Dry Brine Steak Recipe
Dry-brine New York strip steaks with coarse salt (or a steak rub) in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours to improve flavor and searing. Season with freshly cracked pepper before cooking to desired doneness.
Equipment
- Paper Towels
- Wire Rack
- sheet tray
- Refrigerator
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 12-16 ounceNew York Strip Steaks at least 1 1/2 inches thick
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste or your favorite steak rub
Instructions
Instructions
- Pat the steaks dry on all sides with paper towels.
- Place the steaks on a wire rack set over a sheet tray. Generously season both sides with coarse salt or your favorite steak rub (you can use about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon per side as a guideline).
- Put the sheet tray with the steaks, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours. This allows the salt to penetrate and helps dry the surface for better searing.
- Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and season both sides with freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
- Let the steaks sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to take the chill off before cooking.
- Cook the steaks using your preferred method until they reach your desired doneness.
Notes
Notes
Make-Ahead:
You can season the steaks with salt up to 24 hours ahead.
How to Store:
It is best to leave the steak uncovered and in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
If you
let the steak sit seasoned for more than 24 hours, it causes it to begin drying out.
Place the
steak on a rack so that air can circulate over the bottom part of the steak, helping to dry out the surface, which is optimal for searing.
You can
do this process with larger cuts of meat for up to 72 hours.
Maillard reaction,
also known as the browning reaction, is an interaction between sugar and amino acids in the steak when heated to 285°and 350° over high heat, browning the meat to enhance the flavor and add more crispness. This is not the same as caramelizing.
Make-Ahead:
You can season the steaks with salt up to 24 hours ahead.
How to Store:
It is best to leave the steak uncovered and in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
If you
let the steak sit seasoned for more than 24 hours, it causes it to begin drying out.
Place the
steak on a rack so that air can circulate over the bottom part of the steak, helping to dry out the surface, which is optimal for searing.
You can
do this process with larger cuts of meat for up to 72 hours.
Maillard reaction,
also known as the browning reaction, is an interaction between sugar and amino acids in the steak when heated to 285°and 350° over high heat, browning the meat to enhance the flavor and add more crispness. This is not the same as caramelizing.