Seasoning the steak at the wrong time

When you season your steak is as crucial to how much you season it. Some chefs advise seasoning steak right before putting it in the pan because salt draws moisture out of the meat, making the outside layer damp and increasing the likelihood that the steak will steam rather than sear. And Thomas Godfrey, chef and food operations manager at The Meat & Wine Co in Sydney, tells Steak School that specifically with smaller steaks, salting too early can cause your meat to start curing, which makes it harder to get a lovely outer crust on it. Indeed, seasoning too far in advance may result in a drier steak overall, as The Spruce Eats points out.

However, according to other specialists, you can benefit from this peculiarity. According to Cooking Light, seasoning a steak at least 40 minutes before cooking will give it time to shed moisture and then reabsorb it, resulting in a dry exterior and seasoned interior. Seasoning a steak a full day in advance is even better. This in-depth article from Serious Eats on the science of seasoning steak is essential reading!