The Most Important Step Everyone Skips
You have seasoned your steak perfectly, cooked it to the ideal temperature, and now you are ready to dig in. But wait – resting your meat might be the most crucial step of all, and skipping it can undo all your hard work.
Why Resting Matters
When meat cooks, the heat pushes moisture toward the center. Cutting immediately releases all those juices onto your cutting board instead of your plate. Resting allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
What Happens During Resting
- Juices redistribute: Moisture moves back toward the surface
- Temperature evens out: Hot spots equalize for consistent doneness
- Carryover cooking: Internal temp rises 5-10 degrees
- Muscle fibers relax: Results in more tender meat
How Long to Rest Different Cuts
| Steaks (1-inch) | 5 minutes |
| Thick steaks (1.5-2 inch) | 7-10 minutes |
| Pork chops | 5-7 minutes |
| Roasts (3-5 lbs) | 15-20 minutes |
| Brisket | 30 minutes to 2 hours |
| Whole chicken | 10-15 minutes |
How to Rest Properly
- Transfer to cutting board: Remove from heat source
- Tent loosely with foil: This keeps it warm without steaming the crust
- Do not wrap tightly: Trapping steam makes crispy crusts soggy
- Let it be: Resist the urge to poke or cut
Pro Tips
- Account for carryover cooking – pull meat 5 degrees before target temp
- Warm your plates while meat rests
- Save any juices that collect and pour over sliced meat
Quality meat from Ruiz Custom Meats deserves proper resting – your patience will be rewarded!
