How to Make Bourbon Salt {Simple Instructions}

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This insanely easy two ingredient Bourbon Salt is so quick to make and amplifies the flavor of just anything you decide to put it on.

Decorative jar filled with bourbon salt. — It is So Easy to Make Bourbon Salt at Home!

Contents hide

1 🍽️ Why This Recipe Works

6 How to Make Bourbon Salt

🍽️ Why This Recipe Works

Simple – The instructions are very straight forward and simple. There is nothing complicated here. You’ll learn about how to make the flavored salt using the reduction method. Use it for all your favorite grilled beef or any recipe that calls for salt and use this as a substitute.

Endless Options – Take this recipe as a spring board for your culinary creativity. Try it with wine, whiskey, scotch or whatever alcohol you like. You will never get bored while creating these insanely delicious flavored salts.

Great for Gift Giving – Make up a few batches for the holidays, hostess gifts, or if you are visiting a friend’s house for the weekend.

Relatively Cheap – This is a great recipe that makes a lot of salt for the price.

🧂 Ingredients

ingredient photo showing aged bourbon and pacific sea salt with labels. — Just Two Ingredients! My Favorite Type of Recipe!

Sea Salt – Large, coarse ground salt pulls in all that reduced bourbon for great flavor on anything you cook.

Bourbon – You don’t need top shelf here so grab a cheaper version and enjoy. Save a bit for yourself too! Chef’s privilege, right?

📝 Instructions

process photos showing pouring the bourbon, reducing it on the stovetop, adding the salt and adding to a low temp oven to dry. — Simple Instructions

Step One: In a small saucepan, boil the bourbon, stirring occasionally. Reduce to simmer and allow to reduce to about 1-2 ounces. Stir every few minutes.

Step Two: Remove from the heat and stir in the salt.

Step Three: Preheat oven to 170 or the lowest it will go. Lay out a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan and spread the bourbon salt on it. Put it in the oven and allow it to dry out for about 60-90 minutes. Stir every 15-20 minutes or so. Once the salt is dry and no longer showing any signs of moisture, store in an airtight container for up to three months.

spreading the bourbon salt on a lined sheet pan to dry in the oven. — Spread on a Lined Sheet Pan to Dry

❗ Expert Tips

Don’t leave the stove while the bourbon is on. You need to stay near and keep stirring it every couple minutes.

Watch the salt while it is in the oven so it doesn’t burn. You really just want to dry it.

Try sprinkling a little bit of this on a Reverse Sear Cowboy Steak for an outrageously amazing cut of meat.

top down view of a jar of darkened salt made with reduced bourbon. — Give These as Gifts Too!

Recipe FAQ

Is this the same as a finishing salt?

No, you are going to rub this on your meat before you cook it where a finishing salt you sprinkle at the end to “up the flavor” a bit.

Can you use Kosher Salt?

Yes, you can.

Is this the same as infused salt?

Almost but not really. When you infuse salt, you will add dried herbs or dehydrated onions/ garlic to salt, mix and seal it up for a couple weeks to allow the flavors to meld together. For the bourbon salt, it is ready to use right after it cools from the oven.

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