Once upon a time, salt was worth as much as gold — and, to steak-lovers, it still is. But here's why salt might be ruining your prime cut.
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00:00Once upon a time, salt was worth as much as gold, and to steak lovers, it still is.
00:06But here's why salt might be ruining your prime cut.
00:10If seasonings were royally ranked, salt would reign supreme.
00:14This handy mineral has been seated comfortably on the culinary throne for as long as kitchens
00:18have been around, improving our foods for millennia running.
00:22Salt has assumed many important roles throughout history and is a revered ingredient that can
00:27make or break a simple, or gourmet, meal.
00:30It needs love as much as it needs salt.
00:34Salt was discovered when animals led early peoples to natural salt deposits.
00:38As we evolved, humans began to understand and value it as a flavor enhancer and essential
00:43mineral as well as a food preservative and antiseptic.
00:47Before it was widely harvested, salt was used as a currency and traded on a level equal
00:51to gold.
00:52Although salt is now a cheap commodity, it retains its cherished status due to its uncanny
00:57ability to draw out the flavor of essentially all foods.
01:02Salt directly impacts the entire range of tastes our palate can detect — sweet, bitter,
01:07umami, and sour.
01:08A pinch of salt in a sweet treat will reduce bitter flavors and sharpen sugary flavors,
01:14while a heftier measure will enhance savory flavors.
01:17When seasoning a juicy steak, we want umami flavors forward, and there's an ideal type
01:22of salt for the job.
01:23There's a good reason you won't find granulated salt in your ribeye.
01:27Table salt is refined by rinsing raw salt, purging it of its natural minerals, and then
01:32drying it in a controlled environment that produces small, uniform grains.
01:36Some granulated salt contains additives like iodine, which can impart a metallic flavor,
01:41as well as anti-caking agents that separate the fine grains.
01:45But this variety of salt proves useful in baked goods because the small granules will
01:49distribute more evenly than rougher salts, creating a more consistent chemical reaction.
01:55Of all the varieties of salts on the market, granulated salt imparts the most potent flavor
02:00because of its weight-to-volume ratio.
02:02Its small granules pack tighter and, when measured out, it's heavier than other varieties,
02:07coming in at 19 grams per tablespoon compared to sea salt's 15 grams.
02:12Also, its dense crystalline structure causes it to dissolve slower than flaky or coarse
02:17grain salts, making it an excellent option for brining, which requires a long-lasting
02:22dose of flavor.
02:24Beef is all about flavor, but imbuing it with an additive-filled salt with a metallic taste
02:29is a good way to ruin an expensive cut.
02:32Because a pinch of granulated salt feels smaller in the hand than a coarse variety, it would
02:36be all too easy to over-salt your food.
02:40Keep table salt for sourdough, sure, but always go for a different salt for your steak.
02:44When you are treating yourself to a quality steak, it must be seasoned perfectly to enhance
02:49beef's complex, savory flavors and textures.
02:53Salting steak releases the natural juices by pulling them to the surface, where they
02:57mingle with the seasoning before being reabsorbed into the cut.
03:01When the salt is absorbed, the protein structures break down, which has the effect of tenderizing
03:05the meat.
03:07When choosing the right salt to season your steak, you'll want to opt for a granule that's
03:10larger than table salt but isn't as coarse and chunky as finishing salt.
03:15A medium-grain variety like kosher salt or sea salt is just right.
03:19It has a heftier hand feel that makes it easy to pinch and sprinkle without overdoing it,
03:24and its larger crystal structure allows it to dissolve into your steak at an ideal rate.
03:30Weight matters when salting, too, so if you're apprehensive about using your fingers to measure,
03:34you might want to use a scale to get the right amount.
03:38Once you've properly seasoned your steak, you'll want to give your cut of beef enough
03:41countertop time to reach room temperature while the salt does its thing.
03:45Rushing the salting process draws the meat's moisture out but doesn't allow the seasoned
03:50juices to reabsorb.
03:52When you're ready to sear, lightly pat your steak with a paper towel as a dry surface
03:56creates the deep golden crust that every steak lover deserves.
04:00Also, be sure to let your steak rest after achieving salty seared perfection to allow
04:04hot juices to return to the meat.
04:07Once it's rested, you can bust out a coarse grain finishing or a flavored salt to add
04:11an additional layer of flavor to your steak.
04:14The large pyramid shape of Maldon salt looks appealing and adds a salty crunch to sliced
04:19beef, or a gourmet smoked salt can be used to add yet another flavor layer to your well-seasoned
04:25steak.