How To Make Magic Salt
When I’m a grownup I would like to have herb boxes so it’s easy to just pinch off what I need, instead of what typically happened around here: I buy bunches of herbs for a specific recipe, use a few sprigs, and then discover the herbs in a decomposed puddle in my produce drawer months later. Blech.
My solution to never again dealing with decomposing herbs is what I call MAGIC SALT and I was reminded I wanted to share about it following the Thanksgiving break, during which I bought bunches of sage, rosemary, chives, and oregano four our savory pies. I call this magic salt because it makes everything taste amazing, and it’s the perfect easy DIY clutter-free food gift to pass along to loved ones! Literally, it’s the thing that people repeatedly ask me to gift around the holidays.
How to Make Magic Salt
You will need
Garlic (half to full head)
Herbs (I recommend at least two varieties like sage and rosemary but you can toss in more…see description below); roughly 3-4 store bunches worth
1 box Kosher salt (e.g., Morton’s Kosher Salt)
A food processor like a Cuisinart makes this super easy but you could also finely mince the garlic and herbs by hand
Step 1: Smash garlic
The easiest way to de-skin garlic is to cut the bottom (flat) part of each clove, place the blade of your knife on top and press hard with the heel of your hand. It will split and smash your garlic and that’s all you need to do for this recipe. So easy! How much garlic you use is up to you. I would recommend at least 5-6 cloves here, but if you love garlic, you could use the whole head. Place garlic in Cuisinart.
Step 2: Strip herbs
Strip herb leaves off the stems. Sage and rosemary are a great base for this recipe and when I made this after Thanksgiving, I had mostly intact store bunches of sage, rosemary, and oregano, and then a bit of chives. I used everything — no waste! Place herbs in Cuisinart along with garlic.
Step 3: Blend garlic and herbs in Cuisinart
Pulse herbs and garlic a few times in the Cuisinart to start to break them down. If you don’t have a Cuisinart, mince super fine. Add a cup or two of Kosher salt and pulse until the herbs and garlic are minced well. Turn this mixture out into a large metal or ceramic mixing bowl (I don’t recommend plastic because I feel like it might hold the herb/garlic smell).
Step 4: Add remaining salt then wait!
Add the remaining Kosher salt and stir with a mixing spoon. Let the mixture dry out uncovered for about a week, stirring occasionally to break up chunks, until all the herbs and garlic are completely dried out. Your house will smell amazing while this stuff dries out! Once the mixture is totally dry, you can store it indefinitely (but it won’t last that long!).
Finishing Touches
Small Mason jars or recycled jam jars work well for small gifts or favors. For a pretty touch, cut a square of wax paper or fabric to cover the top and sides of the lid; secure in place with a rubber band. Tie ribbon or raffia around to cover the rubber band. But really, just gifting this jar of love is fantastic.
