For a long time, I always stuck to using regular table salt. It did not mean much to me when I heard or saw other people using or talking about different kinds of salts, kosher, Himalayan, etc.
Honestly, I believe all of these salts were just fancy versions of table salt that were made up of the exact same stuff. The more I got involved in barbecue, I noticed that this was not the case.
Even though all salts are basically the same to me, there are just a couple of subtle differences. Some of the traits that someone can notice are color and intensity (intensity can often be adjusted by the amount used).
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For me, the intensity of flavor can be the factor in which you have either over-salted, under-salted, or salted just right.
Other than just overdoing salt day to day, the first time I ever really noticed the difference between kosher and table salt was when I covered two steaks overnight.
I came up with this experiment after watching Guga Foods on YouTube, covering a steak completely in salt overnight.
He then proceeded to rinse off the excess salt the next day and then just gave a light sprinkle of salt and pepper before grilling it.
Need a Side for Your Steak? I Got You Covered: Top the Tater Cheesy Potatoes
In the video, Guga raves about how well the steaks came out after he finally cooked them. If you check out his video, make sure to pay attention. I did not the first time and was the reason I created this experiment.
The big mistake I made was that I did not notice that Guga used kosher salt when covering his steaks.
I found that was important when covering a steak overnight and I will explain how I got to the point of creating a delicious and juicy steak.
My Plan
The first thing I did was go buy some thick steaks from my local butcher. When picking out steaks, I chose two ribeye cuts.
What I was looking for when picking out the two steaks was that both had a similar size and marbling (a.k.a intermuscular fat).
While at the butcher I picked up regular table salt and coarse kosher salt. To be honest, this started out because I could not remember which type was used, so I grabbed both.
I made sure to buy enough to fully cover each steak.
While I was on my way home, I was debating which salt I should use to cover the steak overnight. After some deep thinking, I came up with the idea to try out a different salt on each steak.
When I got home, I took out two sheets of aluminum foil and a pan. I put the sheets of aluminum foil down and on the first sheet, put a layer of table salt that the whole steak could sit on.
On the second sheet, I did the same thing just with kosher salt.
I then put my steak on the piles of salt and caked both of them in a layer of their selected salt. If a little bit of the sides is showing that is not too big of a deal.
My main objective was to make sure that all of the top and bottom had complete coverage.
The goal of using the salt is to draw moisture out of the meat and tenderize it. The salt can also add some flavor to the meat, and I will talk about the effect of that in the taste test.
Joshs Cookhouse Tip: Taking out the moisture in steak can allow for a better sear on the outside.
For an Appetizer to Eat Along with Your Steaks Also Read: Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pickles Stuffed with Cream Cheese
After letting my steaks sit for 24 hours, I took them both out of their aluminum foil and gave them each a quick rinse in water to get any excess salt off and then immediately pat dried them both.
I know it may sound strange to rinse the steaks in water, but trust me when I say there is way too much salt stuck to the outside. They would be ruined from the start.
After they were both dry, I gave each just a light sprinkle of the salt that I designated to each in the beginning, along with a bit of coarse black pepper.
I made sure to keep track of which steak was which during the entire process, that way if either was better than the other, or even the best steak I ever had, I could remember which one to make again.
Time to Cook
I got my grill heated up to around 500 degrees Fahrenheit. I did what I call a regular cook.
For Another Meal, You Can Make on the Grill Also Read: Classic Cheeseburger Recipe with Chaffles
I cooked my steaks for about 3-4 minutes per side until they were medium-rare and then as soon as they were done, I just put them on their fat cap to make sure the fat was seared.
A safe way to make sure that your steak is cooked to your intended doneness, I would recommend using a meat thermometer/probe.
It is a personal choice as to which kind you use. I prefer my wireless probes from Meater, which let you know the internal temperature on a display block or on their phone application.
If repeating this experiment, reverse searing could be done as well, as long as it was done to both steaks to ensure the same standard was met.
Once the steaks are fully cooked, I took them off the grill and let them both rest for about 10 minutes. It is time to dig in!
Taste Test #1
Alright, we will first go over the steak that received the regular table salt. Botched!! This is the only way to describe what happened here. I gave this steak three bites and tossed it.
Every bite tasted as if I just poured a spoon full of salt directly into my mouth. I can’t imagine anyone could have finished this steak.
It’s funny because I initially took my finger and wiped it on the steak to see how the outside seasoning tasted and I initially thought it was going to be awesome.
What I think happened here is that large amounts of the fine table salt were absorbed into the meat and since it has a stronger flavor in comparison to kosher salt, it completely overwhelmed the meat.
Do not wreck your steak by using table salt! The steak I threw away should not have been treated this way.
Taste Test #2
Right off the bat, I did the same thing where I took my finger to get some of the seasoning to see how the outside of the steak tasted and I had the same reaction as the first.
The outside of it tasted awesome, but this time it was completely different once I bit into this steak.
One thing I noticed was that this steak was overall delicious. I don’t have a single complaint about how it came out. It was extremely juicy, the salt wasn’t overpowering, and every bite was as awesome as the one before it.
I did not think there was any change in tenderness from other steaks that I have cooked without covering them in salt, but that could just be me. Maybe if you give this experiment a try, you will notice a difference in tenderness.
Check Out My Other Cooking Tips Here:
- How To Trim A Brisket: Complete Guide
- 5 Common Brisket Mistakes to Avoid
- What Is A Brisket?
- How To Cook Brisket In The Oven: Ultimate Guide
My Take
If you are going to try this experiment, please just skip trying the table salt unless you want to be like me and ruin a beautifully marbled ribeye.
Give the kosher salt a try and I think you will notice that it does make a difference that just about anyone would enjoy.
I have not tried this yet, but if someone is interested to see how other salts compare, like sea salt, try them out and let me know what kind of results you had.
Hope to hear from you at Joshs Cookhouse, where nothing is off the table!
Also Read: Top the Tater Cheesy Potatoes
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Last update on 2024-05-11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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