Salt Your Steak the Right way in 2024 (2024)

FAQs

Salt Your Steak the Right way in 2024? ›

We recommend salting

The ideal time to salt your meat is 24 hours before cooking, though dry brining can start as close as two hours before placing your meat on the heat. Simply apply ½ to ¾ teaspoon of salt per pound of meat, spreading evenly over the entire surface. Place your meat in the fridge right after applying the salt.

You'll want to pat them dry with a paper towel again to wipe away juices and moisture from the salt. The steaks may look a little dry, but that's just the surface of the steaks. The dry surface will form a crispy brown crust after grilling. You can then season the steaks with some black pepper right before grilling.

When salting steak, it takes at least 40 minutes for all the meat juices to be expelled and then reabsorbed.

Adding salt to the exterior of a piece of steak draws out the moisture in the steak. The salt then dissolves in this moisture, creating a brine that is then re-absorbed back into the steak. In this process, the lean muscle proteins in the meat are broken down, made juicier and more tender. All thanks to salt!

Season it as though it were right about to hit the grill. IF YOU PUT A TON OF SALT ON YOUR STEAK, IT WILL BE SALTY! Just use as much salt as you normally would add to a steak, and do not rinse the steak before cooking.

While using large amounts of salt may cause some people to worry about drying their steak out too much, if you stick to the timing technique we've outlined above (one hour per inch of steak thickness) then isn't anything to worry about.

Timing is everything when it comes to salting steak overnight. You should aim to salt your steak at least 12 hours before cooking, but no more than 24 hours. This ensures the salt has enough time to work its way into the meat, but doesn't over-tenderize it.

The best way to season steak is to add a generous amount of salt to both sides about 45 minutes before cooking. Then, just before cooking, add your other spices, like black pepper and garlic powder, ensuring that you cover both sides of the steak.

Kosher salt is our top choice for seasoning meat because the large grains distribute more easily than fine table salt and cling better to the meat's surfaces. Diamond Crystal has long been our favorite brand of kosher salt, not because of its flavor but because of the way it feels.

How long can salted steak stay in the fridge? ›

1 to 3 days: Salt and Refrigerate

Lightly sprinkle salt all over the cut of meat, and keep it uncovered on a rack in the fridge. The thicker the cut the longer you can keep it salted in the fridge.

So while the internal temperature rises, energy is still being wasted evaporating surface moisture rather than “imbuing the meat with meaty flavors and a brown crispy coat.” The easiest way to get rid of surface moisture is to simply pat your meat dry with paper towels before you cook it.

Moral of the story: If you've got the time, salt your meat for at least 40 minutes and up to overnight before cooking. If you haven't got 40 minutes, it's better to season immediately before cooking. Cooking the steak anywhere between three and 40 minutes after salting is the worst way to do it.

Seasoning Your Steaks Right Before Grilling

If you're salting right before cooking, let the steaks sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, sprinkle both sides (and the edges) generously with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Press the salt crystals and pepper granules into the meat.

If you don't have time to let the meat sit for at least 40 minutes, wait to salt until right before cooking. Otherwise, you'll lose some juices and make it more challenging to brown your meat. Don't salt more than 3 days in advance. It may start to dry out and get a leathery texture.

A large chicken or turkey will need about 2 days for the salt to work through the bird. Thin pork chops or steaks do great with a few hours. ⚠️ But be careful with meat salted too far in advance. It can start to cure and get a leathery texture if left for too long with salt.

We recommend letting the cut rest for at least 28 days or up to 75 days. This is because the longer the beef ages, the more complex and intense flavours it develops, therefore the tastier it gets. At 28-35 days subtle mushroom and umami flavors develop, from 45-75 days bold blue cheese notes will develop.

Add salt to significantly increase the dry-aging effect

Salt is the only seasoning that consistently and effectively penetrates through food, adding flavor, tenderizing, and drawing out excessive moisture. I always sprinkle sea salt generously on meat before aging it.