Himalayan Salt Block, Really!!!
Today, I found out that I'm obsessed with the Himalayan Salt Block! It is my new favorite cooking method for easy, juicy, perfectly cooked shrimp on the grill. In the past, to grill shrimp, we used grill baskets, aluminum foil, and even the dreaded skewer. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE a good skewered Shrimp, chicken satay, vegetables, and even kabobs. Skewers never seem to work out as I expect. Not to mention all the extra work involved in getting them on the little pre-soaked stick. Oh, if you're like me, you forget to pre-soak the sticks. Then you can never get the whole shrimp off, and after a few drinks, you always end up stabbing yourself in the mouth.
Anyway, back to the salt block. I was very skeptical about using a salt block. Could it be that great??? While at the William-Sonoma outlet, we found a Himalayan Salt block on sale, so we had to try it. And now I can honestly say, YES, it is GREAT! And they are worth every penny, even at full price.
Here is what I learned:
The easy thing about the salt block is it goes directly on the grill while the grill heats up. We use charcoal with a propane starter, so this will let it warm up slowly as the coals heat. It should work on a gas grill the same way (maybe better on a gas grill).
It is very important not to heat the salt block too fast, it will crack. After it's hot, hold your hand over the salt block; you can feel the heat (don't touch it like Sue did!). It evenly distributes heat much better than a cast iron griddle. Salt blocks can be used in the oven, too, which I hear works great. We haven't tried this yet, but we are planning to this winter.
Great for grilling
Just lay your shrimp, chicken, or pork out on the block and flip after a few minutes. They won't need any extra salt in the marinade or after cooking. We found ours to be seasoned, well, perfectly, without any extra salt needed. Of course, you will want to do yours to taste.
After cooking, remove your food and let the block stay on the grill to cool. It is possible to take it off right away, but be very careful as the Himalayan salt block will be extremely hot! We let ours cool off with the grill and went out later to bring it in for the night. Also, you will want it to cool slowly and on its own. Don't be alarmed; they arrive very pretty, but they will get ugly over time and use.
On a side note, how to clean a salt block
You will see in the instructions not to submerge in water (duh salt and water) and to clean with a brush, at least, that's what ours said to do. It only makes sense to clean it with a small amount of water. A stiff brush also helps. What we have found works the best is to take a moist sponge across the top and then take a stainless steel scouring pad, wipe it off, and repeat the process until it's clean. You don't need to get it too wet, and you don't need to use any soap because it is naturally anti-microbial. Just pat it dry with a paper towel, and it's ready for the next time. DO NOT put it in the Dishwasher - let's just say you won't have a salt block.
The Himalayan salt block makes shrimp taste amazing and is absolutely worth the time to heat and clean.
Tequila Shrimp Tacos
See our Tequila Shrimp Taco or Sizzling Shrimp recipes for how we used the salt block the first time. We have had grilled shrimp several times and even did a pork satay on the salt block.
Please let us know what you think