Sea Salt for Less

[SusanGiff]

We're attempting a whole salt-baked striped bass for a dinner party tomorrow night (theme: "Recipe for Disaster"--seriously) and need pounds of sea salt. Is there any place in Manhattan to buy large quantities for a somewhat reasonable amount? Anyone sell it in bulk?

Sorry. I have to limit it to Manhattan or possibly northern NJ very close to the city.

Thanks.

[Didi Dishi]

We're attempting a whole salt-baked striped bass for a dinner party tomorrow night (theme: "Recipe for Disaster"--seriously) and need pounds of sea salt. Is there any place in Manhattan to buy large quantities for a somewhat reasonable amount? Anyone sell it in bulk?

Sorry. I have to limit it to Manhattan or possibly northern NJ very close to the city.

Thanks.

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Use kosher salt. A heck of a lot cheaper and it won't make a difference for the salt baked recipe you're doing.

[raji]

Yah I don't think it gets much cheaper than boxes of Morton's kosher salt. But I'd try International Grocery at 39th and 9th, they buy in bulk and therefore their prices are really low - most spices are 1/4-1/2 pound for 99 cents

[jayt90]

Pickling Salt should be even cheaper

[SusanGiff]

I forgot about International--thanks. Or my local grocers for the big box o' kosher.

[weinoo]

Pickling Salt should be even cheaper

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I don't know that pickling salt will give the same results - doesn't it melt a lot more easily than kosher salt?

[SusanGiff]

FYI, my husband tells me he just found very VERY low-cost boxes of coarse sea salt at the Italian imports store in Chelsea market. Haven't seen or tasted it yet, but I imagine whatever it is, it'll work out fine. Unless it melts in the oven, of course. Oh well. That's sort of the idea of the dinner: Try something you've never attempted before, and if it doesn't work out, we'll call for pizza.

[jayt90]

Pickling Salt should be even cheaper

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I don't know that pickling salt will give the same results - doesn't it melt a lot more easily than kosher salt?

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I compared the two types of salt, and I now use pickling salt as much as Kosher salt.

Kosher salt has a very even crystal, whereas pickling salt ranges from smaller to larger. It dissolves less quickly, but more immediately.

There is one additional problem with Kosher salt: it is not pure; the brands I see have one or even two additives, but pickling salt is pure.

[banquo]

The grocery store in K-town 32nd St. has sea salt in 5lb bags (or thereabouts). I can't remember the exact price, but I think it's reasonably priced (otherwise I wouldn't use it all the time).