Want to know the simple secret to steaks with better flavor, superior texture, and a perfect crust? Dry brining is the critical step most home cooks skip. Salting your steak the night before – ensures deep flavor and superior texture in every bite, so we never skip it. This one step takes minutes to do but makes all the difference in your final result.
Dry brining a steak is a simple but transformative process that involves salting a steak and letting it rest before cooking. This method not only seasons the steak deeply but also improves its texture, making for a juicier, more flavorful final dish.
Science Behind Dry Brining:
The process of osmosis initially draws moisture out of the meat to dissolve the salt. This creates a concentrated brine that is eventually reabsorbed into the meat, bringing the flavors deeper inside. This reabsorption also plumps up the muscle fibers, enhancing the steak’s ability to hold onto its natural juices during the high-heat cooking process. That’s why we consider this step non-negotiable.
Ingredients:
- Steak (your choice of cut)
- Kosher salt
Instructions:
- Preparation:
- Remove your steak from its packaging and use paper towels to pat it completely dry. Removing excess moisture is crucial for effective dry brining.
- Season:
- Liberally season all sides of the surface of the steak with kosher salt. Don’t be shy; a good rule of thumb is about ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of meat.
- Rest:
- Place the steak on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. This setup allows air to circulate around the steak, drying the surface evenly and helping the salt penetrate more effectively.
- Refrigerate:
- Set the prepared steak in the refrigerator, uncovered, for up to 24 hours. This time allows the salt to draw out moisture, which then dissolves the salt before being reabsorbed into the meat, carrying the salt deep into the muscle fibers.
- Cook:
- Remove the steak from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before cooking. This step ensures even cooking.
Why Dry Brine?
- Enhanced Flavor: Salt is a flavor enhancer, and by penetrating the meat, it seasons the steak throughout rather than just on the surface.
- Improved Texture: Salt modifies the protein structures, helping the meat to retain more moisture during cooking. This results in a juicier steak.
- Better Browning: Dry brining dries out the surface of the meat, which allows for quicker, more even browning when seared.
Girl Carnivore Pro Tips:
- Choosing Salt: Use kosher salt for its coarser grains, which cover more surface area without making the meat too salty. It’s important that you use Kosher, not table salt or other salts for this.
- Time Variations: While 24 hours is ideal, even a few hours of dry brining can make a significant difference. Adjust the time based on your schedule.
- Post-Brining: There’s no need to rinse the steak after brining. Simply pat it dry and it’s ready to cook. This ensures all the flavor added by the salt stays with the meat.
Using this method, even a simple home-cooked steak can rival the quality of a high-end steakhouse meal. Save your money, and own your cooking skills at home.
Have you tried this recipe? Do us a favor and rate the recipe card with the ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ and drop a comment to help out the next reader.
Dry Brine Steak
Ingredients
- 1 Steak any cut
- Kosher salt Kosher salt is key. Do not attempt this with other salts.
Instructions
- Remove your steak from its packaging and use paper towels to pat it completely dry. Removing excess moisture is crucial for effective dry brining.
- Liberally season all sides of the steak with kosher salt. We don't measure but a good rule of thumb is about ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of meat. You want the steak to look like it's covered in a dusting of snow.
- Place the steak on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. This setup allows air to circulate around the steak, drying the surface evenly and helping the salt penetrate more effectively.
- Set the prepared steak in the refrigerator, uncovered, for up to 24 hours. This time allows the salt to draw out moisture, which then dissolves the salt before being reabsorbed into the meat, carrying the salt deep into the muscle fibers.
- Remove the steak from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before cooking. This allows for more even cooking. You will notice the surface color has deepened an is very dry.
- Pan-sear your steak for 2 to 3 minutes per side in a hot cast iron or carbon steel pan. If the steak is over 1" thick, finish cooking in an oven preheated to 425 degrees F until it reaches your desrired internal doneness.
Notes
More Helpful Steak Cooking Tips:
- Guide to the Types of Steak
- What is Marbeling
- What are the USDA Grades of Beef?
- Guide to Steak Temps
- How to Sear Meat
- What is the Maillard Reaction
- How to Grill a Steak
- How to Reverse Sear a Steak
- How to Slice Against the Grain
Steakhouse Tips For More Flavor:
Nutrition
Bookmark this recipe now!
FAQs
On average, Girl Carnivore recommends dry brining steaks for 24 hours. For steaks over 1 1/2″ thick, fresh from your butcher, you can go longer, up to 48 hours.
No, we never rinse our steaks after brining in the GirlCarnivore Kitchen. There is no need as the salt will have cured into the meat, making the dry surface ready for a perfect crust ad tender meat.
No. The salt is enough. Salt alone works the magic, through osmosis of permeating the surface of the meat.
However you want. We find a ripping hot cast iron pan the best way to cook a dry brined steak in the Girl Carnivore kitchen, but a grill works great, too. Don’t skip a compound butter while the steak rests for the ultimate flavor experience.
