Our #1 tip for perfectly cooked meat
Published February 16, 2020 to the newsletter
Hello,
Whenever I go to our butchers for a recipe, they're often pretty loose with the amounts of various ingredients and exact cooking times. But they're always very clear on one thing:
You MUST rest your meat.
Cooking is a process of denaturing proteins with heat. Between 120F and 140F, the proteins in animal muscle curl up and twist, which causes the meat to become opaque and tender.
If you cut into meat directly after cooking you'll lose a lot of the moisture and flavor you've worked so hard to build. Letting the meat sit at room temperature after cooking allows the proteins to reabsorb some of the flavorful juices that would otherwise run onto your cutting board and be wasted.
A good general rule is to rest meat for about half as long as you cooked it. So if you pan seared a pork chop for a total of 10 minutes, let the chop sit for 5 minutes before cutting. But if you roasted a chicken for two hours, you want to let it rest for at least 45 minutes.
For very long roasting times (4+ hours), you usually don't have to rest for more than an hour and a half. Bigger cuts of meat hold meat very differently than smaller pieces. You can always ask your Baron's butcher for detailed recommendations.
As always, if you have any questions, hit reply and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
All the best,
AJ with Baron's
PS:
What does resting meat look like in a recipe?
Cooking the Perfect Rib-Eye
1: Dry off your steaks. This allows the meat to brown quickly and evenly.
2: Heat a heavy pan on high heat. When it's very hot, place your steak in the center of the pan. Cook on high for three minutes each side.
3: Let the meat rest for five minutes
Serve with broccoli sauteed with garlic and creamy polenta for a fantastic meal