How To Cook Lean Meat Without Drying It Out

With its high protein content, lean meat is a great source of nutrition, but you might find it difficult to cook at first. The struggle of cooking lean meat lies in to its low fat content, which makes it a healthy choice but doesn’t keep it as moist during the cooking process. If you’re struggling with how to cook lean meat without it drying out, read on for some insider tips for cooking your best cut of lean meat yet.

Add the Right Seasoning

Believe it or not, you can season lean meat to keep it from drying out during cooking. Placing a cut of meat in a marinade dish will do more than add flavor—marinading meats is a great way to add some extra moisture to the cut and keep it tender. For grilling or baking lean meats, try adding them to a brine for a couple of hours. A brine will also help the meat retain moisture during the cooking process. Pre-salting your cut of meat can also help, although not right before cooking, as this can dry it out even more.

Prepare It Right

Beyond the seasoning process, there are other prep steps you can try to avoid a dry cut of meat. For example, try using a meat mallet or other kitchen utensil to pound the meat before cooking it. This process has several benefits, including tenderizing the meat, creating a uniform thickness that allows it to cook evenly, and keeping the meat moist. It is possible to create a cut that’s too moist, though—make sure not to overuse the mallet, or you risk a soggy piece of meat.

Another preparation method for lean meat is to score it. Scoring is the process of making cuts across the grain of the cut so that it stays loose and won’t tighten up during the cooking process.

Don’t Overcook It

Overcooking is one of the leading causes of a tough, dry piece of meat. The best way to ensure a juicy cut is to slow-cook it in a slow cooker, oven, smoker, or pot. If you have the time, slow-cooking is the best way to cook lean meat. After an all-day slow-cooking session, the meat will turn out juicy and tender.

The best thing about using a slow-cooker is it doesn’t require much effort—all you have to do is prepare the meat and pop it in, letting the cooker do the rest of the work.

Cooking lean meat can be tricky if you don’t know how to keep it tender. But now that you know how to cook lean meat without drying it out, you can take your recipes to the next level. Whether you’re cooking turkey, chicken, or red meat, you’ll have a moist, tender cut every time.

If you’re eager to try out these tips and searching for a wild game butcher shop, try Vincent’s Meat Market for the fresh cuts you need.