Ingredients
Method
- Remove meat from packaging and pat completely dry with paper towels. Dry surfaces take seasoning better and develop a better sear.
- Apply kosher salt evenly on all sides. Use about ¾ teaspoon per pound. For thick cuts, season up to an hour before cooking. For thin cuts, season right before.
- Apply freshly ground black pepper and any dry spices (garlic powder, paprika, cumin, etc.) after salt. Press seasonings into the meat with your hands.
- For tougher cuts, combine acid (citrus juice or vinegar), oil, and aromatics. Marinate for 30 minutes to overnight in the refrigerator.
- Remove seasoned meat from the fridge 20-30 minutes before cooking. This ensures more even cooking throughout.
- Taste and adjust seasoning after cooking. A finishing sprinkle of flaky sea salt just before serving enhances flavor.
Nutrition
Notes
Pro Tips:
Always season meat at least 40 minutes before cooking, but ideally 2-24 hours ahead, because salt needs time to penetrate beyond the surface through osmosis - that's when you get seasoning in every bite, not just on the crust. Buy kosher salt or sea salt for seasoning meat because table salt's fine crystals dissolve too quickly and don't give you control over the process, plus the anti-caking agents can leave a metallic taste that competes with your spices. When making marinades, add your acid (lime, vinegar) last and limit marinating time to 4 hours max because acid actually starts cooking the meat's proteins, turning the texture mushy - I learned this the hard way with countless tough steaks. For Caribbean-style seasoning, toast whole spices like cumin and coriander in a dry pan for 30 seconds before grinding because the heat releases volatile oils that give you that deep, complex flavor base our sofrito depends on.
Always season meat at least 40 minutes before cooking, but ideally 2-24 hours ahead, because salt needs time to penetrate beyond the surface through osmosis - that's when you get seasoning in every bite, not just on the crust. Buy kosher salt or sea salt for seasoning meat because table salt's fine crystals dissolve too quickly and don't give you control over the process, plus the anti-caking agents can leave a metallic taste that competes with your spices. When making marinades, add your acid (lime, vinegar) last and limit marinating time to 4 hours max because acid actually starts cooking the meat's proteins, turning the texture mushy - I learned this the hard way with countless tough steaks. For Caribbean-style seasoning, toast whole spices like cumin and coriander in a dry pan for 30 seconds before grinding because the heat releases volatile oils that give you that deep, complex flavor base our sofrito depends on.