Rib of beef baked in Maras salt

A rib of beef doesn't require much: good quality meat, high heat, and salt. It is precisely because there are few elements that the choice of salt matters.

Ingredients — for 2

• 1 rib of beef, about 800g, 4 cm thick
• 1 tablespoon of coarse pink Maras salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to serve

Preparation

1. Take the meat out of the refrigerator one hour before cooking. A cold rib will cook unevenly: the outside will turn grey before the center is warm.
2. Pat it dry with paper towels on both sides. A damp surface won't sear, it will steam.
3. Season generously with coarse salt just before placing it on the heat.
4. Use a very hot cast iron skillet or red-hot coals. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side for rare, 7 to 8 for medium.
5. Let it rest for 10 minutes on a cutting board, without covering with aluminum foil.
6. Slice perpendicular to the grain, add pepper, and serve.

Coarse salt rather than fine

Salt attracts water. Fine salt, being very soluble, dissolves immediately upon contact with the meat and draws out the juices to the surface — you lose moisture and you miss the sear.

Coarse salt, on the other hand, takes time to melt. It remains on the surface during searing, forms a crust with the juices, and releases its salt gradually. This is also why it salts "in bursts": you bite into a crystal from time to time, and the rest of the bite is not saturated.

Resting is not optional

During cooking, the fibers contract and push the juices towards the center. If you slice immediately, they will run out onto the board. Ten minutes are enough for them to redistribute.

Do not cover with aluminum foil: the trapped steam will soften the crust you just created.

To accompany

Roasted potatoes with smoked salt, or a disc of herb butter placed on the meat immediately after cooking.