Salt meat early
Within about 15 minutes, salt pulls juice onto the surface of meat. After 40 minutes or more, the meat reabsorbs that salty liquid, so it's seasoned inside and not only on top.
Salt at least 40 minutes ahead
Salt steaks and chops at least 40 minutes ahead, and big roasts or whole birds 12 to 24 hours ahead, uncovered in the fridge. Skip the middle. Salting 5 to 10 minutes ahead is the worst timing, because the surface is still wet.
Early salt also helps browning
Surface water holds food near 100°C, too cool to brown. Once the juice is reabsorbed, the surface is drier, and it dries further when left uncovered in the fridge. Dry meat and dry skin brown and crisp faster.
Test yourself
Questions from the interactive lesson, with the answer and the why.
You salt a thick pork chop and wait 45 minutes before cooking. How does that chop differ from a pork chop that is salted just before cooking?
Salt has moved inside the meat. The meat reabsorbs the salty liquid, and the salt goes in with it.
True or false: Salting a steak 10 minutes before searing gives the driest surface and the best crust.
False. At 10 minutes the juice still sits on the surface and steams the sear. Salt 40+ minutes ahead, or just before for surface seasoning only.
What went wrong? You salt a chicken breast and sear it right away. The middle tastes bland.
The salt had no time to move inward. Salt needs 40 minutes or more to travel inward. Seared at once, it stays outside.
Fill the blank: Salt plus the juice it draws out makes a ___ that the meat reabsorbs.
Salt plus the juice it draws out makes a brine that the meat reabsorbs. Salt dissolved in the juice it draws out is a brine, and the brine carries salt inward.
Why does a steak salted 1 hour ahead brown better than one salted 10 minutes ahead?
The surface liquid has gone back into the meat. With the juice reabsorbed, the surface is dry enough to pass 140°C and brown.
Salt now or salt later
Two pork chops, one very patient cook.
Do the 30-minute experiment