Why Use a Salt Pig?

There are some things in the kitchen that are purely practical, and then there are the things that make you smile every time you use them.

A salt pig is a little bit of both.

Designed to keep salt close at hand while cooking, salt pigs have been used in kitchens for generations. Today, they’re just as useful — but a handmade ceramic one can also become a lovely little feature on your kitchen worktop.

Salt should be easy to reach

When you’re cooking, you often need to season as you go.

A salt pig means your salt is always within reach. Rather than opening a cupboard, finding the salt and putting it back again, you simply reach over and take what you need. It’s particularly lovely when cooking with flaky salt, where you can pick up a small amount between your fingers and sprinkle it exactly where you want it.

Flaky salt is made for a salt pig

I always recommend flaky salt for my salt pigs.

The large, delicate flakes have a lovely texture and are wonderful for seasoning and finishing food. They’re also easy to pinch, which makes them particularly well suited to an open salt holder. Good salt can make such a difference to simple food, and keeping it somewhere you’ll actually reach for it makes it much more likely to become part of your everyday cooking.

 

The design is intentional

My salt pigs have a very distinctive shape — especially that big open mouth.

But there’s actually a practical reason behind it.

The opening is deliberately shallow. It gives you plenty of room to reach in and grab a pinch of salt, without creating a deep container where large amounts of salt can sit exposed for long periods. The design has been developed over years of experimenting with different shapes and proportions, gradually arriving at the version I’m happiest with.

 

And yes, the fact that it looks like a little pig definitely helps.

A spoon for those who prefer one

Although salt pigs are traditionally used by hand, every one of mine comes with a little twisted ceramic spoon.

It’s there for anyone who prefers to scoop their salt rather than pinch it, and it adds another little handmade detail to the piece.

A salt pig doesn’t have to hold salt

One of my favourite things about these little pots is that they’re not limited to the kitchen.

Once you’ve got one, you might find yourself giving it an entirely different job.

They work beautifully as little holders for cotton pads, jewellery, coins, hair accessories or other small bits and pieces. They can even make a lovely home for a tiny air plant.

So while they’re called salt pigs, there’s no rule saying yours has to contain salt.

Designed to be collected

I make my salt pigs in limited edition batches throughout the year.

The designs and finishes may change as I continue developing my pottery, so different batches won’t necessarily look exactly the same.

That’s part of buying handmade — there’s always a little bit of evolution from one collection to the next.

For now, I’m very happy with these little pigs, and I’m looking forward to seeing them become part of other people’s kitchens and homes.

A practical little kitchen object, a piece of handmade pottery and, quite possibly, the cutest thing on your worktop. Shop all here 🤍