Great science article on steaks

[amirm]

I like food science. It helps cutting through differing advice. Ever wondered when you should salt your steak? Well, someone has figured it out. Read it here: http://www.seriouseats.com/2011/03/the-food-lab-more-tips-for-perfect-steaks.html

 

[Keith_W]

Amir, I have been continuously trying to perfect my steak cooking technique ever since I first learnt to cook Salting steaks is one of the controversies - some chefs are early salters, some are late salters. I used to agree with what that article suggests - either salt early, or salt immediately before cooking. However, I started to notice that early salted steaks took on a "cured" taste rather than a "seasoned" flavour. It is the same as brined chicken vs. salted chicken - they definitely taste different, and they are different enough that I am 100% sure I can pick it in a blind test.

There are many theoretical reasons why a dry brined steak (which is effectively what the article describes) is superior. The salt is evenly distributed through the meat, the salt helps muscle fibres relax (making it more tender), the salt helps hold on to moisture, and so on. But time and time again, I prefer steaks which are immediately salted.

The French Culinary Institute of America ran a triangle test of steaks cooked three ways - (1) salted, then cooked sous-vide, then chilled, then reheated, seared, and served, (2) UNSALTED, then sous-vide, then chilled, reheated and served, (3) salted, then sous-vide, seared and served. The results were pretty much consistent with my experience.

 

[amirm]

Thanks Keith. You didn't say which method was preferred by CIA. Was that the order of preference?

 

[Keith_W]

I must be an idiot - I forgot to link to the article! Here it is.

Conclusion: salt before you sear.

 

[puroagave]

the methods i've observed in two heavy beef eating countires ive spent considerable time in, brazil and especially argentina: churrascaria's only use salt (pretty liberally at that) before it goes on the spit. argentine parrilla the same. i have a persian friend that only salts his barg and koobideh kabob after they're grilled and insists this is the preferred method in iran, and guess what, they turned out awesome as well.

 

[Keith_W]

Incidentally, here is another article about seasoning meat. The authors are recognized practitioners of science in cooking. They said it a different way - when meat is seasoned, then sous-vided and seared - it is not juicy like a traditionally prepared steak. In my post above I called it a "cured" taste. Yes it is tender, but the juices don't flow out when you bite.