All About Achill Island Smoked Sea Salt
Smoked flavours are making their way into familiar foods like meats, cheese, fish, chocolate and nuts. People are beginning to experiment with this rich flavour as way of adding depth the simplest of dishes. After seeing an increase in popularity of smoked foods, in 2018 we decided to smoke our pure sea salt, harvested from the wild Atlantic waters that surround Achill Island.
We partnered with a skilled smokehouse in County Mayo to hot smoke Achill Island Sea Salt over oak and beech wood chips. The kind of wood used will impact on the flavour of a smoked sea salt, varying from subtle, intense or sometimes sweet. The combination of beech and oak which gives a beautiful smoky aroma, with scents of maple and caramel and a subtle smoky flavour. Itt is the rich salinity and minerality of the sea salt that enhances a dishes natural flavours, while the smokiness is what heightens the savoury essence.
How to use it?
We use our smoked sea salt on almost everything, when we are looking for an extra smoky kick! But here are a few of our favourite recommendations.
- As a dry rub for meats: Rub in a few generous pinches of smoked salt into a steak or chicken before searing on the pan. You can also try mixing it with different herbs and spices for extra flavour, perfect for barbecue season.
- Eggs: Sprinkle a few flakes over a poached or boiled egg, the best way to start the day!
- Roast Veg: Finish roasted veg with a good pinch of smoked salt to really bring out the flavours.
- Desserts: Smoked salt matches perfectly with sweet dishes. Try it on ice cream, Crème Brûlée or sprinkle a few flakes over some chocolate chip cookies before placing them in the oven
- Cocktails: Add a smoky kick to your Margarita by rubbing it around the rim of the glass before serving or add a pinch in a Bloody Mary, regular salt just won’t do after you try this!
For some more inspiration, head over to our recipe section.
If you’d like some more info on our smoked salt, or are interested in using it your products or kitchen, get in touch at info@achillislandseasalt.ie. You can also purchase it on our online shop here.
