Can You Swap Out Table Salt For The Diamond Crystal Kosher Variety?
All salts are not created equal. Some are saltier than others, and this is particularly important to be aware of if you plan to swap out a fine granule table salt for a coarse salt like Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Salt is the "it" seasoning every cook and baker reaches for to enhance flavor; however, different-sized granules play a significant role in determining how much you need to measure out when making a substitution. The good news is you can generally swap one salt for another but with a couple of caveats.
Table salt is probably the most ubiquitous type of salt people have in their pantry. It is often used in baking because it evenly disperses with the other dry ingredients. Table salt is also perfect for salting your pasta water. Its granules are closely compacted, and for this reason, it is the saltiest of the salts which means a little goes a long way. If you want to swap it and use Diamond Crystal kosher salt, you can; but, just remember that for every teaspoon of table salt, you are going to need 2 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal.
Brand matters
Diamond Crystal kosher salt's pyramidal flakes are going to dissolve quickly, have a less salty taste, and will not leave your taste buds with an unpleasant experience like that of the metallic aftertaste that accompanies table salt. This brand is perfect for seasoning meats and veggies. And there must be something pretty special about this brand because it's the one kosher salt Ina Garten hinges all her recipes on.
That said, when it comes to brands, you will find that who makes your sodium can also push the salt from one extreme to the other. Morton's Kosher salt is much saltier — two times by volume — than Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Again, this all has to do with the size and density of the salt. Diamond Crystal tends to be larger crystals whereas Morton's is smaller and denser. This means a teaspoon of Diamond Crystal is going to be far less salty than an equal amount of Morton's Kosher salt.