3 Reasons You Should Let Your Meat Rest After Cooking

When cooking meat at a high temperature, the proteins and fiber stiffen up and the meat juices congregate in the center of the cut. If you cut into your meat immediately after cooking, the stiff proteins and fibers make it hard to cut into and chew, and the juices in the center pour out, taking their flavor with them.

Nobody wants to eat tough, tasteless meat. Luckily, there's a simple trick that ensures your meat turns out tender and flavorful: resting it. Let's learn three reasons you should always rest your meat after cooking.

Reasons To Rest Your Meat

Resting your meat is beneficial because it gives the meat time to cool down and soften. As the meat softens, the juices redistribute themselves and reabsorb into the meat's fibers. So, what exactly does resting accomplish? Here’s how cooking is beneficial to your meat:

Softens the Meat

Resting your meat improves tenderness, making it much easier to cut into and eat.

Improves Flavor

Resting your meat improves the flavor by retaining and evenly redistributing the meat juices. This gives each bite a burst of juicy, seasoned flavor!

Juicier All Around

Because resting allows the meat juices to reabsorb into the meat fibers, you'll lose less juice when you cut into your meat. This creates moist meat that melts in your mouth!

How To Rest Your Meat

After cooking your meat on the grill, transfer it to a warm surface like a plate or cutting board. Take a small amount of aluminum foil and create a loose "tent" or "parachute" around the meat. Don't wrap it tightly—just drape it. The aluminum foil ensures the meat still retains some heat. You don't want a cold steak or roast, after all.

How Long Should You Rest Your Meat?

So, how long should you let your meat rest? Ideally, you should let the meat sit for 5-20 minutes depending on thickness. The thicker the cut, the more time it needs to cool. A good rule is to let the meat cool 10 minutes for every pound. Once the time is up, remove the foil and serve!

Schwank Grill's 1500 degree broiler cooks your meats and other grilled favorites quickly and flavorfully using the same professional tech as steakhouses like Del Frisco's and Morton's. Get your own Schwank Grill and Schwank Grill accessories today, cook up a feast, and let it rest using the guidelines above for an unbeatable and unforgettable meal.