Want spicy salt? Or salt with additional flavor? Learn how to make your own salt blends for gifts or home use. Here is a method with recipe.
How to Make Spicy Salt
If you've ever perused the aisles of a specialty food store, you've probably encountered a variety of salt blends available to you. There are some wonderful blends and combinations for pretty much anything you might need. You might even own a few. I do. I've received them as gifts and I've picked some up myself.
But, I soon realized that I wanted specific blends of my own, and the stores just weren't selling them.
So, we made our own. We have small batches all over the house now with different combinations, like a spicy celery salt blend in the bar for Bloody Mary's, or the excellent superhot salt blend in the kitchen that I like to use as a finisher.
Some meals call for a fresh blast of salt over the top for serving, but as you know, I personally enjoy the heat. You may or may not like it as hot as I do, but the principle still applies.
You can incorporate milder peppers or other dried ingredients to achieve the flavors you desire.
To make your own salt blends, you'll need... SALT! But not just any salt. Look for flaky salt, the larger the flakes the better. You'll be blending or grinding them into smaller flakes.
You'll also need dehydrated chili peppers or pepper flakes. You can purchase some in the store or order online.
Or, if you're like me, you can dehydrate them yourself. See: “How to Dehydrate Chili Peppers” or our “Spicy or Chili Pepper Blends” pages.
This is a very basic recipe that only uses salt and peppers, though you can also add in other dried ingredients, such as garlic powder, peppercorns, dried lime zest, etc.
How to Make Spicy Salt Blends - Ingredients
- Coarse sea salt.
- Crushed dried peppers. I used a blend of Reaper, 7-Pots and Scorpions, but use milder peppers for less heat.
How to Make Spicy Salt Blends - The Recipe Method
Set the ingredients into a food processor or use a mortar. I used our molcajete. It works great. Focus on the amount of salt. This is a salt blend, after all.
Pulse to combine in the food processor, or use the pestle to grind up the salt and peppers into a uniform blend.
Once everything is ground up to your desired consistency, transfer it to a serving jar or better yet, to a grinder.
Storage Tips
I like to store it in a jar, but with a grinder, you can grind just a bit over your foods as needed. I keep versions of this down in our bar for meals. I also like to keep a superhot spice blend with just a few pinches of salt in the bar for pizza nights. It is the PERFECT spicy pizza topping. So good!
Also, homemade salt blends make wonderful holiday gifts. Again, you don't have to use SUPERHOTS like I do. Consider what flavors you might want to incorporate for your family and friends.
What do they love? Focus on that. But if you know any chiliheads out there, and I'm guessing you do, they would LOVE to receive something like this at the next holiday gathering. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips & Notes
- You can use a food processor to make this recipe, but also - a mortar or molcajete.
- This homemade salt blend makes a wonderful holiday gift.
- You don't have to use superhots like I do. It's totally up to you!
Patty's Perspective
I particularly LOVE salt, more than I should, I'm sure, but I often want more flavor than just salt. This type of salt blend is great because when you grind it onto your food, it will be very fresh and powerful.
And yes, this makes an excellent holiday gift because most people won't think of making it for themselves. Once they try it, though, they'll be asking for more.
Check Out Some of My Other Homemade Seasoning Blends
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Make Your Own Spicy Salt Blends
Ingredients
- ½ cup coarse sea salt
- 2 tablespoons crushed dried peppers I used a blend of Reaper, 7-Pots and Scorpions, but use milder peppers for less heat
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small food processor, or, if you’re like me, to a molcajete.
- Pulse to combine in the food processor, or use the pestle to grind up the salt and peppers into a uniform blend.
- Store in airtight containers until you’re ready to use!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Becky says
Do you think you could use freeze dried peppers in this?
Mike Hultquist says
You should be able do that, Becky, yes.
Grant says
Hi, like you my salt journey started in the same place, dried chilli and salt. It was not the taste I wanted. so I've experimented and found a successful way to impart more flavour into the salt, rather than rely on 'just' the dried chilli.
