maybe it's a cooking fashion because the rules seem to change every few years. when I was being taught to cook as a teen, was told to never salt a steak before searing or grilling (because it dries it out) but to season it after - while it was resting. Few years later and seasoning was trying to take the limelight. A half hour before cooking. Now I see it should be during - not straight away mind - but a few minutes into the cook. http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/steak_and_perfectly_77968
