Small ponds are filled with sea water and the water is left to evaporate. The product left behind after all the water is gone is sea salt. This process works best in areas where there is a lot of sun and very little rain. Salt water is piped into large steel pans. Any mud or impurities settle to the bottom and the remaining good water is siphoned off and heated. As the water heats, any foam that forms is skimmed off the top and the water continues to evaporate until only salt crystals remain. Additives are sometimes included. Commercial seas salt makers sometimes add calcium and magnesium to their salts to provide added nutrition and a distinct taste.
It’s essential to gather salt water from a clean source. If you know an area to be polluted, do not gather water from there. Air pollution, oil and chemical runoff, and other types of pollution will affect the taste and quality of the salt. If an area is safe for fishing, it’s probably safe to assume the water is clean enough for salt harvesting, too. A gallon-sized glass or plastic jug is a good size for gathering water. One gallon of water will yield about 3 ounces of salt.
Turn your oven to its lowest setting. Pour the water into a high-sided container and place it in the oven. Let the water slowly evaporate over the course of several days. [3] X Research source Put your strained salt into a pot and boil until almost all the water is gone. Let the sun do the rest. Remove the damp salt from the pot and place it on a plate or in a bowl. Sit it in the sun to finish evaporating all the water. Place your strained water in a bowl or shallow dish and allow it to sit out in the open so the water evaporates. What is left behind when all the water is gone is the sea salt. This method could take several weeks.
You may choose to grind it to a finer texture. You can use a salt grinder for this purpose. Enjoy the salt by tasting it plain or using it in your everyday cooking.
Mix 1/2 cup sea salt, 1/2 cup lemon juice and the zest of 1 lemon in a bowl. Spread the mixture on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake it in the oven turned on its lowest setting until the moisture has evaporated - several hours or overnight. Scrape the lemon salt into a container.
Simmer 1 cup of bourbon in a saucepan over medium heat until it’s reduced to about 1/4 cup. Combine the bourbon reduction, 1/2 cup sea salt and 1/2 cup sugar in a food processor, pulsing until it becomes sandy in texture. Spread the mixture on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake it in the oven turned on its lowest setting until the moisture has evaporated - several hours or overnight.