The Best Time To Season A Steak, According To A Ruth's Chris Chef
When is the best time to season your steaks at home? Tasting Table consulted A.J. Graf, executive chef of Ruth's Chris Steak House at The Plaza at Pinnacle Hills in Rogers, Arkansas, for the answer. "We season our steaks immediately before putting them in a 1,800-degree broiler. In my opinion, this is the best time to season," said Graf. "Seasoning the steak just before broiling ensures a succulent, flavorful, and juicy steak," he explained.
There's science behind Graf's method. When you add salt to raw steak, it immediately draws moisture to the meat's surface. Once you season your steak, cook it right away. If you let a salted steak sit for roughly five to 45 minutes, you'll end up cooking a wet slab of meat that steams instead of sears in the broiler or hot skillet. This steam will then prevent you from getting a perfect deep, golden-brown steak crust that locks in moisture and juiciness.
That said, if you have extra time, salting a steak well in advance works too. That means season the meat at least 45 minutes before cooking, or even overnight. Given enough time, the meat will absorb all the moisture the salt has drawn to the surface. The salt will also go deeper into the steak, seasoning it further. But if you want to enjoy steak right away, season and cook it immediately after.
When seasoning steak, add salt first and avoid fine table salt
Before you season your steak right before it hits the hot pan, note that chef A.J. Graf has one more tip for you: "Always season with salt first and then pepper. If you use pepper first, the salt will fall off." This goes with any other seasoning you're using to make your steak more flavorful. Start with the salt first, then layer on the rest.
As for which salt to use, coarse kosher salt is a reliable choice. Its crystals are large, but not as large as flaky sea salt. You can easily pinch coarse kosher salt between your fingers and sprinkle it evenly over the steak. Table salt isn't recommended, as it can make your steak too salty. Its fine grains also dissolve easily into the meat.
For more salt options, check out Tasting Table's guide on the best salt for seasoning steaks. Then, also be sure to check out our tip on what to keep in mind when choosing side dishes for steak.