I am curious about the editor's note. I thought the reason not to use table salt in canning or brining is because it has iodine in it and it turns the mix cloudy. Also in sensitive individuals the taste of iodine comes through in the finished product.

I was under the impression that it is sea salt and kosher salt that are "saltier" and that you use less when cooking.

On the Foodnetwork (which is always on in my house) many of the chefs state that Kosher or pickling salts are less salty than iodized salt. I just happen to have pickling salt on hand, so I'll use it, though I may not use quite as much as he did.

If you have any of these salts around, taste and compare them. I found the sea salt I have tastes saltier than my table salt but the kosher isn't quite as salty, nor is the pickling salt.

I use kosher salt for brining all the time. I think it is less salty than table salt.

When I am cooking chicken I will brine it a couple hours before cooking. I LOVE brining chicken breast, usually the skinless boneless ones before grilling them. Then I just put some Mrs Dash on it and no salt because it is salted to the bone, juicy and tender.

Deb

Deb, do you thoroughly rinse the bird after brining?

Laurel

No I did not rinse it come to think about it! I suppose if I left it in for a whole day I might rinse it first. But just the chicken pieces I did not rinse. I brined a whole turkey a few years ago for 2 days in the fridge and I did rinse that one off. It was still seasoned so perfectly!

But when I brine for a couple hours I did not rinse off the brine. I only use a little kosher salt when brining for a few hours.

Deb

Not all table salt contains iodine. Only iodized salt contains iodine.

Salt is a subject of debate. Some prefer some types over the other. Many sources I read say to use table salt in place of Kosher, use about half to 3/4 as much, but it varies by brand. Some Kosher salt is flaked and others are crystals. Morton says 1 teaspoon table salt = 1.25 teaspoons kosher. According to this site:
"Table salt weighs approximately 10 ounces per cup and kosher salt weighs approximately 5 to 8 ounces per cup depending on the brand. If using kosher salt in a brine, you must use more than a cup to achieve the same "saltiness" you would get from a cup of table salt."
They additionally suggest:
- Table Salt (without iodine) - 1 cup
- Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt - 2 cups
- Morton Kosher Salt - 1 1/2 cups

My uneducated guess was that because table salt is finer, you'd get more in a given volume which this site confirms. Then there's the debate on which is "saltier" which I haven't seen any real test to suggest one way or the other. If someone takes a few grains and tastes it, of course the larger ones should taste saltier. Most places seem to agree that essentially salt is salt as far as saltiness, all things equal, but the problem is to get it equal. So, I'd guess it comes back to preference.

Another important note is that you should not use a "self basting" or Kosher bird if you're going to brine it. Plain old bird, not a Butterball or the like. And keep in mind the timing is an issue too. The longer you brine it, the saltier it will become.

Another method becoming popular now is the dry brined method. Haven't tried either but I know people who have and prefer the dry method. But most everyone seems to really like a properly brined bird. Some add sugar and other seasonings to the brine too.