Pool of juice under resting steak - why ?

markopa

Hello masters

I'm learning my way into grilling and I've come across a problem that I simply can't find the answer although I'm following the theory.

So, I (wet) age my steaks and I usually put them out of the fridge around 15 min before putting them on the BGE. I them sear/cook them. Now, following the advice on how not to lose the juices I let the steaks rest for  up to 10 minutes. I cover them with foil. Not tightly, but not not loosely.

The problem is that while resting the lose a lot of juice. In fact there is an entire pool under them. I usually pick this up with a spoon and throw it over the sliced parts, but this is just fighting the symptom. The juicy meat is already dried at that moment.

This is really frustrating as according to theory resting should prevent loosing of juices as resting allows them to distribute towards the center. However this is not working for me as during resting I loose it all.

Any ideas where I'm failing ?

Thx.

fishlessman

its the cold plate, try resting them on a rack above the plate, you will lose less juice, and theres no need for the foil

Skiddymarker

I don't rest, but then I reverse sear so I don't have too. Use a warmed plate and rack to keep the juices in and maybe just serve immediately, I rest to equalize temp, not moisture. 

check this out:

http://www.amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/mythbusting_resting_meat.html

SoCal_Griller

Great read!  Thanks Skiddy

jhl192

How many times are you poking the steak with the Thermapen?  What are you turning the steaks with?  Tongs or a fork.  The more holes, the more juice.  

zosobao5150

I agree that it is a great read, but just about every show on the cooking channel or food network say to rest the meat to allow the juices to re-absorb.

Skiddymarker

zosobao5150 said:

I agree that it is a great read, but just about every show on the cooking channel or food network say to rest the meat to allow the juices to re-absorb.

You are right, but that doesn't mean either proponent may be correct. Lots of sources tell you to season your meat and then sear it. Science shows that everything except a mineral, salt, will burn during the sear (if you sear first), yet many of us still do it. 

Like @jhl192 notes, we have all been taught to turn with tongs because using a fork or taking temp too often will poke holes in and dehydrate the meat. Many professionals, including some local steak houses use pig tail flippers. The loss of moisture due to a couple of small holes does not make a difference.

MCAH has a number of steak methods, two suggest we season and serve immediately, one suggests a 5 minute rest. 

With a reverse sear, the meat has already rested during the low part of the cook. I even dab steaks with a paper towel to dry the surface if need be. The sear is so fast the moisture does not need to be "re-absorbed". The steak can be served immediately as the sear was done for colour and Mailard reaction taste, not really to cook. 

It is a never ending discussion as it should be, and that's why I like to try what others use and suggest and then keep what works for me. 

berndcrisp

It's just a steak and it is rocket science. I'll radio the I.S.S.

RRP

Not to stir the pot, but instead of wet aging my meat I prefer to dry age mine. Dry aging means the sub primal will typically lose 20 to 28% of the weight which is nothing but tasteless water anyway. AND that water is what some people call the juice in the steak...then I just use the hot tub method followed by a sear and enjoy wonderful steaks immediately! No tenting nor resting needed!

Mike_the_BBQ_Fanatic

What is the process for aging...wet or dry? I generally buy mine at the store or butchers just a day or two before cooking. One butcher I visited showed me where they age but I haven't tried theirs yet.

RRP

Mike_the_BBQ_Fanatic said:

What is the process for aging...wet or dry? I generally buy mine at the store or butchers just a day or two before cooking. One butcher I visited showed me where they age but I haven't tried theirs yet.

Wet aging means just leaving the sub-primal (10 to 16 pounder) in a Cryovac sealed bag from the meat processor for the number of days you want to age it. Dry aging is done several ways but means out of the Cryovac and resting however to dry for however long you want. I personally prefer to use a product made for dry aging to keep SWMBO happy and the cut of meat determines the length of dry aging. This weekend marks 45 days for a New York strip that I already know will be kick butt!!! 

Mike_the_BBQ_Fanatic

Thanks Ron!

Angus1978

+1 on reverse sear and warmer plate. Still lose juice.....but not as much. Sous vide + searing works too

Mickey

fishlessman said:

its the cold plate, try resting them on a rack above the plate, you will lose less juice, and theres no need for the foil

I have followed your thoughts for years and do not doubt you now. But this is the first I have seen not tenting/foiling a good steak. Any explanation on that? Please. Plus I noticed cazzy ( who I will see Sat) and Griffin (who unfortunately I will not see Sat) joined you.

Nature Boy

zosobao5150 said:

I agree that it is a great read, but just about every show on the cooking channel or food network say to rest the meat to allow the juices to re-absorb.

Those shows also often refer to other things that have been proven as myths…like "searing seals in the juices", "marinades tenderize meat", and more. You hear it all the time on those shows. I love a good myth debunking, and found the article fascinating and eye opening. Always something new to learn.

