Roast meat

[ellencho]

Usually, in a recipe for some roast meat, whether it be beef, pork, turkey etc, it tells you to let the meat sit for 20 minutes or so to rest before cutting into it, to prevent juice from spilling forth. However, even after waiting 20 minutes my pork loins, roast beef, whatever, almost ALWAYS spill juices. I normally cook meat with my trusty Pyrex Probe thermometer, so I began waiting for the temperature to stop rising, and begin falling. Oftentimes when I do that, any of the meat that is not near the core of the roast (where the thermometer is) is not as warm as I would like it to be for serving to my family.

Can anyone help me on this? The done-ness of my meat is never an issue, it's just the juice spillage and the serving temperature that are my issues.

Edited March 16, 2004 by ellencho (log)

[paul mitchell]

I'm no chef but I always let meat rest in a warm environment (ie stove or barbecue) - 20 minutes seems a little long - for steaks I usually put them on a plate tented in tin foil for five minutes tops - a roast I might let sit for 5-8 minutes tented - the juices in your meat will always run a little bit - its simply crying.

[FistFullaRoux]

I'd say the meat is fully rested when it stops hitting the snooze button...

Oh, you mean...

Always rest tented in alum foil in a warm spot. A thin cut should be finished resting after 5-10 minutes. The big ol thick roasts can go up to 25 or 30 minutes or more. If in doubt, cut off one slice from a hidden spot. (Quality control. You have to check the seasoning, you know.) If you aren't frantically reaching for towels to keep the juice from running off the board, you should be good to go.

Edited March 16, 2004 by FistFullaRoux (log)

[jackal10]

If you use the low temperature roasting method, then you don't need to rest it.

[elion_84]

A roasting method for large chunks of meat that I picked up from Alton Brown is to roast at a low temp (200-225) until the meat is about 10deg below desired doneness, rest about 20 minutes tented with foil, then stick into really hot over for a few minutes to create a crust.

For steaks grilled or fried medium-rare, resting for 5 minutes seems to be enough.

I've noticed that same cut of meat from different places or different quality will have different amounts of "blood." I suspect this is a matter of dry aging it so there's less moisture to spill.

[balmagowry]

I'd say the meat is fully rested when it stops hitting the snooze button...

Oh, you mean...

Beat me to it. I was thinking - when it opens its eyes, flutters its eyelashes and says, "Eat me"....

[aidensnd2]

A general rule of thumb is to rest for 1/2 the cooking time. Even with well rested meat you will still lose some of the juices when you cut it, just not as much as you would if you don't rest it at all.

[britcook]

The done-ness of my meat is never an issue, it's just the juice spillage and the serving temperature that are my issues.

I think you worry too much. If you have cooked a succulent piece of meat then it's going to be juicy, when you cut into it then it's bound to lose juice however long you rest it. If you don't get any juice then you've overcooked it. If the serving temperature is less than your family like then you've rested it too long. As a personal preference I'm not keen on over-hot food but I know some people don't think it's food unless it's piping hot, so get it at the right temp for them and stop worrying about the juice.

Again a foible but I cook steak in the shortest possible time and then leave it to rest close covered in foil for at least 15 minutes, sometimes more. My guests say I cook "the best steak" so I figure it can't be all wrong.

[bigorre]

When using conventionnal methods, half of the cooking time is needed for the meat tobe to bleeding everywhere....thats it and thats all trust me

[mnebergall]

Even with well rested meat you will still lose some of the juices when you cut it, just not as much as you would if you don't rest it at all.

To paraphrase DonRocks, I think this statement needs closer analysis.