I finally tried that 'paper towel trick' for keeping steaks dry in the fridge

A guy at the meat show in Kansas City last month swore by putting a paper towel under steaks on a rack in the fridge for a full day. I thought it was just extra work, but I tried it on some ribeyes. The surface got so much drier than just patting them, and the sear I got was way better, like a real crust. Anyone have other simple tricks for a better sear?

3 comments

3 Comments

alexlewis1mo ago

Wait, is that paper towel under the steak or over it? I always put one on top, like draped over the meat on the rack. The air in the fridge is super dry, so having it just on the bottom might not pull as much moisture from the top surface. The top is what you sear first, right? That extra day with a towel on top makes a huge difference for me.

felix_thomas731mo ago

Honestly @alexlewis, you actually want the towel under the steak to catch drips, not on top.

sam53020d ago

Totally agree man, I've been doing the towel on top thing for years and it's honestly a game changer. I had a brisket once where I put the towel underneath and after 36 hours the bottom was all dry and leathery but the top still felt damp in spots. Switched to draping it over the top loosely and the whole surface gets that tacky feel even after just 24 hours. The crust I get now is way more even and actually holds up when I hit it with the sear.