Many roads to a righteous bite of food!

Chris

markopa

Thanks guys.

The link provided above is good reading with one big problem - it tries to deny what all good chefs are telling us in the shows. However my experience has something in common with the explanation. Especially the part about the carryover and the fact that a cold steak isn't that good anymore as it becomes chewy.

As for loosing the liquid during resting I'll try with a hot plate and a rack. Btw... I'm not poking (maybe 2~3 times during cooking) the steak and I'm not turning it with forks. 

As for the directions in the link, honestly, I have to try as I havign nothing to loose - I loose liquid anyway

Thanks, Marko

fishlessman

Mickey said:

fishlessman said:

its the cold plate, try resting them on a rack above the plate, you will lose less juice, and theres no need for the foil

I have followed your thoughts for years and do not doubt you now. But this is the first I have seen not tenting/foiling a good steak. Any explanation on that? Please. Plus I noticed cazzy ( who I will see Sat) and Griffin (who unfortunately I will not see Sat) joined you.

i stopped tenting turkeys years ago and the skin came out better so just stopped with the foil on everything, why waste the foil
almost think its bee engrained in us to tent with foil, that tday turkey will sit there resting and ill get asked 10 or so times by people if they can foil it. do they foil steaks at a restaurant, no, so why does everyone do it

Skiddymarker

@fishlessman - you have hit it. Foil is used by most of us in an effort to keep the food warm, and it does not do a great job of that given the thermal characteristics of foil. Restaurants have warming drawers/stations for both food and dinnerware. Lately, I've taken to using a toaster oven with a warm setting of about 130º for steaks and chops. Off the grill, into the little oven while everything else is being served. Meat stays warm until ready to serve.   

nolaegghead

I pull off a steak, I serve immediately and put on a wire rack to transport.  I want the outside to cool off fast so I keep the rise to a minimum. 

No top tier restaurants will use foil on their steaks.  If they're doing that, they aren't being run by a trained chef.

markopa

On Friday I've made 2 rib-eyes. Cooked them perfectly to medium rare. Couldn't ask for more. Crispy outside and tender, moist inside, but still that ocean of liquid in few minutes after resting. I juts couldn't imagine how juicy would have it been by keeping that liquid inside instead on the plate.

RRP

markopa said:

On Friday I've made 2 rib-eyes. Cooked them perfectly to medium rare. Couldn't ask for more. Crispy outside and tender, moist inside, but still that ocean of liquid in few minutes after resting. I juts couldn't imagine how juicy would have it been by keeping that liquid inside instead on the plate.

more juicy inside perhaps, but that juice is nothing but water that was in the meat cells and water has little taste - that's why I prefer dry aged beef which has an intense rich beefy taste by having lost that water.

markopa

You wouldn't believe it, but dry aging is something "unknown" in the country where I live. Aging in general is unknown. When you go to to he butcher and ask for how long has been aged you get a quick response in the sense "...oh no its fresh... don't worry".  Who needs fresh ?! I need it 20+ days old

Looks like the EU legislation prohibits vending of meat that has been at the butcher for more than 5 days. Go figure... and to my knowledge we have no companies that do dry aging as you have in the US.

So dry aging comes down to "home" dry aging. Something I have yet to experiment.

Thanks for all your feedback.

cazzy

nolaegghead said:

I pull off a steak, I serve immediately and put on a wire rack to transport.  I want the outside to cool off fast so I keep the rise to a minimum. 

No top tier restaurants will use foil on their steaks.  If they're doing that, they aren't being run by a trained chef.

That's how I have been rolling for some time now...wire rack is the way to do it @Mickey‌

I don't purposefully rest and you shouldn't either. It will happen naturally, so I don't add a 5-10 minute rest and ring the dinner bell. I pull the steaks, please them on a rack with garlic butter on each, set them on the dinner table and immediately call everyone over for dinner. By the time everyone gathers, gets their sides situated, and grabs their steak, there really is no need. If you rest, the steak will likely be off heat for nearly 15-20 minutes by the time your guest takes their first bite. What will your guests remember more, juices on their plate or a cold steak?

Mickey

Guys thank you. The stuff you learn here.

NibbleMeThis

The resting rack is where it's at. 

According to Rouxbe.com, which is an online cooking school, putting hot meat on a flat surface traps the heat between the two, effectively steaming that side of meat.  This in turn causes the structure of the meat to relax and open up, letting the juices flow.   Putting it up on a rack lets the air flow equally around it.  

After taking that class I tried two ribeyes cooked the same way and rested them with one on a plate and one on a rack.  The rack rested steak had a little over a third of the leaked juices compared to the plate rested.  Since then, I've always used the rack for resting steaks or roasts.

NDG

This is a great post, thanks.