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Salt and Pepper timing

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    Salt and Pepper timing

    Almost every recipe I've ever seen has me put salt and pepper on the meat immediately before cooking it. This seems odd to me - what is the point of salting and peppering just seconds before cooking - the pepper will burn, and the salt won't have time to "dry brine" the meat? Wouldn't it be better to add salt and pepper AFTER cooking?

    #2
    Not sure what you are referring to, but most of the posts I've seen do encourage pre-salting your meat to achieve a "dry brine". Normally it's best to do it overnight, some do it even longer.

    As to other seasonings, the molecules themselves are too large to really penetrate the meat to any great degree. What you are trying to achieve by pre-seasoning is flavor by letting a bark form as a result of changes to the surface of the meat and the seasonings themselves. Meathead has several articles on the free side of the site that addresses the science behind all this. I encourage you to read those to further explain what I mean.

    Comment


      #3
      It's best to salt ahead of time. Other seasonings, such as pepper or garlic, etc, it doesn't really matter, the molecules are too large to penetrate. Add them right before tossing on the grill or even after you cook if you want to avoid them crusting during searing. I 99% of the time add all other seasonings right before cooking.

      To dry brine: Use 1/2 tsp coarse Kosher salt per lb of meat, spread evenly all over the meat 360 degrees. This ratio works for any meat- chicken, steak, brisket, etc. If you don't have coarse Kosher salt, use half the amount if using regular table salt, so 1/4 tsp per pound of meat.

      Thin meats like steaks or ribs, give them at least an hour, if not the morning of or even overnight with salt.

      Thick meats like roasts or brisket, give 24-48hrs with salt.


      For more on this topic, please see Meathead's article on dry brining here: https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip...ul-wet-brining

      His more in-depth article on salting & wet brining: https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip...nd-wet-brining

      and Dr Greg Blonder's video interview on The Magic of Salt here: https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...rstood-53-mins

      Comment


        #4
        Welcome to the Pit! See you've been here awhile but first post!

        Comment


          #5
          Agreed. I dry brine prior to cooking and then would add most seasonings to the meat right before cooking. I do prefer pepper after the cook if its a direct heat sear cook ie skirt or flank steak because i think it can get bitter when burned.

          Exception to this rule is burgers. You dont want salt in the burger mix as that will lead to hockey pucks. In this case i put everything else in the mix and then salt as cooking.

          Comment


          • Polarbear777
            Polarbear777 commented
            Editing a comment
            If you mix salt in within the burger the proteins will link and you get a sausage snappy texture. (Because it is a sausage).

          • fzxdoc
            fzxdoc commented
            Editing a comment
            I was waiting for someone to say this about mixing salt in burger meat. I see TV chefs do it all the time, then proclaim how great their burger is grantgallagher and Huskee . Makes you wonder if they ever eat the stuff they make.

            Kathryn

          • HouseHomey
            HouseHomey commented
            Editing a comment
            fzxdoc I Never season the interior of my burger meat unless I'm making meat balls and meatloaf etc.... I'm sure they don't either but do it on tv for "Those recipe people."

          #6
          I'm gonna go against the whole dry brine thing here... I often have not planned that far ahead. So, I use my salty Four Seasons (per Adam Perry Lang), extra fine, and just dust while the grill is getting to temp. For low and slow, I will then add rub right before going to the grill, as the fine salt has brought moisture to the surface, making an ideal surface for both rub adhesion and smoke adherence. For reverse sear, works nicely as well. Do recall Dr. Blonder's work, showing that salt penetrates faster on warm proteins. For steaks that I'm just doing hot and fast or have sous vided, again, APL while the grill heats, and then straight on the warp ten. Does that burn the finely ground pepper and garlic? maybe. Does it produce a nice flavorful sear? Yessireebob.

          Comment


            #7
            Welcome, I just learnt a history/geography lesson. I thought Vancouver was B.C. but you says it’s WA. So’s I looks it up & it is WA as well as the largest suburb of Portland Oregon. Talk about potentially bein a confuse-a-cat, I was able to figger it out. Eat good & have fun, just watch that salt & pepper.

            Comment


              #8
              I dry brine in advance. I dry-brine before vacuum-sealing and freezing meat. For any meat that is remotely thick, I dry-brine both sides of the meat, but I still only use a half teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of meat.

              Comment


                #9
                https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/05/...ting-tips.html

                Scroll down to "when should I salt my steak" Same idea for burgers. Salt takes 40+ minutes to reabsorb, so you either salt right before cooking or wait longer than 40 minutes (even longer dry brine is better).

                Comment


                  #10
                  Check out Aaron Franklin on YouTube cooking brisket (he is THE king). He uses 16 grain (I think) salt and pepper and rubs it well before cooking.

                  Comment


                  • Potkettleblack
                    Potkettleblack commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Just Morton kosher and 16 mesh pepper. He uses the 16 mesh pepper for a few reasons. One is that it’s the same size as the Morton crystals. Another is he thinks fresh cracked is too sharply flavored. Third is it’s easier to use. And forth is that, being of even size with the salt, makes a better rough surface for smoke adherence.

                  • TeeTown4OU
                    TeeTown4OU commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Thanks for the remarks, PotKettleBlack. I wasn't aware of the reason.

                  • Potkettleblack
                    Potkettleblack commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Yeah, reason 2, same size as the morton crystals, according to Franklin, keeps the dalmatian rub evenly mixed.

                    Sometimes I think he's a savant that things work for and he can't quite adequately explain the things he does... I follow his instructions, best I can, and don't get the same results.

                  #11
                  When salting meat in fridge for long periods should you wrap the meat in plastic wrap? I read for a steak to salt and put on rack and let air circulate. Also should you salt all sides of meat? Sorry, newbie to the correct way of doing things.

                  Comment


                  • texastweeter
                    texastweeter commented
                    Editing a comment
                    depends on their desired outcome. For roasts and ribs, yes. For poultry, steaks, and salmon where you want the outer layer as dry as possible, no. Leave them elevated on a wire rack to let the arid environment dry it out.

                  #12
                  A 50/50 salt and pepper blend is called a Dalmatian blend and is frequently used in Texas. Pepper will not burn at the low temps used in smoking for briskets. Many of the best Q's put the blend on as they bring there pits up to temp, so the salt has started the brining process it will continue to as the meat slowly comes up to temperature. I have checked my briskets and they even after sitting out of the frig for an hour are at 45 degrees, At 1 hour they are at 50 degree at 2 hours 60 degrees and at 3 hours between 65 and 70 degrees. The salt continues to be drawn into the center of the brisket as it warms up.
                  Last edited by mountainsmoker; June 30, 2019, 04:09 PM.

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