Question
Tyler Orman
When practicing seasoning proteins. Is there a way other than trial by fire or error? Are there any key indicators to look for when a protein is underseasoned before cooking, serving or tasting?
Answer
Well, uh, so ultimately you need to go through some trial and error, okay? And if we're talking about seasoning in a, in a, um, well in the most simple way, right? Which is salt, and then whatever other additional things you wanna put onto that and the way of spices, then, you know, uh, take a look at an example video or two online, uh, to get a little idea of what folks are using versus the, the size of the meat that they're seasoning. And then cook it. And then you're gonna see how that translates to your palate and how you like that product. It's gonna also vary depending on the type of salt you use, and also the type of black pepper or the freshness of the pepper, as well as the other spices that you might be using. Um, variety and freshness make a really big difference when it comes to flavoring and seasoning any food. Uh, but in this case, the, you know, the, the seasoning and flavoring of, of meats, okay? Um, and, you know, even if you were to take a look at, um, information online or in cookbooks, take that information as a broad framework and as a starting point, and then take notes for yourself, uh, based upon your own experience and the specific ingredients that you're using. Okay? Um, and then definitely, you know, when it comes to serving something, you, you wanna taste anything, whether it's meat or non-meat items before you serve it, or at least that's certainly the ideal so that you know what you're putting out for your guests, okay? And, um, uh, repetition is super important in the kitchen, and this is why working in a restaurant, right, really ramps up, uh, a cook's palette and ability to do these certain tasks compared to a home cook who's trying to do the same tasks but doing them much less frequently. Okay? So, um, even if you're doing it at home, try to do it a little more frequently instead of once every month. Try to do it three times a month or twice a week. And you know, you're not gonna get that 20 times a night repetition that you might if you're working on the line in a restaurant, but you're gonna get that repetition that's greater than once a week, for example. And it makes a big difference, even one additional time or two additional times within some given timeframe, okay? Um, your experience, uh, ultimately is, uh, what counts when you're doing the cooking for your guests. So, um, Tyler, I hope that, um, you will, uh, take on this challenge with a notepad and a pencil and have some fun with the process.
