Why, Exactly, Did TikTok Completely Encrust A Steak In Salt?
How much salt is too much when cooking a quality steak? A viral TikTok video has some people online feeling a bit, well, salty, but there's more than just social media savvy going on here.
In the video from Jack Mancuso, who goes by chefcuso on the platform, he mixes a hefty amount of ordinary salt with egg whites until it reaches a clay-like texture, which he cakes in a thick, solid layer around all sides of a large, already seasoned steak, including the bottom. It's then smoked before the now-solid salt crust is removed and the steak is seared.
As might be expected from social media commenters, the responses were often somewhat biting. One asked if Mancuso would "like some steak with your seasoning," while another called it "high blood pressure in a steak." Others went as far as to accuse him of "ruining" the meat with the amount of salt.
While this might sound like a made-for-viral gimmick perfect for social media, baking a steak in salt is actually a technique that dates back thousands of years. It offers a variety of benefits for improved cooking and flavor, which is why the best steak restaurants coat their prime rib in rock salt before cooking. The main benefit comes when the salt forms a hard crust that seals in moisture and more evenly conducts heat into the meat.
The secret of salt: use a lot
Those expecting an inedibly salty, dried-out hunk of beef from using this technique should think again. As Jack Mancuso notes in the video, it's not overly salty due to the absence of salt in the rest of the steak seasoning and the fact that the baked salt breaks cleanly away from the meat's surface without leaving significant amounts behind.
@chefcuso Salt Baked Steak 🧂🥩 #steak #meateater #foodexperiment
To be sure, researchers have found that consuming excess salt can cause a number of health problems, from high blood pressure and stroke to kidney disease. But in reality, many people may be under-seasoning their steaks from a culinary perspective, even if they don't go as far as burying it like Mancuso. Before cooking, there should be a white layer of salt (usually along with black pepper), thoroughly coating every surface of the meat. Much of this will fall or drip off with the juices, producing the ideal taste without overly salty flavor.
Those looking to try TikTok's salt-crusted technique should remember to stick a grill thermometer into the steak before caking on the salt. Otherwise, there's no way to determine doneness without lots of trial and error — though with a recipe this simple and tasty, a lot of trial and error might not be the worst fate.