Problem with a Peugeot salt mill

[valdim]

Hi there, I bought this mill 2 years ago and from time to another there is a problem - it is full of salt particles, but turning it does not produce ground salt.
I attach here the salt we are using currently. I was looking on the label for information about the size of the pieces , but could not find.
I emptied the mill container and then poured back the same quantity - it started grinding.
Any solution, besides changing the brand of the salt and looking for smaller?
Thanks for your opinions.

 

[Jovidah]

It's possible that moisture could be the problem. I'm running into trouble with grey salt in my cheap mills every now and then because it has some moisture; it clogs them up. But I don't think the himalaya stuff has any moisture from itself.

 

[valdim]

It's possible that moisture could be the problem. I'm running into trouble with grey salt in my cheap mills every now and then because it has some moisture; it clogs them up. But I don't think the himalaya stuff has any moisture from itself.

Nah...I don't think it is the moisture...The salt is absolutely dry.

 

[daddy yo yo]

Is it set too fine? Had this problem once, too. I then set it on a coarser grind and that helped...

 

[valdim]

Is it set too fine? Had this problem once, too. I then set it on a coarser grind and that helped...

Thanks for the question, @daddy yo yo. I have changed to various numbers of grind, but the result is similar...

 

[MarcelNL]

likely the particles are too large? I had a similar issue with some huge size pepper corns that would not pass through a peugeot pepper grinder.

 

[valdim]

likely the particles are too large? I had a similar issue with some huge size pepper corns that would not pass through a peugeot pepper grinder.

I don't know Marcel...
Judge by yourself.

 

[MarcelNL]

looks quite coarse to me...bang up a handful in a mortar and pestle and try again? If that works you know.

 

[M1k3]

When it stops grinding, tap the grinder on your hands. Sounds like you're getting slight moisture build up inside, causing the salt crystals to stick together.

 

[DrD23]

Same thing happened to my Peugeot, it was due to the moisture content of grey salt. I had to rinse it out with hot water (ironically enough) and then try again (after it dried completely) with a different salt, which worked. I then bought the one specifically for grey salt (has a plastic mechanism) and have been fine ever since. I know you're using pink salt, not sure if that is also high in moisture.

 

[Michi]

Salt will draw moisture from the air over time. One thing that works with table salt shakers is to put maybe a quarter teaspoon of uncooked rice grains in with the shaker. The rice draws water more than the salt does, so the salt won't cake together as easily. (Although, these days, most table salts come with anti-caking agent, so the rice probably won't do a lot; back when I was a child, salt shakers always had some rice in them.)

Not that this will help with your problem, unless you don't mind ground rice mixed in with your salt…

 

[btbyrd]

I'll never understand salt mills.

 

[MarcelNL]

I'll never understand salt mills.

it's the illusion of control IMO

 

[Jovidah]

I'll never understand salt mills.

The main (and only) reason to buy them is so you can use salts that for whatever reason you cannot find in a finer form, whether that's grey salt, pink salt or whatever. I agree that if you're just going to dump plain jane white salt in it there isn't much of a point.
So I use a salt mill because I prefer the taste of grey salt, and can only really find it in coarse form.

 

[Keith Sinclair]

The larger crystals if you are adding salt to
cooking pot, wok, skillet will break down in the heat. Would use Hawaiian salt to make cold Ginger Chicken sauce. Would grind fresh ginger in Cuisinart. Add ginger & salt to pot then pour hot oil over them. Salt would melt, ginger get cooked a little before you pour more cold oil to stop ginger from getting brown overcooked. Add green onions to room temp. Mix.

 

[MarcelNL]

BTW: I guess that 'melting' was dissolving, salt melts at temperatures around 800'C?

 

[MarcelNL]

@valdim what was the issue, did you resolve it?

 

[OwlWoodworks]

I have the exact same problem with my mill and have tried the same things as you @valdim I’m curious to see if moisture is indeed the problem. I’ll try to update here if I remember

 

[Chef Doom]

I'll never understand salt mills.

I'm Ol' Skool. I break down pink salt bricks with a mortar and pestle.

Same with peppercorns.