That sous vide advice from a line cook at 2 AM actually worked

A line cook named Dave told me to season my steak 24 hours before bagging it, not right before the bath. I tried it last Sunday with a ribeye and the salt drew out way more moisture than my usual 2 hour wait. Has anyone else pushed the dry brine timing past what recipes say?

2 comments

2 Comments

blair_davis5012d ago

24 hours is actually the SWEET SPOT for most cuts of beef. Ive gone all the way to 48 hours with a thick bone in ribeye and it was borderline too salty on the surface but the inside was PERFECT. The science is simple. Salt takes time to break down proteins and pull out moisture then get reabsorbed. Most recipe sites just copy whatever trendy formula is popular that week but they never actually test the limits. Your line cook Dave knows what's up because those guys are messing with meat constantly during dead shifts. Try 36 hours next time on a cheaper cut like a sirloin. The texture change is wild. It firms up way more than a quick brine. Just watch your salt level. You dont need as much if you go long.

spencer_wood12d ago

Wait, you think going long on salt is always better? I've had the opposite happen... over 24 hours and the meat started getting that weird cured ham texture on the outside, especially with thinner cuts. That's why I stick to like 6-8 hours max, just enough to pull moisture out but not so long it turns the surface into jerky.