Just a pinch of salt won’t cut it.

The main divide is between doing it ahead of time versus right before the steak touches theskillet.

For us, a little pinch of salt right before hitting thegrilldoesnt really cut it.

Southern Living Steak Marinade cooking the steak

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

The longer the meat sits, the more well-seasoned and juicy it will be.

Letting the meat rest after it has been salted is key.

Aim to salt your steak roughly an hour before cooking.

Pan Seared Chuck-Eye Steaks image

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson; Food Styling: Robby Melvin

For more even coverage, sprinkle the salt from a good height above your steak when seasoning.

This technique will help avoid concentrating salt in any particular spot.

Choosing the Right Salt

The kind of salt you use matters greatly.

This matters because that means a teaspoon of one brand can be saltier than a teaspoon of another brand.

Our test kitchens have found that 5/8 teaspoon of Morton salt is equal to 1 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal.

If you only keep Morton salt on hand, reduce the amount you use accordingly.

What about table salt?

When it comes to steaks, theSouthern Livingtest kitchens prefer to use kosher salt for better control.

Marinating

This is another technique for seasoning, but also tenderizing steaks.

To ensure good browning, it’s a good idea to pat off excess marinade before cooking the steak.

Dry rubs

Rubs can help form a flavorful crust on any steak.

you’re able to also use your favorite bought seasoning salts and spice blends too.

Frequently Asked Questions

You want to evenly cover a steak on all sides with salt and pepper.

We recommend 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper per pound of meat.

This is hotly debated.

Aim for around an hour, so that the salt has time to absorb into the meat.

If you have more time, let it rest overnight in the refrigerator for the most deeply seasoned results.