The BEST Steak Seasoning Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the best seasoning for steak? ›

There are many spices available for seasoning a steak, with salt and pepper topping the list. However, other spices, like thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, and minced onion, are also good options to enhance your steak's flavor.

Spices like onion and garlic, with their inherent pungency, are some of the first that come to mind when it's time to season beef. They are savory and strong, and also easy to come by! Black Pepper goes wonderfully with beef, with its slightly hot bite and the piney aroma. Cayenne is a terrific spice to use with beef.

We use kosher salt (Diamond Crystal in our test kitchen) for seasoning steaks, because its crystal size allows for prime absorption into the outer layer of the steak. Partnered with freshly ground black pepper, it's an absolute essential steak prep step. Now, you make it rain kosher crystals on that meat.

A classic found in every steak house the world over: 1 tablespoon paprika. 2 tablespoons crushed black pepper. 1 tablespoon crushed coriander.

Add some butter, rosemary, thyme, and garlic cloves to the skillet, and let it all come together. Scoop some butter over the meat now and then. As the steak keeps cooking, it will absorb the flavors of the herbs and butter.

Thyme: Thyme contains natural acids that can help to break down meat fibers and make the meat more tender. Black pepper: Black pepper contains a natural compound called piperine, which can help to tenderize meat. Vinegar: Vinegar is an acidic liquid that can help to break down meat fibers and make the meat more tender.

Choose your tenderizer—salt, baking soda, citrus, or vinegar.

Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Sage, and Bay leaves are the best dried herbs to use when cooking beef. To use dried herbs with beef, you should consider which ones you want to include in your recipe and when you should add them.

Rub your steak with garlic

You don't need a really fancy rub to make your steak taste great. Simply slice a garlic clove in half and rub the cut part over the steak, including the sides. Feel free to toss the garlic in the pan when you cook the steak; it'll soften and become rich and tender.

How much seasoning do you put on a steak? ›

Season your steak with about ¾ - 1 teaspoon of salt per pound, applying on both sides. Since you obviously cannot "salt to taste," it's sometimes hard to know how much salt is enough. Many chefs recommend this benchmark as a good guide for pre-seasoning meat. Salt your steak at least 40 minutes before you cook it.

Thinner steaks can become too salty if left to season for too long. Watch the Salt: It's possible to overdo it with salt, especially on thinner cuts or if the steak ends up marinating for longer than intended.

Moral of the story: If you've got the time, salt your meat for at least 40 minutes and up to overnight before cooking. If you haven't got 40 minutes, it's better to season immediately before cooking. Cooking the steak anywhere between three and 40 minutes after salting is the worst way to do it.

Yes, you can use a rub or a marinade with steak. If you plan to grill the steak, a rub is the best option for adding flavor. See below for rub recipes. Steak that has been marinated has more surface moisture which causes it to cook slower over direct heat.

Seasoning for grilled streaks is to first coat the steak with a neutral oil such as grapeseed oil that has a high smoke point. From there, season the entire surface of the steak with sea salt. Salting the steak is the difference between a restaurant steak and a home-cooked steak.

Dried Herbs for Beef. Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Sage, and Bay leaves are the best dried herbs to use when cooking beef. To use dried herbs with beef, you should consider which ones you want to include in your recipe and when you should add them.