Why do Chefs Use Maldon Salt & Why is it so Special?

Maldon salt is a gourmet salt known for its exceptional taste, texture and a flaky consistency that makes it ideal for cooking. Exclusively made in the town of Maldon in Essex County, England, the Osborne family has been hand-harvesting the salt from the River Blackwater since 1882 using techniques that have been passed down through the generations. For years, the salt was only available to fine dining establishments, but these days you can buy it at your local grocery store. Let’s discuss what makes these naturally formed hollow pyramid salt crystals so special.

What sets Maldon salt apart?

The ancient, traditional method of harvesting Maldon salt is not duplicated anywhere else on Earth. It all comes down to proper timing and temperature. When the weather is dry, seawater is simply taken from estuaries where it is heated to a boil and then simmered in pans the size of several bathtubs. The salt crystals form and fall to the bottom of the tub, rising to the top around 16 hours later, after which time the pans are allowed to cool. The following morning, the salt is skimmed off the top with a rake, drained for two days, and then placed in an oven to dry.

But during periods of rain (which are frequent there), the saltwater in the estuaries is diluted, which necessitates sending barges out into the sea where the water has a higher concentration of salt. For this reason, there are times when the salt is scarce and therefore in lesser supply.