There is an erroneous belief that you should not salt meat before cooking because it "draws out the juices" and, as a result, dries out the meat.   Well, don't believe a word of that. Any chef will tell you that this is not true. In fact, some of the juiciest meat I've ever had has been salted or even brined before cooking. A brine is saltwater! SALT! Seasoning before you cook allows the salt to actually stick to the meat and changes and enhances the flavour of the surface of the meat. The difference is obvious once you try it. If you season after cooking, the salt just rolls right off.  You tend to need less salt if you season before cooking. Worried about sodium? It only takes a pinch! A pinch of table salt (1/8 tsp) contains less than 300 mg salt! Photography: Leah Kuhne