INGREDIENTS
1 cup sea or kosher salt
1/3 cup pinot noir (or red wine of choice)
1 Tbsp. thyme
PREPARATION
• In a small bowl, combine the salt with the wine and stir until the mixture is slushy.
• Spread the salt mixture out in a thin, even layer on a parchment-lined dehydrator tray and dry in a dehydrator at 105 degrees for 12 hours. Alternatively, spread the mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in a 170-degree oven (or your oven’s lowest setting) for 12 hours.
• Grind to combine.
• Add the thyme and grind to desired coarseness. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months.
Use It: By sprinkling this plum-hued seasoning over a fresh-from-the-coals steak or pork chop this summer, you can enjoy hints of steamy berries and warm spice without ever taking out the corkscrew.
This article appears in April 2013.