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How to Salt a Roast (and Other Meats)

Use salt (and time) to improve the texture of your meat.

Published Nov. 17, 2015.

How to Salt a Roast (and Other Meats)

Salting is more convenient than brining (no need to cram a large container of salt water in the fridge), and it won’t thwart the goal of crispy skin on poultry or a well-browned crust on steak, chops, and roasts since no moisture is added to their exteriors. When salt is applied to raw meat, juices inside the meat are drawn to the surface. The salt then dissolves in the exuded liquid, forming a brine that is eventually reabsorbed by the meat. The salt changes the structure of the muscle proteins, allowing them to hold on to more of their own natural juices. Salting is the best choice for meats that are already relatively juicy and/or well marbled.

We prefer to use kosher salt for salting because it’s easier to distribute the salt evenly.

Kosher Salt: What It Is and How to Use It

Coarse-grain kosher salt is raked during the evaporation process to yield flaky crystals originally used for koshering meat. Unlike table salt, kosher salt doesn’t contain any additives.

How We Use It: Kosher salt is our top choice for seasoning meat. The large grains distribute easily and cling well to the meat’s surfaces.

Shopping Tip: The two major brands of kosher salt—Morton and Diamond Crystal—work equally well; however, their crystal sizes differ considerably, and this makes a difference when measuring by volume.

How Much Kosher Salt Is in a Teaspoon?

Given its coarser crystal structure, kosher salt packs a lot less into each teaspoon when compared with table salt. In fact, even the volume measurements between the two major brands of kosher salt—Morton and Diamond Crystal—very significantly.

Here’s how they measure up:

1 teaspoon table salt = 1½ teaspoons Morton kosher salt = 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt

Below we list the roasting cuts that we typically salt, along with notes on timing and method. If using Morton kosher salt, reduce the amounts listed by 33 percent.

How to Salt Meat and Poultry

How to Salt Steaks, Lamb Chops, Pork Chops

How much kosher salt? ¾ teaspoon per 8-ounce chop or steak

How long? 1 hour

How to salt? Apply salt evenly over surface and let rest at room temperature, uncovered, on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet.

How to Salt Beef, Lamb, and Pork Roasts

How much kosher salt? 1 teaspoon per pound of meat

How long? At least 6 hours or up to 24 hours

How to salt? Apply salt evenly over surface, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and let rest in refrigerator.

How to Salt a Whole Chicken

How much kosher salt? 1 teaspoon per pound of meat

How long? At least 6 hours or up to 24 hours

How to salt? Apply salt evenly inside cavity and under skin of breasts and legs and let rest in refrigerator on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. (Wrap with plastic wrap if salting for longer than 12 hours.)

Bone-In Chicken Pieces; Boneless or Bone-In Turkey Breast

How much kosher salt? ¾ teaspoon per pound of meat

How long? At least 6 hours or up to 24 hours

How to salt? If poultry is skin-on, apply salt evenly between skin and meat, leaving skin attached, and let rest in refrigerator on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. (Wrap with plastic wrap if salting for longer than 12 hours.)

Whole Turkey

How much kosher salt? 1 teaspoon per pound of meat

How long? 24 to 48 hours

How to salt? Apply salt evenly inside cavity and under skin of breasts and legs, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and let rest in refrigerator.

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