Why celery salt is the perfect replacement for your table salt.
Salt is used in almost every type of food item across every cuisine. After all, it enhances the flavours and is crucial for effective seasoning.
But what about Celery Salt?
Even by following the recipe perfectly, you won’t be able to cook your food without adding salt. Such is the importance of salt in cooking.
However, sometimes salt isn’t enough, as there’s a need for more flavours. For such purposes, celery salt is the perfect ingredient. It enhances the effect of normal table salt or kosher salt, alongside providing many other benefits.
Here are some things you should learn about celery salt to use it effectively in your food while taking your cooking skills to the next level.
What is celery salt
“What is celery salt?” is a question that people often wonder about while sprinkling it on their food. As the name implies, celery salt is a kind of salt with a tinge of celery flavour.
It’s made from a mixture of table salt and ground celery seeds. It stands apart from common salt due to its distinct celery flavouring.
Even though it’s a common spice and you may have taken it many times and relished its flavour without ever knowing what is it.
Many popular fast-food chains and restaurants often use it in their recipes. As its name goes, it gives any savoury dish an instant celery-like flavour. No wonder why the majority of chefs like to use it in their recipes.
The mild, subtle and subdued flavour of this salt acts as a flavouring enhancer rather than the main flavour. Therefore, it is used not on its own, but it’s used as a combination with other seasonings in many dishes.
Why Use it?
Celery salt can be used in all kinds of savoury dishes, wherever a salty flavour is required. It can be used on everything on which common salt is used on.
It can be used on popcorn, rice, cooked food, and potato fries. You can also use it to enhance the flavours of your barbecue on your best portable bbq.
Celery salt can also be used in combination with table salt so as to enhance the flavour of bland food and add a tangy taste to any food where table salt is required.
While common salt may cause several complications in people suffering from high blood pressure due to its high sodium content, celery salt won’t negatively affect people with high blood pressure.
The nutritional and flavour enhancing properties of celery salt make it the perfect alternative for common salt. So, not only will you make your food taste fresher and tastier, but it will also save you from illness.
Moreover, celery seeds are known for their health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure, treating insomnia, cold, and arthritis. It’s possible to gain some of these benefits by eating celery salt.
What Does Celery Salt Taste Like?
As celery salt is a mixture of common table salt and ground celery seeds or leaves, you get to taste a bit of both ingredients. Initially, you’ll notice that it tastes much like table salt.
However, after a few seconds, you’ll get a slight taste of celery that boosts the flavour.
Depending on which type of celery salt you get, the flavour can change slightly. Some manufacturers have different salt and celery seeds ratios, resulting in greater or lower hints of celery taste.
What Is Celery Salt Made from & How to
When we mix common table salt with ground celery seeds, this mixture becomes celery salt. Typically, celery seeds are finely ground and are then mixed with table salt in a 2:1 ratio to make celery salt.
The combination of these two ingredients gives it a unique savoury tinge which is the hallmark of celery salt. The salty profile of celery salt may differ upon the use of table or sea salt due to their dissolving rates.
Celery seeds are used due to their fairly high content of salt. Celery contains 88 milligrams of salt per cup. Some people consider it to be fairly high in salt, but according to dietitians, this quantity of sodium is a safe amount of salt intake.
Making of celery salt is not only fun, but you’ll also save a significant amount of money as making your own celery salt will cost you a fraction of its retail price.
Health Benefits of celery salt
Besides providing flavourings to the food, celery seeds inside celery salt have a high nutritious value. Consequently, eating celery salt can have many benefits, unlike the common table salt.
Celery seeds are considered high in minerals like calcium, iron, and manganese. You can get 10% of your requirement for manganese from a two-teaspoon serving of celery salt.
Moreover, 20% of your iron requirement, coupled with the 5% requirement for calcium, can also be fulfilled by eating two teaspoons of celery salt.
Manganese is required by the human body for metabolism and blood coagulation, whereas iron is required to prevent anaemia. By using celery salt, your body will always have a sufficient amount of these vital minerals.
Additionally, celery seeds have two very important mineral oils, known as, Limonene and pinene. Limonene is a major antioxidant, while pinene prevents cancer and has antibiotic properties.
Celery seeds also prevent water retention and promote the production of urine. Sodium is the cause of water retention; thus, celery seeds counteract the side effects of sodium in celery salt.
High cholesterol levels and blood pressure are two main reasons for heart disease; research indicates that both conditions can be treated with celery seeds, which are present in celery salt.
What Is a Good Substitute for Celery Salt?
Many recipes require the use of celery salt; however, it’s not always available. But there’s nothing to worry about in such a situation, as there are many substitutes for celery salt.
After all, celery salt is mostly made up of common table salt, and the flavour of celery is not that prevalent. So, you can always use table salt as a safe alternative to celery salt.
However, if you need slightly more flavour, then using onion salt can be a good option. Moreover, you can also create a celery salt-like taste by mixing ground dill with table salt, as dill is from the same plant family as celery.
FAQ's on Celery Salt
Is celery salt actually salt?
If we think about the contents of celery salt, it consists of ground celery seeds and table salt. So, you can think of celery salt as a mixture of salt with celery seeds rather than a type of salt.
What is the difference between celery salt and salt?
The major difference is that celery salt is a mixture of salt and celery seeds, whereas salt isn’t mixed with anything but itself.
What do you use celery salt for?
Celery salt has the same purpose as table salt, which is to be used as a seasoning. You can use it on any food item that requires common salt. For instance, you can use it to season meat on your small portable bbq.
However, you’ll get a greater flavour enhancement compared to common salt.
Is celery salt the same as celery?
Celery is a vegetable, while celery salt is a product made out of ground celery seeds and table salt. So, celery and celery salt are not the same thing.
Conclusion
Celery salt can be used to give extra flavour to all kinds of food preparations. Whether it’s a salad, fries, or any other savoury dish, celery salt can be used instead of common salt.
It can enhance the flavour of your food, making your taste buds experience a variety of tastes. Celery salt not only gives flavour, but celery salt has several health benefits associated with it.
So, make sure to make the most out of your food by replacing your common table salt with celery salt for a burst of flavours.
Andy
Ever since I started cooking I’ve been fascinated by how different people’s techniques are and how they best utilise the ingredients around them. Even the person living next door will have their own unique way of frying an egg or cooking a salmon fillet.
This fascination led me on a journey across the globe to discover the countless practices and traditions the world of cooking has to offer. I thought you’d enjoy and find value in sharing that journey with me so I created Cooked Best!