Your Guide to Seasoning Your Meat Perfectly

Seasoning meat can be tricky. The different thicknesses of each piece of meat can determine whether flavors pervade throughout the cut. Thus, your dish or slab of meat can end up a little lackluster. 

If you are looking to put an end to this streak, here are the top guidelines that you should know about when seasoning your meat: 

What many people don’t realize is that salting is a science! Whether it's table salt, kosher salt, or even coarse sea salt, salt doesn’t just add flavor; it can also change the texture of meat. So, you'll have to know exactly when to add it to the mix. 

 
Did you know that salt can tenderize meat, ensuring that it doesn’t dry out during the cooking process? Adding salt to cuts of beef will help you cook the most tender steak. Try brining, or soaking your meat in a salty solution for a longer period of time to see this result. This works for roast chicken, grass-fed beef, Angus beef, lean beef, pork, lamb, and any other dark meat or white meat you can think of. 

Brining can be especially helpful if you are roasting or grilling. If this level of preparation seems a bit too much, make an effort to rub coarse sea salt into both sides of your steak or other slab of meat at least an hour before your meat cooks, so it ends up juicy. This is a dry brine, and should help you make a perfectly roasted chicken or juicy steak.

If you choose to go with this cooking method, it is a good idea to season the meat again after cooking it. Sprinkle on a pinch of salt just before the meat is served. This way, the salt hits your palate directly, making the flavor of strip steak – or any other steak and meats – more noticeable. 

Do you want to up the flavor even more with meat rubs? You'll need to know the right way to do this type of seasoning. 

First, make sure that you are using enough dry rub. At the very least, you should add about one tablespoon of meat seasoning for every pound of meat. Apply the dry rub evenly so that every mouth has flavor. For the perfect steak, make sure to use beef seasoning.

Always pat your meat dry before adding the dry rub so the flavor really penetrates through the meat. Fresh herbs, garlic cloves, garlic powder, lime juice, brown sugar, lemon juice, and fresh ginger are all popular dry rub ingredients. The next step is to rub the spices onto the meat. If you want a crispier layer, pack the seasoning onto the meat in a thin layer. This will create a crust when grilling. 

If you are going to be slow cooking your meat, then a wet rub might be a better option for you. Add a small amount of oil to create a paste with the spices. Then rub this into the meat. This will help seal in the flavor. 

Meat marinades can be a wonderful way to tenderize and add flavor to the meat – especially with thinner cuts of meat. However, you have to first make sure to get the marinade just right.

This begins with using the right level of acidity for the meat. If you are using a daintier meat like chicken, it is best to use a diluted acid. Even with beef or tougher cuts of meat, don’t soak the meat in the marinade for too long. 

In some cases, fifteen to twenty minutes is just enough. This helps to add flavor and brighten up the meat without turning it soggy or mushy. In this instance, less is certainly more. 

There is no denying that fresh pepper can completely transform any cut of meat. It is all about timing when it comes to adding this key ingredient to your meat. 

A lot of people will add pepper before they cook the meat or during the cooking process. This is fine, but it'll actually create a more muted flavor. If you enjoy the taste of freshly cracked pepper and a small burst of heat with every bit, then grind some pepper over the meat just before it is served. 

It is all about figuring out what works for you and following the right procedure every single time. 

These are your top tips for seasoning meat to perfection. It might take a while to get this process just right, but it will certainly be worth the effort. Give these guidelines a try today – you certainly won’t regret it!