Why You Should Let Your Meat Rest After Cooking

Did you know that the best grilling and cooking practices state that you should let your meat rest after taking it off the heat? Whether you’re skeptical or you’ve been practicing this for years without reason, you can keep reading to find out why you should let your meat rest after cooking.

Lets It Reach the Right Temperature

One of the most crucial steps of cooking meat is to get your cooking temperatures right. This is why using a meat thermometer is so important when cooking meat. Another tip for getting your temperatures just right is to let the meat sit for a few minutes after taking it off the grill, out of the pan, etc. The heat trapped within the meat will continue to cook it a bit longer as it sits. This helps it cook through completely without overcooking it on the heat.

Enhances the Flavor

Everyone wants a juicy and flavorful cut of meat. Did you know that letting your meat rest after cooking can help enhance the flavor and achieve a perfect cut? In fact, if you slice into the meat too soon after removing it from heat, you don’t give the juices inside the meat any time to reabsorb. Allow the meat to rest. This way, those juices can reabsorb into everything from the center of the cut to the outer edges. This will ensure you’ll have a moist and flavorful piece that will melt in your mouth when you cut into it later.

How Long To Let It Rest?

Each cut of meat is different when it comes to resting times. A good rule of thumb is to wait five minutes for every inch of thickness of the meat. You should always try to wait a minimum of five minutes to let meat rest, even if you’re in a hurry. For thicker cuts of meat, you may even want to wait up to 20 minutes. To keep it warm, you can cover the meat with a lid or wrap it in foil during this rest time.

Don’t let your delicious meat go to waste after long cooking sessions. Now that you know why you should let your meat rest after cooking, you can allow ample time for the meat to cook fully and retain its flavor. This tip will take your grilling and searing skills to the next level. Be sure to try it out on your next cut of meat. And if you’re wondering where to buy lamb chops and other meat cuts, you can order online right here at Vincent’s Meat Market.