How to Season Meat Like a Pro

I want to be able to roast a chicken that will impress the family—who doesn’t? But every cooking show starts out with the host casually saying we’ll need to season with salt and pepper. It’s only a quick mention before they move right along to prep other ingredients. It leaves us to wonder, How much salt? Both sides?! By the time I’ve made my best guess about how to season meat, the host is already three steps ahead—and I’m ready to order pizza.

I rounded up the best tips on how to season meat so you can stop being exasperated by celebrity chefs’ advice and start cooking!

Choose the Right Salt

You want a salt that you can really grab on to and easily disperse. Chefs often season with kosher salt, which has a coarser “grain” than table salt. Because the salt has such large flakes, a whole tablespoon packs the same amount of sodium as a teaspoon of table salt.

The trick with salt is to use it liberally to enhance flavor, without making your food taste salty. Using table salt can quickly lead to over-seasoning. For now grab kosher salt (I use Diamond Kosher Salt and so does Chrissy Teigen) but any kosher salt will work.

Pick up the Pepper (or Not)

Do you love fresh cracked black pepper? That split-second of heat that zooms across your tongue and disappears? There’s no right answer to this question, but make sure you have an answer because it will help you choose what to do next.

If you like that hot bite of pepper, you’re going to wait to season your meat with pepper until right before it is sliced. This keeps the volatile oils that give pepper its pungent spice away from heat and much more potent. To tone down black pepper’s signature bite, season with it before the meat is seared. Heat will soften its flavor and impact on the overall dish.

Check out the seven mistakes everyone makes when cooking chicken.

How to Season Meat

Now you have the right salt in hand and you’ve made your decision about pepper, it’s time to start seasoning. I recommend that you season your meat first, then prep the rest of the meal. Salt pulls some moisture away from the surface on meat, which gives you the beautiful restaurant-style seared crust on steaks and extra-crispy chicken skin. It’s OK to season and leave your meat at room temp while you prep since it’s about to be cooked.

To season:

• Pat the meat dry with a paper towel on all sides
• With your hand at least 12 inches away, sprinkle salt on all sides of the meat. What you’re looking for is an even, single layer of salt, but if you’re into specific measurements, you can use about 1 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of meat
• Grind fresh black pepper onto your steak, roast or chops
• Allow to rest at room temperature

Test Kitchen tip: If you’re cooking poultry with the skin on, use your hands to season between the skin and the bird. (This will make your Thanksgiving turkey!) Do your best to create an even layer of seasoning under the skin. The salt will disperse as it’s absorbed into the poultry, so don’t be too worried if there are a few clumps.

Don’t forget to let your meat rest once it’s been cooked. Then slice and sprinkle with kosher or finishing salt, and fresh ground pepper before serving. You’re all ready for perfectly crusted steaks and baked chicken with crispy skin!

Mouthwatering Pot Roast Recipes

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Ultimate Pot Roast

Pot roast recipes are the ultimate comfort food. When juicy pot roast simmers in garlic, onions and veggies, everyone comes running to ask, "When can we eat?" The answer? Just wait—it will be worth it. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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Slow-Cooked Caribbean Pot Roast

This dish is definitely a year-round recipe. Sweet potatoes, orange zest and baking cocoa are my surprise ingredients. —Jenn Tidwell, Fair Oaks, California

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Chipotle Shredded Beef

This beef is delicious whether you serve it all rolled up in a tortilla, with corn salsa in a burrito, in a bun or over rice or mashed potatoes. So many options! —Darcy Williams, Omaha, Nebraska

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Stout & Honey Beef Roast

Here's a heartwarming meal that's ideal for chilly days and hectic nights. Honey, beer and seasonings make the sauce different and oh-so-good. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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Slow-Cooker Sauerbraten

My family is of German Lutheran descent, and although we enjoy this traditional beef roast, I never liked the amount of time and fuss it takes to make it. This recipe is so good and oh-so-easy. It's great served with dumplings, spaetzle, veggies or a salad. —Norma English, Baden, Pennsylvania

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Beef Paprikash with Fire-Roasted Tomatoes

Beef paprikash, a Hungarian dish, makes a marvelous Sunday dinner. We prefer it with kluski egg noodles, or try mashed potatoes. —Gloria Bradley, Naperville, Illinois

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Soy-Ginger Pot Roast

My husband really likes roast beef, and I really like my slow cooker. I brought in Asian influences for an all-day pot roast with some oomph. —Lisa Varner, El Paso, Texas

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Country Chuck Roast with Mushroom Gravy

This tender, savory roast practically melts in your mouth. It looks a bit more complex, but the hands-free oven time makes it my go-to company recipe on a cold day. —Mary Kay LaBrie, Clermont, Florida

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Sassy Pot Roast

I love walking into my home after a long day and smelling this lovely pot roast. You can add potatoes and carrots to round out the meal, and the leftover meat makes a comforting soup for the next night. —Susan Burkett, Monroeville, Pennsylvania

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Slow-Cooked Coffee Pot Roast

