Season generously

"Season generously" means use a good amount of salt, and often pepper, more than a light sprinkle. Recipes say it for thick cuts of meat, whole birds, roast vegetables and pasta water, where a little salt on the surface has to flavor a lot of food inside. It does not mean make the food salty. It means make sure the food is properly seasoned.

How to do it

1. Pat dry meat or fish first so the salt sticks.
2. Use coarse kosher-style salt or flaky salt if you can. It is easier to see and spread than fine table salt.
3. Hold your hand 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 inches) above the food and sprinkle so the salt falls evenly.
4. Cover all sides, including the edges.
5. As a guide for meat, use about 1 percent of the meat's weight in salt, about 1 teaspoon of fine salt per 500 g (1 pound).
6. For thick cuts and roasts, salt 1 to 24 hours ahead, uncovered in the fridge. This is a dry brine. Otherwise salt just before cooking.

Why it works

Salt only works where it reaches. On a thick steak or roast, all the salt goes on the outside, so you need more than seems right to season the whole bite. Given time, salt draws out juices, dissolves in them and is drawn back into the meat. For vegetables and pasta water, much of the salt stays behind in the pan or the water, so you need to start with more.

Common mistakes

• Salting from close up. You get salty patches and bare spots.
• Salting meat 5 to 30 minutes before cooking. The surface is wet with drawn-out juices and does not brown well. Salt right before, or an hour or more ahead.
• Seasoning generously when the dish has other salty parts, like soy sauce, cheese, bacon or stock. Season lightly and adjust at the end.
• Using the same volume of fine table salt as coarse salt. Fine salt packs more into a spoon and tastes much saltier.

In recipes

"Season generously with salt and pepper" is the common form. "Season to taste" means start smaller and adjust as you go. A pinch of finishing salt on top before serving is a separate step.