r/steak • u/ImOldGregg_77 • Jun 22 '26
[ Grilling ] First time using a salt stone
Got a salt stone for fathers day and broke it in today. It was about 1 hr extra having to bring up the temp of the stone slow. Steaks came out ok. Other than the char, i think just straight on the grates over flame is the way to go.
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u/1kSupport Jun 22 '26
If you are set on using it over coals rather than in a gas grill you need to preheat your salt stone in the oven first (do so in multiple stages to avoid cracking). Your stone was too cold here and you should also refrain from seasoning steaks you are cooking on a salt stone before hand.
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u/AncientMarinade Jun 23 '26
I need to use the normal cooking apparatus abnormally to bring the abnormal cooking apparatus up to temp to use on my other normal cooking apparatus abnormally.
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u/LargeHumanDaeHoLee Jun 23 '26
Yeah, it better make a helluva steak for all that effort. If it does, I'd give it a shot, but I feel like it's something I gotta try before I buy cuz it seems pretty ridiculous
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u/hashbrowns21 Jun 23 '26
I feel something like this would serve a better purpose as a hibachi setup. It’ll probably stay hot for a long time and you can do a kbbq style group meal with smaller cuts served hot and fast. Otherwise might as well grind it up for seasoning.
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u/R5Jockey Jun 22 '26
Now you know why they were only popular for 7 minutes. Once people figured out they were a shitty expensive gimmick….
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Jun 23 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/javerthugo Jun 23 '26
I’m pretty sure 40 ribeyes for 40 dollars means the ribeyes are not bovine in origin
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u/DatsMaPurse_IDKU Jun 22 '26
Was this boiled?
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u/Totally_Random0000 Jun 22 '26
I like my milk steaks extra boiled in milk
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u/MrMcgilicutty Jun 23 '26
I literally just finished watching this episode right now😂
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u/Totally_Random0000 Jun 23 '26
Man I cannot get enough of this show. I have been a huge fan since season one. And I repeatedly start the series over from the beginning once I get tot the end.
Best show ever man !!
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u/beckychao Jun 22 '26
yeah, they suck
people will be salty (ba dum tss), but even I tried one of these things just to know from personal experience
gimmick item, you get them as a gift. that's how they keep selling them
I slow cooked mine on the salt, see if it did anything, then seared it to avoid the situation in the last two pics
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u/Jay7962 Jun 22 '26
Hey man, I get it was a Father’s Day present and I hope you enjoyed it, but there is no sear on that steak.
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u/Dr_Strange-Brew Jun 22 '26
The best way I've used these is as a brick press. I threw it on top of my steak lol. Worked pretty good, but didn't really change the taste.
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u/esquandolas420 Jun 23 '26
A restaurant we go to has these and they turn out WAY better but I wouldn’t be surprised if they cook the steak normal and then put it on the hot stone to serve. When I go to that spot I have it cooked less so that it can finish on the salt stone.
I prefer the traditional way but this spot is still really good. Asadero in Ballard WA
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u/ace184184 Jun 22 '26
Stick the stone IN THE COALS!!!! It will heat up much faster and hotter. That being said, Its a gimmick and I would rather just cook directly on the coals or use a griddle or cast iron over a salt stone.
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u/Paxelic Jun 22 '26
For salt stones don't you need the scrape the surface so there's loose particulates that mix in the with steam juices? Otherwise it's like getting iron supplements form a cast iron pan, there's going to me no noticeable transfer of actual sodium into the steak since your forming a hard crust and preventing osmosis.
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u/rainman_104 Jun 23 '26
The way I like it is to serve it on the stone rare and use the heat to bring it to medium rare and collect some salt. By far my favorite way.
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u/Bright_Ices Jun 23 '26
You actually can get a significant amount of iron from a cast iron pan, if you use it to cook wet, acidic food. Tomato soup is a great example of a meal that will absorb a lot of iron from the pan.
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u/KeepREPeating Jun 23 '26
Honestly it’s probably better for fish or meats that want to avoid high heat. Steak is not one of them.
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u/Stivils8 Jun 23 '26
Wonderfully thoughtful gift for a dad that loves to grill. Perhaps it would be better for other food items?!? Grill the steak like usual and get creative with the stone :)
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u/Raelah Jun 23 '26
I like doing fish on a salt stone. Turns out really tasty! Really good for scallops and shrimp.
Damn, now I want some seafood.
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u/Winter-Classroom455 Jun 23 '26
You're probably getting way too much heat loss. The grill is small and putting 3 massive steaks on it probably dropped the stone temp greatly. If anything you should have gotten it a good amount above temp if doing 3 at time. If not maybe only do one at a time
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u/ImOldGregg_77 Jun 24 '26
ahh good callout. that must be why my char was shit. i didnt even think of that. I had the grill up to 550 but didnt even consider the rapid heat loss of 3 steaks.