My family raves about my gravy when I prepare this recipe. Whenever I'm fishing for compliments, this pot roast is a sure hit! —Janet Dominick, Bagley, Minnesota

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Flavorful Pot Roast

On hectic days, this is so quick and easy to prep! Convenient packages of dressing and gravy combine to create a sauce worthy of a fall-apart roast. For a filling meal-in-one, serve with mashed potatoes and ladle the juices over top. —Arlene Butler, Ogden, Utah

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Slow-Cooker Pot Roast

I work full time, so this slow cooker roast beef is my go-to when I want a hearty, home cooked meal. It’s a comfort to walk in and smell this simmering slow cooker pot roast that I know will be fall-apart tender and delicious. —Gina Jackson, Ogdensburg, New York

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Contest-Winning Mushroom Pot Roast

Wow! The wine-warmed flavors in this recipe are amazing! Packed with wholesome veggies and tender beef, this is one company-special dish all ages will like. Serve with mashed potatoes to enjoy every last drop of the rich, beefy gravy. —Angie Stewart, Topeka, Kansas

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Cajun-Style Pot Roast

I often makes this zippy roast when expecting dinner guests. It gives me time to visit with them, and even my friend who's a chef enjoys this dish. —Ginger Menzies, Oak Creek, Colorado

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Marinated Pot Roast

I've long used whole or ground cloves as my secret ingredient in cooking and baking. Added to an overnight marinade, they provide the gravy in this meaty main dish with great flavor. —Marijane Rea of Milwaukie, Oregon

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Sunday Herbed Pot Roast Soup

I love having leftovers. It means a little less cooking the next day, and I often use them to make soup. With this recipe you could easily substitute leftover roast chicken and chicken broth for the leftover beef and beef broth. —Deonna Weight, Kearns, Utah

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Stout & Shiitake Pot Roast

Mushrooms, onions and a bottle of Guinness add excellent flavor to my pot roast. This one-dish wonder may taste even better the next day. —Madeleine Bessette, Coeur d Alene, Idaho

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Mediterranean Pot Roast Dinner

I first made this recipe one cold winter day. My family (adults, kids and dogs) were having a blast sledding and playing in the snow all day, and when we came inside supper was ready! This pot roast is perfect served with mashed potatoes, rice or dinner rolls. —Holly Battiste, Barrington, New Jersey

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Best Ever Roast Beef

This is the best roast beef recipe ever, and it’s great for family dinners! Cube leftover meat and save any extra sauce; they’ll add new flavor to basic fried rice. —Caroline Flynn, Troy, New York

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Moroccan Pot Roast

My husband loves his meat and I love my veggies, so we're both happy with this spiced twist on the beefy pot roast. With chickpeas, eggplant, honey and mint, it's like something you'd eat at a Marrakech bazaar. —Catherine Dempsey, Clifton Park, New York

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Beef Roast with Cranberry Gravy

I can easily get this robust recipe ready in the morning and let it cook all day so that it's ready for dinner when I get home at night. The hearty beef dish is also good for the weekends when we want to spend time outdoors or on day trips.—Diane Nemitz, Ludington, Michigan

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Java Roast Beef

Coffee adds richness to the gravy, which is perfect for sopping up with crusty bread or draping over mashed potatoes. —Charla Sackmann, Orange City, Iowa

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Tina's Pot Roast

This tender pot roast is a hearty, "feel good" meal. It's also kid-friendly. Even picky eaters usually gobble it up. The last time I made this for my family, the gravy was so tasty that we poured it over the entire meal—meat, carrots, and potatoes! —Tina Meyer, Lake Orion, Michigan

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Slow-Cooker Barbacoa

My husband adores this beef roast simmered in lime juice, chipotle and cumin. He would eat it one a week if I would make it that often! We have it over rice with cilantro and a spritz of lime. —Aundrea McCormick, Denver, Colorado

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Company Pot Roast

The aroma of this roast slowly cooking in the oven is absolutely mouthwatering. It gives the home such a cozy feeling, even on the chilliest winter days. —Anita Osborne, Thomasburg, Ontario

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Balsamic Braised Pot Roast

I first made this dish to impress my new mother-in-law. She loved it. Luckily, the oven does all the work in this never-fail recipe. — Kelly Anderson, Glendale, California

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Top-Rated Italian Pot Roast

I'm always getting recipe inspiration from newspapers and magazines. Here’s a tender roast with aromatic spices that give it a Moroccan feel. —Karen Burdell, Lafayette, Colorado

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Beer-Braised Roast with Root Vegetables

I like the combination of seasoned vegetables and lean meat in this recipe, and my wife likes how the seasonings complement the meat. I serve the roast with a garden salad and crusty multigrain bread. —Malcolm Cieszko, Washington, North Carolina

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Melt-in-Your-Mouth Chuck Roast

My husband and I like chuck roast recipes, so this slow-cooked recipe is terrific. You'll also love how flavorful and tender this comforting beef chuck roast turns out. —Bette McCumber, Schenectady, New York

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Mandy Naglich