Recipe

Fresh Herb Finishing Salts

by Sasha Marx

Store bought flavored finishing salts (which are used as a final salty flourish for a dish, providing pops of crunchy, mineral salinity) can be great, but they are always expensive. The good news is that they are both super easy to make, and a great way to capture and preserve the flavor of fresh herbs. Chop up a bunch of herbs, mix them with some nice sea salt, and let the salt do its magic, drawing moisture out of the herbs via osmosis. Because the herbs are never heated, their flavor remains fresh and bright. You’re left with a delicious finishing salt that’s great sprinkled on meat or fish, rubbed onto the rim of your cocktail glass, or dusted over movie-night popcorn. Want more salt? Discover its hidden complexities in our feature, Salt Life

Photography by Steve Klise

Yield
100 grams (½ cup) salt
Ingredients
100 g coarse or flake sea salt

Choose ONE of the following:

32 g finely chopped fresh basil
32 g thinly sliced fresh chives
20 g finely chopped fresh dill
15 g finely chopped fresh tarragon
15 g finely chopped fresh makrut (kaffir) lime leaves
½ cup coarse or flake sea salt

Choose ONE of the following:

1½ cups finely chopped fresh basil
1 cup thinly sliced fresh chives
1 cup finely chopped fresh dill
1 cup finely chopped fresh tarragon
¼ cup finely chopped fresh makrut (kaffir) lime leaves
Essential Equipment
Instructions
    • 100 g coarse or flake sea salt 
    • Fresh herb of your choice
    Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine salt and herb in large bowl. Pick up handful of salt mixture and rub between your hands to disperse herb throughout salt. Repeat until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to prepared sheet and spread into even layer. 
  1. Place sheet in 50- to 70-degree F/10- to 21-degree C location away from direct sunlight. Let mixture sit until completely dry, 36 to 48 hours, raking mixture with fork every 12 hours to ensure herb dries evenly.  
  2. Rub mixture between your hands to break up any clumps of dried herb and evenly distribute herb throughout salt. Transfer to airtight container. (Herb salt can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 months.)
Instructions
    • ½ cup coarse or flake sea salt 
    • Fresh herb of your choice
    Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine salt and herb in large bowl. Pick up handful of salt mixture and rub between your hands to disperse herb throughout salt. Repeat until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to prepared sheet and spread into even layer. 
  1. Place sheet in 50- to 70-degree F/10- to 21-degree C location away from direct sunlight. Let mixture sit until completely dry, 36 to 48 hours, raking mixture with fork every 12 hours to ensure herb dries evenly.  
  2. Rub mixture between your hands to break up any clumps of dried herb and evenly distribute herb throughout salt. Transfer to airtight container. (Herb salt can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 months.)
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