The Unbelievable Secret to a Perfectly Browned Steak: It’s Not What You Think!

Steak lovers, gather round and listen to me. Many people want to know how to properly cook a steak at home. There is always a lot of different advice from chefs and books, and people sometimes get confused.

Many people are confused about how to cook a steak. Should I add salt ahead of time or before cooking? Some people claim that cooking on high heat keeps the juices away every time. Today, we’re going to clear up all of that confusing noise. Explore some of the major points of disagreement people have about steak.

Steak—the right moment to add salt

The big question is when you should salt your steak meat. You always hear many different answers from culinary experts. Some say to always salt before putting it in the pan. Others suggest only salting the pan instead of directly on the meat. Some cooks even salt their steaks a few days before cooking them. Getting so many different confusing answers makes your head spin.

We now need to really test the results of this question. Imagine now salting many thick cut steaks at different intervals. This is like a controlled test in your home. Give all the steaks a break so they feel fairer and more even. In any case, they should start out at the same room temperature.

Test results often surprise us. Steaks that are salted before cooking always do well. Steaks salted after forty minutes or more also did well. Steaks salted between 10 and 30 minutes cooked the worst. This surprising finding goes completely against the cooking tips you often hear.

Let’s explain why salting between thirty and forty minutes is always bad. When you salt a steak, it draws liquid from within the meat fibres. This drawn out liquid creates a small pool on the surface. If you were to grill a steak that was covered in water, it would be undercooked. The heat of the pan is wasted on boiling water and does not brown the meat well.

When the water boils, the temperature of the pan drops a lot instantly. At that point, the chance for proper browning almost completely disappears. Unfortunately, those good browning reactions happen much less often now. You’ll never get the deep crust you want this way. This is why it’s definitely not a good idea to start cooking after only a few minutes of salting.

But wait, if you let the steak rest longer, things will definitely get better. After ten to fifteen minutes of resting, things will be much better. The salt will slowly dissolve into the gravy and form a salty brine. This salty brine slowly breaks down the structure of the meat. The meat becomes more absorbent, as natural as a sponge.

The salty brine will slowly make its way back into the meat. After forty minutes, most of the liquid inside the steak will be gone. A small amount will also evaporate from the surface. During this process, the surface flavour of the meat becomes more intense and tastes better.

After forty minutes, the salt goes deeper into the meat. The seasoning now enters the entire structure of the meat, not just the surface area. This is much better than just salting the surface initially. Deep seasoning is one of the secrets to consistently tasty steaks.

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For best results, sprinkle both sides of the steak with salt. Then place on a shelf in the refrigerator overnight. This will definitely dry out the steak. But only the surface dries out, not the interior underneath.

As the salt naturally penetrates, the steak becomes darker in colour. This indicates that the salt is getting inside the meat and working its way in. This means that the salt is now properly tenderising the meat for you as well.

Therefore, if you have enough time, salt marinate your meat for at least forty minutes. Overnight salting is better and allows the flavours to penetrate more thoroughly. This allows the brine to fully soak in and get the surface of the meat fully prepared for grilling. If you don’t have time, salt quickly before cooking. This will keep the surface from drying out too much and will allow the flavours to roast nicely.

Grilled portion of steak

Moving on from the discussion about salt to the important part about grilling, now you understand. Many people imagine that grilling steak involves cooking it directly over an open flame, accompanied by a lot of smoke. There has long been a belief in the culinary world that grilling steak can permanently lock in juices. Let’s be clear: grilling steak does not permanently lock in juices, believe me. What it actually does is add color and flavor. It also improves the texture of the steak, giving it that crispy, flavorful crust everyone craves.

Here’s a fresh take on temperature: you actually don’t need extremely high heat to achieve perfect searing results. Using moderate heat often yields better outcomes. This method, combined with frequently flipping the steak during cooking, works exceptionally well. A heavier pan can effectively retain and distribute heat evenly. However, the temperature itself is lower than you might have imagined.

Using moderate heat and flipping the steak frequently during cooking is an efficient method. This helps the steak brown while minimizing the formation of gray on the bottom. Traditional advice suggests leaving the steak in the pan undisturbed after placing it in, flipping it only once or twice. However, many tests and experts indicate that the opposite approach is more effective. Frequent flipping ensures more even heating on both sides of the steak, cooks it faster, and reduces the formation of gray areas.

Time to flip the steak

Turning a steak usually works well during the cooking process for a specific reason. It prevents any side from sitting for long periods of time and becoming overheated. Let’s look at a practical way to use this simple method of frequent flipping.

For an average sized steak, this is a ‘stick to sixteen minutes’ plan. Season for one minute, cook for ten minutes, and rest easily for five minutes at a time. Cook for three minutes on one side then flip and repeat that time. All of this is done over medium heat rather than the highest heat.

This specific timing works very well during the cooking process. In the first three minutes, the outer crust begins to take on a nice brown colour. Heat begins to enter the interior, warming the steak evenly. Flip before the next layer on the surface turns grey. Maintaining moderate heat and turning often are keys to success.

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Tools and Preparation for Frying Steak

Now let’s discuss steak tools and cooking methods. Many key steps create the perfect steak result. It’s not just about adding salt and enough heat. The correct choice of cooking medium is very important. What you do with it after you remove it from the heat is also important.

Preparing the meat before it goes in the pan is very important. Starting with really good quality meat is key. You can’t make poor quality meat taste good.

Assuming you’ve chosen and prepared the meat. It is safest to thaw frozen steaks correctly. Place the packaged frozen steak in the bowl of water. This method of thawing usually takes about an hour. You can change the water halfway through if needed. Before submerging in water, check for small holes in the package.

Making sure the steak is dry will make a big difference to the crust. Pat it dry with paper towels before cooking. This is vital if there is liquid oozing out of the meat. You can place a paper towel underneath and pat the sides. Patting it dry allows for good contact with the surface of the hot pan.

Remember at the end that serving on a warm plate helps to finish off the final task. Come along and give it a try and get ready to enjoy a delicious, tender and juicy steak with your family.

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