How to prepare sea salt

August 19, 2011 1:08 PM

I harvested some sea salt recently from oceanside It is quite wet so I want to dry it out I know i could do it in the oven, but anyone have any idea how best to do it in the sun? only a few pounds...
posted by dougiedd to Food & Drink (7 answers total)

I once used a small, flat frying pan for this. Use an uncoated one, so you can scrape the dry salt off.
posted by Triton at 1:11 PM on August 19, 2011

Edged cookie sheet. I'm sure someone will make a strong argument against, but I'd say "foil lined".

Also, depending on your locality bringing it in at night may be a good idea.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 1:16 PM on August 19, 2011 [1 favorite]

We make fruit leathers by simply pouring pureed fruit onto a food wrap covered jelly roll pan, setting it in the sun, and covering with a screen to keep off the bugs. Should work the same with salt and you won't need the screen
posted by Mitheral at 2:55 PM on August 19, 2011

Best answer: There are some tutorials online for how to make your own sea salt.
posted by Miko at 4:07 PM on August 19, 2011

This Instructables suggest boiling off the last of the moisture in a pot on a stove.

This Instructables might give you second thoughts about using your salt, depending on where you obtained the seawater.

Spoiler:

Primary Active Ingredients:
azithromycin ~ antibiotic
carbamezepine ~ anticonvulsant and mood stabilizer
fluoxitine ~ antidepressant
oflaxacin ~ antibiotic
albuterol ~ bronchodilator
erythromycin-H2O ~ antibiotic
lincomycin ~ antibiotic
sulfamethoxazole ~ antibiotic
caffeine ~ psychoactive stimulant
erythromycin hydrate ~ antibiotic
gemfibrozil ~ cholesterol reduction medication
diltiazem ~ blood pressure medication
trimethoprim ~ antibiotic

May Also Contain:
ibuprofen ~ anti-inflammatory and pain relief medication
naproxen ~ anti-inflammatory and pain relief medication
estrone ~ estrogenic hormone
stigmasterol ~ plant steroid used in the manufacture of synthetic hormones
tetracycline ~ antibiotic
clarithromycin ~ antibiotic
ranitidine ~ antihistamine
codeine ~ opiate
cotinine ~ alkaloid found in tobacco
cimetidine ~ antihistamine
diphenhydramine ~ antihistimine
metformin ~ anti-diabetic medication
sulfadiazine ~ antibiotic
ciproflaxin ~ antibiotic

~ other trace minerals and chemical compounds including: antibacterial and antifungal compounds from household and personal care products, pesticides and insecticides, PBDEs (flame retardants), and PCBs (electrical coolants).
posted by porpoise at 6:41 PM on August 19, 2011

Response by poster: To be clear; I did not obtain seawater but sea salt .
posted by dougiedd at 9:39 AM on August 20, 2011

Right, although the final stages of the process should be exactly the same, since in mid-process what you have is what you have: wet salt crystals.
posted by Miko at 9:48 AM on August 20, 2011