What is Canning Salt?

Salt has been used as a seasoning and preservative for thousands of years. It was so sought-after that, in ancient Rome, soldiers often drew part of their pay in salt. This is where the phrase “not worth his salt” comes from, incidentally. Among its many uses, salt plays a large role in canning and preserving.

Canning salt is a particular variety of salt that is used, as the name suggests, in canning. Canning salt is a fine-grained salt and is iodine-free. It also does not have the anti-caking ingredients used in regular table salt. The lack of additives means the canning salt will not turn vegetables — particularly pickles — a dark color, nor will it make their liquid cloudy. Pickles made with table salt would be perfectly safe to eat — they just wouldn’t look very pretty. Canning salt, on the other hand, produces a clear brine that is suitable for pickling.

Canning salt is also used in preserving meats like salt-cured ham or sausage. It is vital the cook use the specified amount of salt called for in the recipe so the meat (or pickles) will be safely preserved.

Leftover canning salt can be used as table salt, but without the anti-caking agents, this could pose a problem on humid days. One solution for this is to place a few grains of uncooked white rice in the salt shaker. Canning salt that has already caked can be separated. The cook just has to spread the salt on a baking sheet and warm it in a moderate oven for a few minutes. The heat will evaporate the moisture. Remember Morton Salt’s slogan, “When it rains, it pours”? The slogan referred to the anti-caking agents present in the salt.

Canning salt is available in most supermarkets, where other canning supplies are sold. Look for canning jars, lids and bands and fruit pectin, and chances are, the canning salt will be in the same area. It is also available from stores in rural areas where canning and preserving food is common. A 2.5-pound (1140 grams) container will cost between 3 and 6 U.S. Dollars (USD).