The Best Type Of Finishing Salt For Steak (And Why It's Important)

Steak has a well-deserved reputation for being a top-of-the-line dinner choice well-suited for celebrations and other special occasions. The truth is, its flavor all hinges on that most important of kitchen ingredients, salt. It may be humble, but its absence — like that of oxygen — has an immediate (if less fatal) impact. There are numerous seasoning salts you can use on your steak (check out our top five picks), but for an expert recommendation, The Takeout spoke with Jon Urbana of online wagyu beef supplier KOW Steaks.

Urbana, who is somewhat of a stickler about salt, told us, "For finishing steak, you want a salt that's light, flaky, and easy to control." He suggested something along the lines of Maldon or French sea salt, while other finishing salt options include fleur de sel, Himalayan pink salt, sel gris, and the kind of chunky salt that comes in a table grinder. "These salts have large, airy crystals that add a satisfying crunch and allow for even coverage without overpowering the flavor of the meat," said Urbana, noting that coarser crystals also sit on the surface instead of sinking into the steak as finer-ground salts might do. Using a finishing salt, he told us, is "a simple step that makes a big impact on the final flavor and presentation."

If you've marinated your steak or seasoned it with a dry rub, you might not want to add anything more than the barest sprinkling of a plain finishing salt as a final touch. If, however, you're a "more is more" person (as I am), you might like to go with a flavored finishing salt. Some salts may be flavored with chile peppers, others with citrus zest, while some, like chile lime salt, combine the two. Salts flavored with garlic and herbs are also available, as are smoked and truffle-flavored salts. You can also find finishing salts in flavors such as cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla, although these might be better suited to desserts than steak.

Jon Urbana, however, is more of a finishing salt purist. His preference is for unflavored Maldon sea salt, something he described as "incredibly light and delicate, with large, airy flakes that give you great texture without overwhelming the steak." He went on to add, "Unlike denser salts like kosher or traditional sea salt, Maldon has a clean flavor and a subtle saltiness that lets the meat shine." Although he doesn't opt for a salt with added citrus flavor, he does like to squeeze some lemon juice onto his salted steak. In his opinion, "It brightens everything up and adds just the right balance."