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Seasoning steak before or after cooking? |
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#1 |
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,236
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Seasoning steak before or after cooking?
I have found people (and even chefs) split on this. Those who advocate seasoning after the cooking process often quote the same thing, that pre-salting encourages leeching of the juices. I salt just before it goes in a (very!) hot griddle pan and I have never found this to be true, in fact I favour salting first because I find it adds to the flavourful crust assuming it's been cooked properly. When salting after cooking I find you get a raw salt taste which is not at all pleasant.
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#2 |
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 10,699
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I also season just before grilling.
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#3 |
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 8,101
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I season (salt and pepper) the steak, apply abit of olive oil to the steak then cook in a dry but hot pan to my liking - I have mine medium
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#4 |
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: France
Posts: 3,593
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I salt before grilling / griddling / barbecuing but put pepper on after the meat is cooked. Salt dissolves in the juices and provides an overall savouriness but burnt pepper is never a good thing and heat that will sear meat will burn pepper.
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#5 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 43,524
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salting before or after. for the sake of 3 minutes or so, i don't see is going to make a difference to 'leeching the juices'
we are actually talking about removing the water by osmosis. nothing else. |
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#6 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 21,738
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Definitely before, you should always season before cooking.
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#7 |
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Leeds
Posts: 10,953
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Quote:
I season (salt and pepper) the steak, apply abit of olive oil to the steak then cook in a dry but hot pan to my liking - I have mine medium
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#8 |
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Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 21,738
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Far more important than the seasoning to be honest is using the right pan and getting it as hot as you can possibly get it.
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#9 |
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
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Quote:
Far more important than the seasoning to be honest is using the right pan and getting it as hot as you can possibly get it.
but that's not the question
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#10 |
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,869
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I tend to season with pepper beforehand, and salt afterwards. I've grown up never having salt in cooking, my mum never used it, so I never use salt in cooking either and I generally don't feel the need to. But I've started to like salt on things recently, so I do it afterwards partly because it gets the 'raw' taste of it, as said above, and partly so that I don't season anyone else's when I do it either.
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#11 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 4,359
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Steak to room temp > rub both sides with olive oil and fresh ground black pepper (have used cayenne before) > plop onto a smoking hot skillet for two and half minutes per side > demolish like a boss.
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#12 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 4,359
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Quote:
Steak to room temp > rub both sides with olive oil and fresh ground black pepper (have used cayenne before) > plop onto a smoking hot skillet for two and half minutes per side > leave to rest > demolish like a boss.
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#13 |
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 9,227
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Quote:
I season (salt and pepper) the steak, apply abit of olive oil to the steak then cook in a dry but hot pan to my liking - I have mine medium
As an aside I cook baked potatoes in a similar manner. I "massage" or brush them in a a mixture of oil, sea salt , pepper and paprika making sure that the residue is poured over them, then bake 'em. |
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#14 |
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 544
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Quote:
That's my method every time.
As an aside I cook baked potatoes in a similar manner. I "massage" or brush them in a a mixture of oil, sea salt , pepper and paprika making sure that the residue is poured over them, then bake 'em. |
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#15 |
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Join Date: May 2012
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Quote:
but that's not the question |
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#16 |
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Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 21,738
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Quote:
Steak to room temp > rub both sides with olive oil and fresh ground black pepper (have used cayenne before) > plop onto a smoking hot skillet for two and half minutes per side > demolish like a boss.
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#17 |
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Leeds
Posts: 10,953
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Quote:
No salt?
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#18 |
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Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 21,738
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Quote:
I don't put salt on mine either, just crushed black pepper.
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#19 |
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 9,227
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Quote:
Really? I would always use salt on steak as in most foods.
A pet hate is watching someone shower the salt shaker over their food before even tasting it. I have a close friend who does it despite having had a heart attack recently. |
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#20 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 17,247
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I season before cooking as, like OP, I like a crust on my steak.
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#21 |
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NZ♥Sydney-UK-CYBERDAZZLE
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Lately ...I have seen the TV Chefs season the steaks .... just before cooking
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#22 |
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Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 21,738
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Quote:
I hardly ever put salt on cooked food but would certainly use it to season food about to be cooked - crushed sea or rock salt rather than the "Saxa" type pouring salt.
A pet hate is watching someone shower the salt shaker over their food before even tasting it. I have a close friend who does it despite having had a heart attack recently. |
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#23 |
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,725
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Salt and oil the steak before, I don't tend to bother with pepper as I think it burns. Let the meat get to room temp and then put in a smoking hot griddle pan, turning every 15 seconds until it's to your liking. Rare for myself. Then let it rest for the same amount of time as you've cooked it.
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#24 |
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Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 21,738
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Quote:
Salt and oil the steak before, I don't tend to bother with pepper as I think it burns. Let the meat get to room temp and then put in a smoking hot griddle pan, turning every 15 seconds until it's to your liking. Rare for myself. Then let it rest for the same amount of time as you've cooked it.
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#25 |
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,725
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Quote:
Did the 'turning every 15 seconds' thing come from Heston? What's the thinking behind it as I've always left it for 2 minutes then turned it and 2 minutes on the other side.
Other things to note that I didn't mention are to make sure you rest it on a rack rather than a plate and of course you must never cut the steak of stick a fork in it whilst cooking. |
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but that's not the question