Harvesting Sea Salt

Sometimes there’s nothing more satisfying than food made from scratch. Especially when you throw the raw ingredients together like a mad chemist calculated by art. A pinch here, a dash there, mixing and cooking, steaming and tossing, sipping the wooden spoon… and vuala! As a forager we can take that satisfaction one step further and make the raw ingredients from scratch. In this case were going to harvest a raw ingredient, Sea Salt.

Harvesting Sea Salt in Depoe Bay, Oregon. The Northwest Forager.
Fresh Sea Salt in a clam shell. Depoe Bay, Oregon.

If you find yourself without this well appreciated mineral and the ocean is nearby, consider these few tips:

1.

Look for a rock beach. Preferably one that reaches well above the high tide zone and has plenty of flat spots. These will collect salt pools which will dry up on sunny days.

salt pool
Every time powerful waves splash over the pool is filled. Because it cannot drain it only evaporates, leaving concentrated salt.

2.

Using a flat tool, you can carefully scrape the salt off the surface of the water.

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When no other container is at hand a shell will hold plenty of salt for a few meals.

3.

Your salt will be moist but still good to cook with immediately. Otherwise you will want to leave it in the sun till it dries thoroughly before storage.

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5 minutes later and harvest is done.

Just like that, fresh Sea Salt! So next time you find yourself in a pinch without spice, look to the beach for a pinch of Salt. Thanks for reading and as always, Happy Foraging!

-Henry H.


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