stc3248 Red Lantern Infused Salt Review
I finally got around to tasting one of the products that Shane sent me which he calls “Red Lantern Salt,” and let me tell you it is wonderful! If you have not had the opportunity to taste it, quick run out and buy some, steal some or just get your hands on some because Shane hits a home run with his concoction. His infused salt could easily beat any store purchased product and could sell at a premium price in my honest opinion.
I don’t think I need to quote the manufacturing instructions that Shane provided me with but if someone wants I could easily quote it in a subsequent post. But for now let me just quote what he said, “All that's in there are the dried smoked pods (hickory or apple? IDK), onion powder, garlic powder and sea salt.” These are the words of a master chef that eye balls all the ingredients because he can, hats off [SIZE=12pt]\o_[/SIZE]
Funny I had to contact him to verify if he had smoked the pods because I identified a sweet smoky flavor as I tested it out on a ham, turkey and salami sandwich. Then I began to think, could I possibly be wrong, did my wife buy smoked turkey … so I had to hail him for a confirmation as I was unable to talk to my wife during the trial as she was away. Although a smoky flavor should have been obvious to me if I had tested it unaccompanied, which I later did.
From the first crack of the seal one notes a spicy, heady sweet smoky habanero aroma that does not come across as abrasive or too strong but just right. Don’t let the aroma fool you; this infused salt has a definitive kick with an invigorating heat that pleases the senses. While I normally describe habaneros as sweet and fruity I’m guessing the smoke and salt mask any hint of fruitiness but that seems to poke its head out in the after taste for sure. I also note a floral tangy taste that is most likely a result of the Red Lantern pepper.
Shane painstakingly grinds once, twice and three times to achieve his finely ground seasoned salt. The work he puts behind his product shows as there are no clumps and the salt dispenses perfectly from the ordinary household salt shaker.
Ordinarily smoked pods darken up and loose most if not all of the pods color but as one can see from the pictures his infused salt has retained enough of the red which adds to the look appeal when stored in a see thru dispenser. I will normally score low on color as it’s not an easy task to achieve but let me tell you it’s even harder when one uses smoked pods, you have to have a knack or good feel and control of your smoker and hands down he achieved a beautiful result.
In all honesty I can not tell you if Shane used Apple or Hickory as the smoky flavor is mild or a bit masked by the other flavors of onion, garlic, habanero and salt. Yes I know that apple wood has a light, fruity, slightly sweet aroma and hickory has a strong flavor but there could even be some combined flavoring from a well seasoned smoker that has seen the use of a variety of fine woods. That said, his flavor combination works and works extremely well.
Rating: (1 to 5 in each category), (N/A means not applicable)
A must try infused salt in my honest opinion which I score at 4.5 of 5 stars. His intricate mixture of infused salt is particularly delicious with your meal of choice and goes well with wine, beer or your favorite cocktail. Hope you get the chance to enjoy this fine product that can easily compete with any commercial brands. Extraordinary with any meal adding a nice custom savory zest that does not disappoint the palate. It looks and smells great, also works well on French Fries, Popcorn or other snacks. A must try that will tantalize your taste buds.
Product in use on a BLT sandwich
Thank you for reading, hope you enjoy!
I finally got around to tasting one of the products that Shane sent me which he calls “Red Lantern Salt,” and let me tell you it is wonderful! If you have not had the opportunity to taste it, quick run out and buy some, steal some or just get your hands on some because Shane hits a home run with his concoction. His infused salt could easily beat any store purchased product and could sell at a premium price in my honest opinion.
I don’t think I need to quote the manufacturing instructions that Shane provided me with but if someone wants I could easily quote it in a subsequent post. But for now let me just quote what he said, “All that's in there are the dried smoked pods (hickory or apple? IDK), onion powder, garlic powder and sea salt.” These are the words of a master chef that eye balls all the ingredients because he can, hats off [SIZE=12pt]\o_[/SIZE]
Funny I had to contact him to verify if he had smoked the pods because I identified a sweet smoky flavor as I tested it out on a ham, turkey and salami sandwich. Then I began to think, could I possibly be wrong, did my wife buy smoked turkey … so I had to hail him for a confirmation as I was unable to talk to my wife during the trial as she was away. Although a smoky flavor should have been obvious to me if I had tested it unaccompanied, which I later did.
From the first crack of the seal one notes a spicy, heady sweet smoky habanero aroma that does not come across as abrasive or too strong but just right. Don’t let the aroma fool you; this infused salt has a definitive kick with an invigorating heat that pleases the senses. While I normally describe habaneros as sweet and fruity I’m guessing the smoke and salt mask any hint of fruitiness but that seems to poke its head out in the after taste for sure. I also note a floral tangy taste that is most likely a result of the Red Lantern pepper.
Shane painstakingly grinds once, twice and three times to achieve his finely ground seasoned salt. The work he puts behind his product shows as there are no clumps and the salt dispenses perfectly from the ordinary household salt shaker.
Ordinarily smoked pods darken up and loose most if not all of the pods color but as one can see from the pictures his infused salt has retained enough of the red which adds to the look appeal when stored in a see thru dispenser. I will normally score low on color as it’s not an easy task to achieve but let me tell you it’s even harder when one uses smoked pods, you have to have a knack or good feel and control of your smoker and hands down he achieved a beautiful result.
In all honesty I can not tell you if Shane used Apple or Hickory as the smoky flavor is mild or a bit masked by the other flavors of onion, garlic, habanero and salt. Yes I know that apple wood has a light, fruity, slightly sweet aroma and hickory has a strong flavor but there could even be some combined flavoring from a well seasoned smoker that has seen the use of a variety of fine woods. That said, his flavor combination works and works extremely well.
Rating: (1 to 5 in each category), (N/A means not applicable)
- Name: Red Lantern Salt: 4.5
- Label: N/A
- Appearance: 5
- Color: 5
- Smell: 5
- Taste: 5
- Heat: 2.5
A must try infused salt in my honest opinion which I score at 4.5 of 5 stars. His intricate mixture of infused salt is particularly delicious with your meal of choice and goes well with wine, beer or your favorite cocktail. Hope you get the chance to enjoy this fine product that can easily compete with any commercial brands. Extraordinary with any meal adding a nice custom savory zest that does not disappoint the palate. It looks and smells great, also works well on French Fries, Popcorn or other snacks. A must try that will tantalize your taste buds.
Product in use on a BLT sandwich
Thank you for reading, hope you enjoy!
