So why do you steal leftover steak from the salivating mouth of your starving dog, it’s rightful owner?
I was thinking about this post a lot, so I tried ketchup on steak this past weekend. I didn’t like it, but I had to see. I try to keep an open mind!
If you have no dog (or steak-loving cat for smaller portions), why not eat it cold? Cold steak is tasty too.
Not just no, but Hell No!!
Houston, TX
but the answer was the same when I lived in Peoria, IL, Appleton, WI or any of the other dozen or so locations.
I really don’t get all the passion (to use a kind word). I mean, all you need do is don’t put any kechup on your steak!
About cold, Sourdough bread, mayo on one slice, catsup on the other, and sliced cold rare steak in the middle. Cheddar if you like.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me it’s a reaction to no longer having to eat Navy food, which was…
Well, I used to comment that the Navy had it’s own four food groups: shoe leather, paste, cardboard, and flavor. Catsup and tobasco being the mainstays of the flavor group.
Since leaving the Navy I no longer have to use their four food groups, and I tend to avoid the ‘flavor’ group as much as possible.
Navy food! Tell me about it ('64 - '68).
To tell the truth, for most of my enlistment the shipboard food was pretty good. While at shore duty, for school, it really sucked. I hear I was lucky.
Is it really? Does the American mainstream actually add salt to other people’s food before serving it? I’ve been to people’s houses that did that before, and didn’t appreciate it. There’s a salt shaker on the table for a reason, right? It’s so everybody can choose how much salt they want in their food.
When I want a piece of meat preserved to take along on a wilderness trip, I’ll rub it with salt and dry it. That’s what salt is for. Just (please?) don’t add it to my steak before serving it to me.
We eat too darned much salt these days.
It’s way out of the mainstream. Take a look at any cookbook (excepting specific low-sodium ones) and try to find a single entree dish that has no salt in it. Almost all side dishes and desserts will also have salt in them.
As I understand it, the earlier salt is added in the cooking process, the more completely it permeates the food and works its magic. Salt is a flavor intensifier: I’m not sure exactly how it works, but it makes other flavors taste stronger. It’s an integral part of nearly all recipes and dishes.
You say you haven’t appreciated it when you go to other folks’ houses where they add salt in advance–but if you’ve ever been to a normal restaurant (i.e., not one that’s specifically low-sodium), they’ve also done it, and probably everyone who cooks for you adds salt in advance.
Are you sure you’re not just objecting to folks who go crazy with the salt? It really is almost ubiquitous in the kitchen.
ETA: Check out this collection of steak recipes; try to find a salt-free one.
Daniel
A kosher salt rub on a room temperature piece of steak about 30 minutes before you grill it will bring some of the juices to the surface of the meat, allowing you to get a much better sear. You can always brush most of the remaining salt off after grilling, but why bother? 
I’ll back you up on this one. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a non-dessert recipe that did not have salt in its ingredients, unless it was a specifically low-sodium recipe or possibly some sort of salad (even there, the dressing has salt). Even with desserts there is salt most of the time. Salt is a key component to bringing together and amplifying the flavors of most dishes.
I do not make enough money to be that wasteful. ::shrugs:: Besides, I rarely eat steak these days outside of a restaurant, and I often just dump leftovers on a plate and reheat them to minimum warmness standards for the food that tastes yuckiest cold. Most of the time this means a slightly overdone steak and some lukewarm potatoes/carrots/beans/whathaveyou.
Our dog gets enough treats as it is. 
Okay. Sounds like I’m out of the mainstream. I love the flavors of good food, though, and I really see no reason to add salt. I cook a lot, and I generally omit salt in the recipes and get compliments (“that recipe didn’t turn out that good for me”) on the results.
There are exceptions, of course. I’d never make pretzels or potato chips without salting them. It’s just part of what they are. Mashed potatoes, steak, and corn on the cob, though? Maybe–MAYBE–a dash of salt on the corn, but definitely none on the salt or taters.
Try it. Get a good steak and grill it without salt. Does it really taste like it’s missing something? It certainly doesn’t to me.
An interesting article on the subject.
Read the sidebar, about taste’s importance for the survival of ancient peoples.
Moderation, eh.
Interesting article, but I’m pretty skeptical of it, especially considering the recent fad among upper-end New York restaurants to serve deep-fried fat with fat gravy on top. Among the most sought-after gourmet treats are items like foie gras. I’m not sure that a finely-developed palate will necessarily lead to better health.
Daniel
I agree with that, but my primary interest was in the four essential tastes and the reasons behind them. I’m a little suprised that fat isn’t there, to encourage protein consumption. Though the actual need for protein is pretty low.
You’re forgetting the fifth, umami, which does just that. It’s the “meat/protein/savory” taste.
I was being “old school”. Some will argue with you about umami. But it does fill the old gap.
Good catch. Thanks.
No salt on the taters? Yuck. My mother used to undersalt (or completely omit the salt) from potatoes when I was growing up. Gross. I generally do not add additional salt to my food at the table, but that’s food that’s been properly salted to begin with (and I will agree that pretty much all fast food and even diner food is oversalted). But mashed potatoes without any salt? I don’t understand why people avoid salt like it’s some sort of poison. Salt is the glue that brings flavors together. Undersalted food tastes like it’s missing something to me. And, yes, steak without salt tastes less “meaty” and “steaky” than it should. At least to me.
I can imagine eating ketchup with an overcooked steak.
-FrL-