Salt and Meat: Timing for Flavor and Texture - Section 4: The Art of Proper Sequencing

Professional kitchens understand something that most home cooks miss: seasoning happens in sequence, not all at once. Salt plays its role first, alone, because its job is fundamentally different from every other ingredient you might add.

Salt changes the very structure of what you're cooking, altering the meat's taste and its ability to hold moisture. This transformation requires direct contact between salt and protein. Any barrier, no matter how thin, compromises the process.

When you combine salt with oil, you're wrapping the meat in a coating that prevents the salt from reaching the protein directly. Salt can also accelerate the oxidation of fats, leading to oil degradation and the formation of undesirable flavors and odors.

Apply salt first, alone, and let it complete its work. After the meat has reabsorbed the moisture, then add whatever other flavors your recipe demands. This approach gives you the full benefit of proper salting plus whatever additional complexity you're seeking.

When recipes call for mixing salt with other ingredients from the start, recognize that you're making a trade-off. You might develop interesting flavors, but you're sacrificing the profound textural and seasoning improvements that salt alone can provide.