Kosher salt is called “kosher” not because it is holy or specially blessed, but because it was traditionally used to kosher (or “kasher”) meat by drawing out blood in accordance with Jewish dietary law.

Quick Scoop: The Name

  • The term comes from the process of koshering meat, where coarse salt is used to pull blood out of the meat before cooking.
  • Over time, “koshering salt” became shortened in common kitchen language to “kosher salt.”
  • The name refers mainly to the salt’s coarse, flaky grain size and traditional use, not automatically to religious certification.

What Makes It “Kosher” (And What Doesn’t)

  • In Jewish law, meat must have its blood removed, and coarse salt is ideal because the larger crystals cling to the surface and draw out moisture effectively.
  • Not all products labeled “kosher salt” are actually certified kosher; certification depends on rabbinic supervision, and some brands are just using the culinary term for coarse kitchen salt.

Why Cooks Love It

  • The bigger, flaky crystals are easier to pinch and distribute evenly, so chefs can control seasoning better than with fine table salt.
  • Many brands have a clean, pure sodium chloride flavor with fewer additives, which makes it a go-to in professional and home kitchens alike.

TL;DR: It is called kosher salt because it was originally the coarse salt used to kosher meat by drawing out blood, and the name stuck for this style of large-grain cooking salt.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.