Season Cooked Steak With Finishing Salt For Unrivaled Flavor
While it's perfectly acceptable to enjoy a plain steak, it's rarer than beef tartare to find someone who actually does. Even a little bit of seasoning can go a long way, and it will immediately make your steak tastier and more enjoyable. The seasonings for this task don't have to be fancy — even celebrity chefs like Curtis Stone prefer a simple sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper on their protein. Most people only season their steak before or during cooking, but very few are doing the one thing that can take their steak to a whole new level: adding finishing salt once the meat is done.
This tip may sound simple, but it's effective. When your sizzling, juicy steak is finished on the grill or pan, add a dusting of finishing salt on top. These specialty salts, with their coarse and crunchy texture, provide a burst of intense flavor that will perfectly complement the steak's natural richness. This final touch of salt amplifies and harmonizes with the existing flavors, creating a truly unforgettable dining experience.
What is finishing salt?
Finishing salts are a cut above ordinary table salt (and even other types of salt like Kosher) in both texture and taste. You can gather this just by glancing at their names — besides "finishing salt," some brands also call them "premium salt" or "artisanal salt."
Unlike the fine grains of table salt, these varieties have much coarser, flakier crystals that will provide a hearty crunch. This not only enhances your steak's texture but also ensures that the salt sticks to the meat, soaking in all its juices and flavor to give you a richer-tasting meal.
Depending on the kind of finishing salt you choose, it can also impart some unique flavor notes. Smoked salt, for example, is prepared by "baking" the salt over a wooden plank at high temperatures, giving your steak a smoky, wood-fired taste. Premium salts like sel gris or fleur de sel are harvested naturally from estuaries and the sea itself, meaning they contain traces of minerals that could add some distinctive flavor. The same goes for other kinds of finishing salt; pink Himalayan salt, for example, contains a slight sweetness that will perfectly complement the richness of your meat.
A touch of herbs will go a long way, too
After you've added finishing salt, don't forget to give your steak a sprinkling of dried herbs, too. If you've cooked it with a specific herb, like a sprig of rosemary, garnish it with that same herb to avoid any clashes in flavor or aroma. On the other hand, if your pan-seared steak was cooked with just a knob of butter and some light seasoning, however, the good news is that you'll have greater freedom to experiment with different herb combinations. Whatever herbs you have in your pantry, from rosemary to thyme, will do. If you're out of the fresh stuff, you can even opt for garlic powder.
For a bold steak full of herbal notes, mixing flaky Maldon salt with dried oregano creates a lovely Mediterranean flavor. The bold-tasting herb blends seamlessly with the crunchy salt, and the two paired together will seriously drive your appetite. On the other hand, if you're in the mood for something with a bit of kick, a blend of chipotle seasoning and your choice of coarse finishing salt can introduce a subtle heat and enrich your steak's natural flavors. Regardless of the combo you choose, remember one thing: A salt-and-herb seasoning really is the key to achieving that steakhouse-style dinner you've been craving.