Salt-Baked Steak - by andrew gruel
We all know salt is flavor, but how about baking meat in salt? At first thought, one might cringe at the idea of a steak encased in salt, but think again, salt is the ultimate cooking vessel in this recipe. You will be shocked at how juicy and flavorful your steak comes out with this simple technique.
The idea behind this recipe is to create a thick salt “housing” within which the steak can roast. The salt keeps all of the moisture in while also permeating the outside of the meat. The added seasonings mixed in with the salt aggressively perfume the meat through the baking process.
In this recipe, I used a center-cut tenderloin as I normally find the tenderloin doesn’t have too much flavor given the lack of connective tissue. In addition, in many cases, regardless of cooking temp, the filet/tenderloin can come out tasting somewhat mealy or dry. So I figured, let’s give it a go with the salt bullet.
To start, all you will need is 4 cups of salt per lb of meat, 1 egg white per cup of salt, and whatever seasoning you like on your steak. I stuck with the simple garlic/herb combo - specifically fresh thyme. You can, however, get creative in this step and add different herbs, spices, heat, peppers, or whatever you like with your steak (try and avoid ketchup).
The process is quite simple - whip your egg whites, mix in the seasonings, then make a paste with the salt and encrust the steak. You can add a little water if the salt isn’t sticking (1/4 cup to cup fo salt works). Bake in a 400F oven until the steak temps to your preferred doneness, remove, crack the crust, rest, and slice!
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