Grilling on the salt stone

Want to grill lightly, easily and deliciously? It's easy with these striking pink salt stones. Whether you call them salt stones or salt planks, they have been available in every grill shop and in every grill department for years as part of the accessories section and are nothing new for experienced grillers. But since discounters regularly offer salt planks in the spring, grill greenhorns are also getting a taste for them. In the best case, literally, if they actually use these chunks of Himalayan salt for grilling and not just for serving.

Salt is vital. Without sodium and chloride - the two electrolytes that make up around 98 percent of all commercially available salt - our bodies would not function. The remaining 2 percent contains minerals such as calcium and magnesium. But the amount of salt we consume is crucial to whether it is good for us or bad - or can even be life-threatening. The general recommendation of the German Nutrition Society (DGE) is that adults should consume no more than six grams of table salt per day, and the World Health Organization recommends just five grams per day.

Fine salt note
Salt is a real flavor booster for many dishes, but it can quickly go in a rather unpleasant direction. Depending on how much or how little salt you usually use, your own sense of salt becomes dulled. What you yourself find sufficient when tasting may be judged by others as too salty. However, if you use a salt plank for grilling, the food may be seasoned beforehand as required, but not salted, as the plank or stone gives off a subtle salty note to the food during the cooking process. There is no need to worry about too much salt with this method - unless you want to cook on the plank for a longer period of time at a low temperature. In this case, the moisture released by the food may dissolve more salt and thus make it too salty. Larger items can be seared well on the hot salt stone, but should then be cooked to the desired point in the indirect grill area. Generally speaking, the drier the food, the less salt is released, and you should also be careful with acidic marinades, as acid can also release more salt particles from the plank. But depending on the food, this effect can of course also be desired.

Pink grilling
The salt planks are made of Himalayan salt, and the iron ions they contain are responsible for their red color. Contrary to what the name suggests, most of the Himalayan salt products sold here are not mined in the Himalayas, but in Pakistan. The term "Himalaya" is protected in that only countries whose territories include part of the Himalayas are allowed to market the pink salt under this name. In addition to Pakistan, these include India, Nepal and Tibet. All foods that like it short, hot and crispy are predestined for the salt stone. Thinly sliced ​​steak strips, fish fillets, seafood or vegetable and fruit slices are among them and are ideal for beginners in particular to achieve culinary success in a short time. To do this, the salt stone is slowly heated up until it reaches a temperature range of 220 ° to 250 °C. The stone or plank is at exactly the right temperature for this type of grilling when a drop of water dripped onto it starts to dance on the salt surface. Then no oil is needed to prevent the food from sticking. Even grilling a steak is possible on the salt plank in this temperature range. The salt stone is also ideal for gentle cooking in the medium temperature range, at 160 ° to 180 °C, and the best results are achieved by direct or indirect grilling with the lid closed - or in the oven. The grilled food should be turned halfway through the cooking time.

Below or above – on or below
Generally, you grill on the salt stone - but it also works well underneath. For chicken legs, for example. To do this, the salt plank is first slowly heated up and brought to the desired temperature. Then you temporarily pull it into the cooler temperature zone and make room for the chicken legs, which you then place on the hot grill. Then you carefully place the salt plank (be careful, it's hot!) on the legs and cook them simultaneously from above and below until they are golden brown and crispy. This means that you don't have to turn the food over.

All ready for cleaning
After grilling, let the salt plank cool down, which takes about half an hour. Then carefully scrape off the encrustations with a wire brush or a knife and then simply wash it under running water until all residue is removed. However, it should come into contact with water for as short a time as possible so that it can be used for multiple uses. Of course, washing-up liquid and dishwashers are taboo. It is important to dry the plank completely after cleaning and to let it air-dry. Then store it until the next use - either in an airtight container, but wrapping it in cling film also works. If the plate is then too thin to grill one day, you can still use it to salt pasta water or other dishes - or you can use it as peeling salt (preferably in combination with a little high-quality olive or coconut oil) in the shower.

How it works
Grilling with a salt stone is easy and safe if you pay attention to the characteristics of this material. One of these is that a salt stone needs to be heated up slowly - similar to a pizza stone. The best way to do this with a charcoal grill is to divide your grill into two or - if space allows - three different temperature zones and start with the lowest temperature range. If you are working with a ceramic grill, place the plank on the grate as soon as the grill has reached a temperature of between 80 and 100 °C and then increase the temperature slowly using the control options provided by the ventilation slider at the bottom of the body and the lid valve. With a gas grill, you can either work with different temperature zones or increase the temperature in 10-minute increments. Slow heating is necessary because the salt plank may have stored some water naturally or from the last cleaning, which can lead to salt particles chipping off or even breaking the plank if heated too quickly. However, once it is warmed through properly, which takes about half an hour (15 minutes per temperature range), it can also safely cope with strong, direct heat.

SALTY SURF & TURF WITH LEAF SPINACH

Ingredients:
• approx. 400 g Teres major
• 8 large prawns
• some pepper
• some flat-leaf parsley, rosemary
and thyme, chopped
• 500 g leaf spinach, washed and ready for cooking
and blanched beforehand
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• some olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Nutmeg
• 1 salt stone

Prepare the grill and heat the salt stone as described until a temperature of approx. 220 °C is reached.
Clean the prawns and remove the intestines. Grill the whole Teres major on the salt plank until it is cooked to the desired degree, turning it once. Then cover and let it rest for a few minutes.
Dab the salt plank with kitchen paper and grill the prawns on it. At the same time, heat some olive oil in a pan and sauté the shallots and garlic until translucent. Add the drained spinach and fry until it wilts. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
To serve, cut the steak into slices and top with the prawns. Add a little pepper to taste and garnish with the fresh herbs and serve with the spinach.

Want even more recipes from the salt plank? Then take a look at Crispy Balsamic Duck or Pineapple Spiced Steak in our recipe database!