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Salt on a steak
Posted on 5/11/11 at 10:49 am
Posted on 5/11/11 at 10:49 am
Was watching Drive Ins, Diners and Dives (yeah, yeah, I think he's a douce too, but I like to watch the variety of menus from the restaurants).
One guy only seasoned his steak with pepper. He said he didn't use salt, because salt brings out moisture from the steak, and he wanted his steak to be as juicy as possible.
I wonder how much, if any, juices gets pulled out by the salt in the brief time the steak sits with salt on it, and in the cooking process.
Maybe it's better to salt the steak just before serving with fresh ground Kosher salt.
Additionally, if you have salt in a marinade, I wonder if that pulls moisture out as well.
One guy only seasoned his steak with pepper. He said he didn't use salt, because salt brings out moisture from the steak, and he wanted his steak to be as juicy as possible.
I wonder how much, if any, juices gets pulled out by the salt in the brief time the steak sits with salt on it, and in the cooking process.
Maybe it's better to salt the steak just before serving with fresh ground Kosher salt.
Additionally, if you have salt in a marinade, I wonder if that pulls moisture out as well.
8
Posted on 5/11/11 at 10:52 am to BayouBlitz
Salt, steak, seasoning, all of this is a constantly shifting morass of misinformation and rumors.
I always season steaks a good hour or so before cooking. What dries out steak or any meat really, what really dries it out, is over coking it.
I also tend to reseason steak after it has rested with some fleur de sel or gray salt if I have it laying around. If not regular kosher will do.
I always season steaks a good hour or so before cooking. What dries out steak or any meat really, what really dries it out, is over coking it.
I also tend to reseason steak after it has rested with some fleur de sel or gray salt if I have it laying around. If not regular kosher will do.
Posted on 5/11/11 at 10:52 am to BayouBlitz
I don't think this has ever really been proven.
Posted on 5/11/11 at 10:53 am to BayouBlitz
Salt doesn't dry out meat.
Posted on 5/11/11 at 10:55 am to BayouBlitz
Do like we do with crawfish. Put a bunch of salt on your hands and eat it like a Neandrathal.
Posted on 5/11/11 at 10:55 am to BayouBlitz
quote:
wonder how much, if any, juices gets pulled out by the salt in the brief time the steak sits with salt on it, and in the cooking process.
Maybe it's better to salt the steak just before serving with fresh ground Kosher salt.
I don't remember the thread or who posted it (maybe powerman?), but someone posted a study of that exact question. Conlcusion was something along the lines of; moisture was absorbed from the steak for the nitial 20 minutes after applying the salt. The salt would melt by then, and it took another 20 minutes for the steak to re-absorb the now saltier juices.
So anything less than 40 minutes with the salt on would not result in absorption.
It sounded logical
This post was edited on 5/11/11 at 10:57 am
Posted on 5/11/11 at 10:56 am to BlackenedOut
I've found the best method for me is to just overwhelm the steaks with kosher salt. You WANT the moisture to come out of the steak. Then you rinse the salt off and pat dry. Season with only pepper(because it's already evenly salted). The salt almost trades places with the moisture of the steak and seasons and helps tenderize the steak.
Posted on 5/11/11 at 11:09 am to Powerman
Let them come up to room temp, salt em, then sear em.
Posted on 5/11/11 at 11:10 am to Powerman
even if you forfiet some moisture, you've always got to salt a steak, burger, etc.
Posted on 5/11/11 at 11:38 am to BayouBlitz
That guy is a dipshit.
The amount of moisture is draws is minimal. A liberal salting promotes a good Maillard reaction. (Yummy brown crust)
The amount of moisture is draws is minimal. A liberal salting promotes a good Maillard reaction. (Yummy brown crust)
Posted on 5/11/11 at 11:48 am to BayouBlitz
quote:
Additionally, if you have salt in a marinade, I wonder if that pulls moisture out as well.
Only marinate very thin ribeyes, then cook high, hot and fast, slice thin and make a steak sandwich.
I never marinate any other steak.
I bring them to room temperature on the counter for an hour or two, salt and pepper whenever I feel like it and cook to medium rare. Anything else is foolish.
As stated above the reason most any steak (or any meat for that matter) is because it is overcooked. This is the main reason for bad meat.
Posted on 5/11/11 at 12:01 pm to TigerSpy
quote:
The amount of moisture is draws is minimal
This is what I think as well. And what little moisture is drawn out, would only be right at the surface.
But it does also argue for cooking steaks fast at very high temps ala Ruth's Chris.
Posted on 5/11/11 at 12:18 pm to BayouBlitz
The high temps of Ruths and other steakhouses is to insure that crusty exterior. Thus someone ordering a rare steak gets the same crust as medium well. Again, not sure if it seals in the juices (in fact this too is a myth), but it does create an incredible crust. One that cant really be replicated at home with any consistent results.
Posted on 5/11/11 at 1:11 pm to BlackenedOut
quote:
The high temps of Ruths and other steakhouses is to insure that crusty exterior. Thus someone ordering a rare steak gets the same crust as medium well. Again, not sure if it seals in the juices (in fact this too is a myth), but it does create an incredible crust. One that cant really be replicated at home with any consistent results.
It can be done at home, you just have to get a cast iron skillet very hot.
Posted on 5/11/11 at 1:16 pm to msu202020
Sorry you cant get a cast iron skillet to 1800 degrees.
Posted on 5/11/11 at 1:17 pm to BlackenedOut
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.
LINK
LINK
Posted on 5/11/11 at 1:30 pm to BlackenedOut
quote:
Sorry you cant get a cast iron skillet to 1800 degrees.
Nope, but I can get it to 1000, and using the right oil on the steak and searing it directly on the skillet, you can get a crust that is comparable. I do it every time.
Posted on 5/11/11 at 1:35 pm to msu202020
MSU,
No offense but if you are getting a skillet to 1000 degrees as you say you are, the oil you put it on it would immediately smoke or burn giving your steak a very unpleasant taste.
I am however not disagreeing that a cast iron skillet is a very effective tool for cooking steaks at home. I am doubting you can get it to 1000 degrees on a typical stove top.
No offense but if you are getting a skillet to 1000 degrees as you say you are, the oil you put it on it would immediately smoke or burn giving your steak a very unpleasant taste.
I am however not disagreeing that a cast iron skillet is a very effective tool for cooking steaks at home. I am doubting you can get it to 1000 degrees on a typical stove top.
Posted on 5/11/11 at 1:39 pm to gutenberg
Good read. Thanks.
Posted on 5/11/11 at 1:45 pm to msu202020
quote:
Nope, but I can get it to 1000,
how so?
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