Kosher veal steak more salty than kosher beef steak - is it expected and why?
When I make veal vs. beef steak from kosher meat, it consistently seems to me that the veal is significantly more salty.
The steak isn't salted by me at all (aside from whatever saltiness remains from koshering process).
The difference persists between different methods (grilling in a stove pan vs. in convection oven).
The steaks (shoulder) are sourced from the same supermarket and to the best of my knowledge are sourced from the same producer by them.
Is this difference in saltiness something expected (or just in my head) and if so, why?
The steaks aren't rinsed (either one).
Best Answer
As a calf ages and matures into a cow, the structure, texture, and taste of the meat changes. Veal will naturally have a milder flavor and finer texture than beef.
The younger the calf, the less developed and dense the muscle structure will be. The less dense the muscle structure is, the more the flavor will penetrate the meat.
So, even in the same process, veal should pick up more of the flavor than beef would.
Also, because the flavor of veal is much milder, it would stand to reason that salt (or any other flavors) would stand out more prominently.
Pictures about "Kosher veal steak more salty than kosher beef steak - is it expected and why?"
Why is there so much salt in steak?
Adding salt to the exterior of a piece of steak draws out the moisture in the steak. The salt then dissolves in this moisture, creating a brine that is then re-absorbed back into the steak. In this process, the lean muscle proteins in the meat are broken down, made juicier and more tender. All thanks to salt!Why is kosher salt better on steak?
Not the iodized stuff. We use kosher salt (Diamond Crystal in our test kitchen) for seasoning steaks, because its crystal size allows for prime absorption into the outer layer of the steak. Partnered with freshly ground black pepper, it's an absolute essential steak prep step.Do you wash salt off steak?
It is not recommended to rinse meat in general, as there is no need to rinse the salt off. Leaving the salt brine on your steak actually gives the outside edges that classic char you think of when you envision the perfect steak. The steak does not need to be dry before it hits the hot pan or grill that you are using.Do you need to salt kosher meat?
After allowing for excess water to drip off the meat, the meat is thoroughly salted so that the entire surface is covered with a thin layer of salt. Only coarse salt should be used. Both sides of meat and poultry must be salted. All loose inside sections of poultry must be removed before the kashering process begins.Kosher Meat: De-Veining, Salting and Soaking
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Waldemar Brandt, Dimitri C, Ruslan Khmelevsky, Farhad Ibrahimzade