oil, garlic, onion, black pepper, vinegar and dill to the bowl. Pull to keep warm and enjoy!
This salad is very refreshing and can be made a day or two ahead of time… Perfect for summer entertainment.
<img src="https://rainbowdelicious.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/salt-block-cooking-recipes-watermelon-feta-salad-e1463892708731.jpg" alt="Salt Block
Cooking Recipes Chocolate Bacon” />
Mark Bitterman’s Salt Melted Chocolate Fondue with Crispy Bacon Salt Block Cooking: 70 Recipes for Roasting, Cooling, Burning and Serving in Blocks
Himalayan salt Block of saltThick bacon sliced, cut in half and cooked to the desired crunch1 C chocolate chipssweet bitterhot bread to dip sliced
fruit for dipping
- Heat the salt block on top of the stove over very low heat so that it heats up to about 125 degrees F; this will take about 10-15 minutes. The block should feel warm to the touch.
- Once the desired temperature is reached (try this by placing a piece of chocolate on it, it should start to melt slowly) turn off the heat.
- Spread the chocolate on the salt block, using a spatula.
- with bacon, warm bread, and sliced fruit for dipping (use a trivet under the salt block)
Serve in the salt block
We decided in class that this is a rather impractical recipe: it would be simpler to use a pot of fondue, but this is a unique presentation, so it might still be worth it at your next dinner.
<img
src=”https://rainbowdelicious.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/salt-block-cooking-recipes-watermelon-feta-salad-768×1024.jpg” alt=”Salt Block Cooking Recipes Scallops” />
Sea-Crust Scallops with Thai Lime Mopping Sauce by Mark Bitterman
For this recipe click here.
I’m not really a seafood person, but I thought these scallops were delicious! To crush carrots you can use a potato peeler.
I hope you now have a general idea of what a salt block is, tips on how to use it, and a sample of salt block cooking recipes to get your own creative juices flowing. If you make any recipes with your salt block, please tag me on @rainbowdelicious instagram… I’d love to see your creations!
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