I used to think salt timing was overblown until I ruined a steak dinner for 8 people

For years I figured salt is salt, just add it whenever. Then last month I hosted a dinner party and my ribeyes came out gray and dry. A buddy who works at a steakhouse in Austin told me I should have salted them 40 minutes before cooking, not right before. Tried it the next weekend with a single steak and the crust was completely different. Now I'm wondering what other basic rules I've been ignoring. Anyone else have a cooking "rule" they brushed off that turned out to be true?

2 comments

2 Comments

hernandez.ben1mo ago

Man, 40 minutes seems oddly specific. Does it really matter that much or is this just chef bro science getting blown out of proportion?

taylor.jessica1mo ago

I think this is part of a bigger pattern where we've gotten obsessed with exact rules for things that used to be more about feel and experience. It's like with recipes online where everyone has to state the precise internal temperature for a steak or the exact number of minutes to rest a roast. I remember my grandmother cooking for decades without a timer and her food was always great. The thing is, people want guarantees now, so they turn these little details into absolutes. But cooking has so many variables, like the size of your bird or your oven's actual heat, that a hard 40 minutes can't work for everyone. It's the same with bread recipes that say "knead for 8 minutes" when the dough might need more or less depending on humidity. I think we've lost some trust in our own senses and now we're looking for magic numbers instead.