Rest Meat & Poultry After Cooking | Let it Rest

Let It Rest | Let Meat & Poultry Rest After CookingTell me I’m not the only one who’s ever pulled a piece of meat or poultry out of the oven or off the grill, sliced into it and then wondered why my cutting board was covered in a pool of juices. You’ve been there, right? Well, that’s what happens when you don’t allow your meat to rest.

Rest Meat & Poultry After Cooking

There’s nothing worse than a dry, grainy steak or a piece of chicken with the moisture level of a desert, but more often than not these are the results many end up with for a couple of reasons. First, most meats and poultry are typically overcooked because cooks are often terrified – and rightfully so – of serving and eating undercooked food that could potentially make you sick. A meat thermometer is an easy fix for this one. 

The second cure for dry meat and poultry is so simple it doesn’t even require a purchase. You just have to let it rest.

Learning to rest meat and poultry after cooking is a simple, but crucial, step in cooking meats and poultry. It literally means leaving the food alone, or letting it rest, once it’s cooked. Here’s why. When food cooks, all the juices inside bubble up to the surface. If you slice the food immediately, you lose the juices because they haven’t had a chance to redistribute themselves throughout the food, which happens when they have a few minutes to rest. The bigger the piece of meat or poultry, the longer this takes. Rest a steak for 5 minutes, your Thanksgiving turkey for 15-20.

Practice your resting with these tasty recipes!

Perfectly Grilled Chicken Breasts

Spice-Rubbed Flank Steak

TOOLS:
Chef’s Knife

Cutting Board

The tools section may contain affiliate links to products we know and love.

Let It Rest | Rest Meat & Poultry After Cooking

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