We have all heard the term “The Salt of the earth” and it refers to things that are basic and natural like salt. We all need a little salt in our diet to stay healthy. It is used for a ton of other things besides just eating, such as curing meat and pickling vegetables as well. It is a mainstay that is a must for every Prepper to keep in their supplies. There is also a lot of confusion as to just what type should be stored and what each can be used for so today we are going to take a look at the different types of salt. There are many different types of salt on the market and some are not really salt, but get the name simply because of their salt like appearance. Those are outside of the topic we will cover today, as we will be looking only at the types you will need for your preps.
Kosher salt:
It dissolves very quickly and disperses its flavor throughout your food and is recommended for cooking by a great many Chefs. The salt gets its name from the shape of its crystals and is excellent for curing meat. It’s a coarse salt with rough crystals and should be stored in large quantities for curing meats and cooking with. Kosher salt cost about a dollar a pound on average and I would recommend getting the Diamond Crystal brand as it contains no anti-clumping additives that tend to give other brands a chemical taste. I would try to store at least a couple of hundred pounds of this if possible due to the possible need for curing meat in the future. You need to remember that once it is gone, you may never have the opportunity to acquire more or at the very least not for a long time. The importance of this critical salt should not be over looked when creating your preps.”
Pickling Salt
Pickling salt is used for brining Pickles, Sauerkraut and different kinds of meat. Brining a turkey, or a pork roast before smoking them are just a couple of examples of its uses. Because it is more concentrated than regular salt and dissolves quickly in water it is excellent for brining food. Like Table salt, Pickling salt comes from the earth and the sea, but unlike table salt, it does not contain Iodine, that if used for pickling would turn your food a very unpleasant color. Pickling is virtually almost pure sodium chloride and is the purist form of salt. Because it is so concentrated, you will not need to store as much as other salts. Again, I recommend the Diamond brand salt because it has no anti clumping chemicals in it and has a much better taste when used, and it sells for less than a dollar a pound.
Rock Salt
We are all familiar with using Rock Salt when making homemade ice cream. Rock salt is great for helping regulate temperature and is great for melting ice on sidewalks and driveways. It is very inexpensive and can be purchased in large containers for convenient storage with your preps. Because the temperature varies so widely between the Northern and Southern parts of the country it is impossible to recommend how much you should keep in your preps, and should be based on your local conditions. I would however keep some just as a safety measure because going to the hospital with a broken leg from slipping on ice after SHTF may not be an option.
Table Salt
I know people who use very little table salt, but I like spice and favorable food, so for that reason, I use more salt than some people. Our bodies need salt and the best way to get it is to add it to the foods we eat either while cooking or while eating. Table has Iodine added to it to help prevent goiters (The enlargement of the thyroid gland). Since the thyroid gland can affect your heart, your metabolism and your nerve responses, it is a must in your diet. Iodine deficiency has also been linked to increased difficulty with information processing, diminished fine motor skills, extreme fatigue, depression, weight gain, and low basal body temperatures, among other things. You would be well advised to keep iodized table salt in your preps for after SHTF because your body will be under enough strain after SHTF as it is. I would recommend keeping about 50 lbs. per person in your preps as it will never go bad and you will definitely need it when things go bad. It is cheap and can be purchased for very little.
Another “salt” that you might want to stock up on is Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate), for soaking injured hands and feet, making compresses for sore muscles. It has many uses but is not for human consumption. Think and prepare in a smart way for when the SHTF happens. Salt has been important for survival for thousands of years, so don’t overlook it for your preps. If you know of any other salts that should be included here, please let me know and comment in the space below this article. Until next time, just remember that prepping is a direction of travel and not a destination!
-The Sargent –