Use a ratio of 10:1 salt:chilli. Use himalyan, it does not have the "safe" anticaking agent; ferrocynanide or of that ilk.
Put the fresh chilli and salt into a large blender or just roughly chop the chilli and mix with salt until its an even mix. Not super fine, leave it quite chunky.
Leave covered overnight and dehydrate in the morning or when you remember. a quick blitz when dry. Voila! incredible salt.
Try it both ways, dried and salt vs. fresh, salt and dehydrate
As they say here "chalk and cheese"
Now lets say you could smoke the chillies...I add a little liquid smoke 4 table spoons per 2.5 lb of salt. Keep the usual 10:1 salt:chilli ratio
Use the same process for bay, rosemary, garlic, lemon rinds and some juice, etc.
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Mike Hultquist says
Sounds great, Grant.
Morne says
Hi, how do you make your bloody merry salt?
Mike Hultquist says
Morne, you can mix a bit of bloody mary mix into your salt, then spread and dry in a dehydrator. Or, you can mix a bit of bloody mary seasoning into your salt.
Bessie A Ashby says
I can't wait to try this. I think it will make wonderful little tuck in gifts this Xma's
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, perfect gifts, Bessie! I love it!
Sandy says
I found a product for sale similar to this that stated in their description that they marinate their peppers in olive oil with garlic then open flame roasted them. Then they dried the peppers and mixed with the salt. What are your thoughts on this? Would it provide a better flavor?
Mike Hultquist says
That would work as long as you don't get any oil residue. I think the flavor could be nice.
Luke says
Is there a big difference between using fresh and dried. I was given a couple of varieties of Habanero chillies that were cooked in a smoker and I am drying them.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Luke, you'll get more flavor penetration with fresh pods, but end of day, combining salt with dried pepper flakes works just fine.
Olive says
Hi .. this looks great .. can’t wait to try quick Q .. if I’m going to store it in a grinder do I pulse it in blender first .. or .. just grind at the table ? .. thankYou ..
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Olive, you don't need to pulse it if you can combine it enough for the grinder. If you find it doesn't come out of the grinder easily enough for you, then I would give a few pulses until it works best for you. Enjoy!
Joe says
Hey Mike, I remember seeing a while back a recipe for smoked ghost pepper sea salt where you used a food processor with oil and laid the mix into an aluminum tray in a smoker. I can’t find the recipe anymore. If it’s not available, do you have any tips on proportions of oil for the recipe and timing / temperature for the smoker?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hey, Joe. I don't believe that was me, as I don't use oil in making my spicy salts, but I would do it on a low temp, probably 225 degrees F.
Lyle says
I've made my own ghost pepper salt for a few years now but I don't use dried peppers. I blend fresh picked ghost peppers in a small food processor, then add coarse sea salt to that yummy dangerous oily mess. I add about one or two Tablespoons of salt per pepper. I give it a pulse or two then place it in a jar and put a lid on it. Shake it every day, and in about a month, the salt has absorbed all the spicy moisture. Once the salt is dry, I place it into small pepper grinders and give as gifts. Wonderful stuff!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sounds great, Lyle. Thanks! It does make a wonderful gift.
Lyndon Pousson Sr says
Dear Sir;
I want to make my own ghost pepper salt. Your instructions "Make Your Own Spicy Salt" are very good. My favorite store-bought variety is the one from Savory Spice Shop in Franklin, TN. The ingredients are ghost peppers, salt and Chocolate Extract. I have all of the ingredients but I don't know how or when to add the chocolate extract. Do you have a recipe?
Thank you very much.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hello, Lyndon. If you're working with a liquid extract, you'll need to mix everything together and then dry the salt mixture. You can either do this in a dehydrator, or spread the salt, pepper and extract mixture onto a baking sheet and bake it on very low heat to let the moisture evaporate. This will leave the extract flavor with the salt. Let me know how it works for you. I use a dehydrator for making citrus salts all the time. Works great.