I’ve posted a few cooks featuring a technique Adam Perry Lang uses for tenderizing large cuts of beef ribeye HERE.
And, recently I saw an episode of Alton Brown’s Good Eats Reloaded with new and updated info on the famous “Steak Your Claim” episode, where a large ribeye is dry brined with kosher salt and goes into the fridge for many hours. The steak is then cooked in an oven, then finished off in a hot cast iron pan for a final sear. Basically, an indoor reverse sear, if you will.
But it was the dry salt brine that caught my attention and the benefits of how salt and time will change both the flavor and texture of the steak that caught my attention,(end result should be both a more tender and flavorful steak) so I decided to give it a try.
Started out with a hefty 2.5 lb bone in USDA Choice Ribeye:
Put it between two sheets of plastic wrap, and gave each side about 4-5 solid whacks with a wooden rolling pin:
Then coated with Kosher salt, using the same amount, no, more, no less than what you would actually use to season the steak:
The meat went into the fridge for about 5 hours so the salt could work its magic.
After I pulled it out of the fridge, all of the salt had absorbed into the meat. It then got dusted generously with Oakridge Carne Crosta and seasoned pepper.
OKJ Highlander firebox with starter lump and an oak split:
Meat on the grate – smoker was running hot, around 300 degrees, about where I like it:
About 20 minutes in, after I flipped it:
When the steak reached about 120 degrees, I finished it off in the firebox over super hot oak coals:
Resting, waiting to be sliced:
Separated cap from filet, started on filet slicing:
The meat was super juicy and tasty, and VERY tender - I could really tell the salt has permeated the meat, and could taste it well below the surface. The dry salt brine is a winner for me, and I’ll be doing it moving forward!
And, recently I saw an episode of Alton Brown’s Good Eats Reloaded with new and updated info on the famous “Steak Your Claim” episode, where a large ribeye is dry brined with kosher salt and goes into the fridge for many hours. The steak is then cooked in an oven, then finished off in a hot cast iron pan for a final sear. Basically, an indoor reverse sear, if you will.
But it was the dry salt brine that caught my attention and the benefits of how salt and time will change both the flavor and texture of the steak that caught my attention,(end result should be both a more tender and flavorful steak) so I decided to give it a try.
Started out with a hefty 2.5 lb bone in USDA Choice Ribeye:
Put it between two sheets of plastic wrap, and gave each side about 4-5 solid whacks with a wooden rolling pin:
Then coated with Kosher salt, using the same amount, no, more, no less than what you would actually use to season the steak:
The meat went into the fridge for about 5 hours so the salt could work its magic.
After I pulled it out of the fridge, all of the salt had absorbed into the meat. It then got dusted generously with Oakridge Carne Crosta and seasoned pepper.
OKJ Highlander firebox with starter lump and an oak split:
Meat on the grate – smoker was running hot, around 300 degrees, about where I like it:
About 20 minutes in, after I flipped it:
When the steak reached about 120 degrees, I finished it off in the firebox over super hot oak coals:
Resting, waiting to be sliced:
Separated cap from filet, started on filet slicing:
The meat was super juicy and tasty, and VERY tender - I could really tell the salt has permeated the meat, and could taste it well below the surface. The dry salt brine is a winner for me, and I’ll be doing it moving forward!
