When You Should Really Be Seasoning Your Steaks For A Flavor-Packed Crust, According To Omaha Steaks

Omaha Steaks has been in the game for over a century. The company has already proven to us that its product lives up to the hype, but its expertise extends beyond simply selling meat. Omaha Steaks also offers tips on the exact moment you need to season the meat to achieve the most flavorful crust. 

Whether you're just using salt or a more complex seasoning mix, Omaha Steaks recommends you season your steak at least half an hour before grilling. Like many grill masters, the company suggests let your steak come to room temperature for 30 minutes to allow for more even cooking. You can apply the seasoning at the same time so the flavor absorbs into the meat as it warms.

This process is known as a simple dry-brine, and timing is the key to making it work so your steaks don't dry out. Salt does draw moisture to the surface of meat, but with dry-brining, the moisture and salt are then absorbed back into the meat if given enough time. This can be achieved with just kosher salt on both sides of the steak before it rests. Salt will help develop a flavorful crust, but the company also recommends seasoning mixes. We have a steak seasoning recipe you can try that will add big flavor to any cut of steak.

Wet brines and dry brines can both be used to get salt and flavor into meat, and the process relies on osmosis as liquid moves from an area of low salt to an area of higher salt concentration. In a dry brine, this means liquid leaves the steak and goes to the salt on the surface. With enough time, the balance reverses and the salty liquid goes back into the meat. It's not an instant process, so you need to give it as much time as you can.

Omaha Steaks said "at least" 30 minutes, and some sources agree on this timeline, while others suggest 40 minutes at a minimum, or even an hour. After a certain amount of time, the difference comes down to the preference of the chef. The half hour Omaha Steaks recommends is a minimum timeline. However, it also suggests a proper dry brine as an alternative after the half-hour recommendation, and for that, the company recommends seasoning and letting the steak sit for one hour up to two days.

Because Omaha Steaks acknowledges its guide is aimed at home cooks who may have less experience grilling meat, the half hour recommendation is a simpler tip to make grilling more accessible. Not everyone has two days to dry brine a steak, and that's okay. Give it as much time as you can spare. You need to rest it for half an hour to reach room temperature anyway, and the longer it sits, the tastier it will be.