Pre-salting a thick steak?

[Sony]

Hi All,

Every once in a blue moon, I'll buy a GOOD steak to cook at home. Since it is for a special occasion, I want to do it right!

The subject: a 1 inch porterhouse. Nicely marbled Choice cut. About 2 pounds, including bone. It smells slightly funky, though I saw the butcher remove it from a cryovac package.

(By the way, the butcher, Joe, was quite a character! I don't even know what town I was in....I'd stopped to get gas on my way back from work travel and spied his shop across the street. He brought me in the back of his store so I could choose what I wanted cut, thickness, trimming, etc. For me, buying meat has always been from counters/packages in supermarkets, or more recently, frozen cuts from vendors at the farmers' market, so having the options he offered was a pleasant novelty for me . But I digress...)

I'm planning to cook it in a cast iron skillet with garlic-infused butter- allow to rest at room temp for a hour, sear over medium-high heat on one side, flip,into a 400' oven for a few more minutes until shy of medium-rare so carryover will finish it off.

My main questions is about seasoning with salt and pepper. I love the results of pre-seasoning roast chicken (Zuni method) and was wondering if steak would benefit from this kind of treatment. Thoughts?

Also, what are thoughts on rinsing meat before cooking it? Other recommendations about prepping/cooking would be welcome as well.

(By the way, I searched old threads for tips on cooking steak....I found a few but I feel like less threads than I expected came up.)

ETA: "including bone"....is there any such thing as a "boneless porterhouse ?

Edited December 2, 2007 by Sony (log)

[Tri2Cook]

My first task would be tracking down the source of said funk. I'm assuming since you used the word "funk" that you mean an unpleasant smell. Unpleasant isn't one of the descriptions I tend to look for when checking out meat. Cryovac buys some time, it doesn't funk-proof. I usually give cryovac meat a quick cold-water rinse and then dry it with a clean towel but the few times I've been greeted by a funk when opening a bag I've put it aside and made a call to the meat guy. Even if it's not spoiled, a funk that carries through to the taste is not a pleasant thing.

[dockhl]

In terms of presalting, a while ago there was a discussion on brining/presalting

(THE ANTIBRINING THREAD) that had lots of good information about presalting, including input from Russ Parsons who had spent time with Judy Rogers and got her whole take on it. the consensus was that presalting steak is a great idea. I always wash mine off first. I even presalt steaks that I am freezing and I think it permeats the meat beautifully.

I'd be a little concerned about the 'funk' too tho...........

[Fugu]

When I worked as substitue butcher I've always encountered that funk smell comming from almost all the vacuum packed, wet aged beef. Wash all the blood off and it should be fine.

Cooking 101, always season first before cooking. But I am sure there are exceptions.

I would save some of that garlic butter for table side.

Look for dry aged beef, it has better flavour than wet vac aged beef.

Edited December 1, 2007 by Fugu (log)

[tim]

Sony,

I agree with the idea of pre-seasoning a thick steak. We use very coarse sea salt, white and black pepper.

I would suggest that you salt about an hour before cooking.

The Zuni chicken concept (1- 3 days) is a dry brining method that would turn the outer layer of your nice steak to mush.

Tim

[Tri2Cook]

When I worked as substitue butcher I've always encountered that funk smell comming from almost all the vacuum packed, wet aged beef. Wash all the blood off and it should be fine.

←

If we're just talking about the blood smell, I agree. I've never thought of that as funky, it's just part of the beef.

[Sony]

Thanks for bringing up the anti-brining thread (It's exactly what I was looking for- I knew I read about pre-salting somewhere on this board, but I couldn't remember the title)!

I think the "funk" is OK- it washed right off. I guess I'm not used to meat that is fresh out of cryovac.

Glad to know that steaks can be salted before being frozen-plan to try that in the near future!

[Fugu]

When I worked as substitue butcher I've always encountered that funk smell comming from almost all the vacuum packed, wet aged beef. Wash all the blood off and it should be fine.

←

If we're just talking about the blood smell, I agree. I've never thought of that as funky, it's just part of the beef.

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I've worked in the industry for a long time and I am just passing on my own experience. Google "smelly vacuum packed meats".

[bradyjr]

ETA: "including bone"....is there any such thing as a "boneless porterhouse ? 

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A porterhouse is two cuts of meat with the bone. On one side is the tenderloin, on the other side is the strip. Therefore, a "boneless" porter house would be a strip steak and a tenderloin served together.

[Sony]

ETA: "including bone"....is there any such thing as a "boneless porterhouse ? 

←

A porterhouse is two cuts of meat with the bone. On one side is the tenderloin, on the other side is the strip. Therefore, a "boneless" porter house would be a strip steak and a tenderloin served together.

←

Ha- there IS such a thing! I was poking fun at myself because I didn't realize what you describe existed.

[paulraphael]

I'd be a little concerned about salting before freezing. Salt actually increases the rate of oxidation of fats that haven't been cured with nitrites, and can lead to rancidity (more funk) in frozen storage.

[budrichard]

In terms of thick, 1" is not thick but for me starts at 2&1/2". I only salt just before the meat goes on the grill because salt draws out moisture using as mentioned a course sea salt with fresh course grind black pepper. Sear each side and then remove from direct contact with coals until internal temp is 100F and then let rest at least 20 minutes for a 2&1/2" steak. You just cannot properly achieve a nice uniform pink rare with a 1" thick steak because by the time you sear the surfaces properly, the interior is medium at best.-Dick