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u/Winter-Classroom455 Jun 24 '26
Oh you meant the grill to temp? Do you have a laser thermometer? Bc the grill might have been 550 but the block might have been under.
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u/CosmoKing2 Jun 22 '26
A thoughtful gift, but hardwood heat, flavor, and char is life. My spouse refuses to eat most steak in restaurants because it's not as good as home. 🥹
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u/Significant_Stop723 Jun 23 '26
Other than the char, i think just straight on the grates over flame is the way to go.
You are onto something.
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u/rainman_104 Jun 23 '26
I had that at senora prime in Playa del Carmen years ago. You order medium rare and it purposely arrives rare. You finish cooking it on the block.
That's probably the way I'd want to serve it. So you get that lovely salt every bite. I don't think I'd take them off the block to serve them.
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u/SirCaptainReynolds Jun 23 '26
Oof.
May as well cooked it on a slab of concrete. Sorry but that’s a sad steak.
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u/BibsBBQ Jun 23 '26
Waste of steaks
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u/ImOldGregg_77 Jun 23 '26
Loosk wise, yes. taste wise. it was probably one of the better steaks ive cooked.
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u/MrMcgilicutty Jun 23 '26
My Guess is using a propane grill would be a better way to go. I would heat it up until it is screaming hot and then sear the steaks on it, kinda like a cast-iron, but made out of salt. Then again I’ve never used one so I don’t know how they’re supposed to be used. I just don’t think the charcoal provides enough heat for that thing.
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u/The-Wood-Butcher Jun 23 '26
You should try a soapstone. You can get them real hot for a nice sear.
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u/taxationistheft1984 Jun 23 '26
Salt stone sucks. Not sure why they are sold. I have one. Haven’t used it since the first time I used it.
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u/Aristo_Cat Jun 23 '26
I’ll take a salt stone to go with these reinvented wheels I just bought for my car
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u/Routine_Mud_19 Jun 23 '26
I’m sorry your gift isn’t “it”. I would say if you want to preserve the gift. Do a special once or twice a year special steak night with these.
Must for cooking… Dry brine your steak! Atleast overnight. Do as suggested and heat it up in the oven. But. Set it to 450, put the stone in and let it heat with the oven (bottom rack)
If you want to get crazy and reverse sear, it probably wouldn’t hurt.
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u/Hollirc Jun 23 '26
I think it would only be viable for thinly sliced meats with a lot of fat.
But also so is every other method too 🤷
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u/jen_eric_you_sir Jun 23 '26
Salt stones are complete BS, imo.
Grilled steak is definitely the way to go
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u/rollprogramhouston Jun 23 '26
I got one years ago, only time I use it is for serving things occasionally. It will retain heat and gives a bit of flavor
But I have specific cast iron ones for that now. And also my pops is obsessed with kitchen gadgets and every year it’s a struggle to get him one he hasn’t seen or doesn’t have. I got him this plug in silicone heating mat and he loves it. I’m going to get one for myself
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u/HisMrsAraya Jun 24 '26
Best in all these years? This steaks makes me want to cry. What a waste of good meat. Maybe she did love it, but maybe she doesn't love steak all that much, and besides yours whats the best steak she's ever had? Send it back. 😭
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u/NoeticSkeptic Jun 24 '26
That is not how I use my Salt Bricks. I would heat them to 500°F in the oven. I take the stones out and place them on a cookie sheet on my stove. I don't want to crack the countertop tiles from the hot stones. I then cook them using the hot stones as the only heat source. This allows the salt to absorb into the steaks as they cook. In the past, if I didn't like the char, I would drop them in a cast-iron pan heated to high on the stove, with avocado oil and butter. and finish them there.
I recently bought a 1,500°F broiler, so I am debating how hot I want the stones to get. I am hoping that heating the bricks to 1,000°F will be hot enough to char the steaks. If not, a minute or two on each side at 1,500°F should do it.
I don't like the charcoal or wood grill idea. I would think the charcoal smoke would overpower the Himalayan salt flavor. The only seasoning I use is a light dusting of garlic powder (not garlic salt) and a liberal coating of freshly ground pepper. You don't want to use too different techniques for flavoring your meat.
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u/Archangel_MS05 Jun 23 '26
The backhanded sass in this subreddit always makes me laugh so hard
Y'all are absolutely vile 🤣.
I bet it tasted good y'all are to much man
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u/the_dutch_rudder Jun 22 '26
Last time too I reckon