resting your meat

Mainegg

Was talking grilling today with some people and they were a gassers... :pinch: sigh... but anyways they do not rest their meat before serving. I was very surprised and they said how great their steaks were sizzling right off the grill and all that normal stuff they think...I remember I did too... but I really would like them to try ours :evil: but I find in talking to people that a lot do not rest. I do have to admit that we did not pre-egg and I think some of how great meat is now is due a little to that and not the egg. blasphemy, I know LOL but it is such a big little thing I think. Did all of you rest before serving pre-egg or it is something you learned on here? I think it is one of the best Tips I have gotten on here for cooking. Julie

DrZaius

I tell you what, I have been resting meat for a few years now even before I gained an egg. I will admit though that there are times when we just did not wait. Resting produces a better meat in the end but by no means is it a deal breaker.

Richard Fl

By the time I get them off the BGE and let rest for 5-10 minutes and cut them, they are great. these were done this past Sunday.











Served:

Slick

I know this is the current thinking, and I do believe that it makes a little difference, but some of the best steaks I ever had were at a steak house in Springfield, Illinois. Their porterhouse would come out SIZZLING! Maybe it was just the presentation, but damn, they were good!

Slick

FlaPoolman

I thought you were gonna be talking dirty :laugh: I had never tried it before coming here and it does make a difference IMO. Tell Neil thank you very much for the apple chunks I've already used them for a few cooks.

Florida Grillin Girl

Julie, I have been watching food network since it came on the air. I remember the show "Grillin and Chillin" with Bobby Flay and some other BBQ guy and they cooked with 1 gas grill and 1 webber charcoal grill. They even filmed it right here, I think, in Clearwater!! They always said to let the meat rest after grilling, and I have been doing it since then. I think that was 1997 or so!!

Does anyone else remember that show??

Faith
Tampa, FL

Broc

I had heard of this, but hadn't done it before paying attention to posters on this site.

Now, the process has become "biblical!"

:laugh:

Gunnar

Yeah, I remember Grillin and Chillin. Who was the sidekick...Jack? Nice guy, but couldn't carry his part of the show.

And yes, I've been doing the rest very much pre-egg. The egg, lump, smoke, etc. still gets the credit for improved flavors.

Little Chef

Hi Julie! Yes, I have rested meat after cooking for many many years...probably something I picked up on Food Network way back when. Unfortunately for the folks with the gasser, sure, a sizzling steak looks beautiful, but I would venture to guess they have a full plate of all the juices within 5 minutes of cutting into the steak! (not beautiful...) The rest allows all those juices to settle back into the protein strands that hsve been contracted from the heat of cooking.
For us, resting is a mandatory step of the meal preparation! For ALL meats and poultry.
Take care!

Lake Conroe Egger

Yes, I do rest now, but I have to it subtrafusily. The minute the back door opens the family sits down and is ready to eat, so I take it off and tent it outside, rest it, then bring it in!

cookn biker

I've always rested. Just common knowlege I learned from the food service industry.
Molly

TXTriker

I learned it here.

WileECoyote

I learned about resting on this forum. Was skeptical but tried it and it does seem to be a slight improvement in most cases, however there are still a few times when the meat tastes better right off the grill or when resting seems to make no difference at all. Most of the time it is an improvement although not as big as the shift from a gasser to the egg. When I describe the gasser-to-egg conversion I use terms such as "life changing", "revolutionary", and "amazing". I would describe the benefits of resting meat as "helpful", "generally good", and "occasionally marginal".

The really bizarre part is that there are a few times when the food actually tastes a little better after I have refrigerated it and eaten it on the second day after reheating in the microwave. Most foods come out a little worse in this scenario but I have noticed a slight improvement on at least a few occasions. Maybe I am just odd...

Gator Bait

I think we have always let meat rest. I don't know when or how it started. Growing up my Mom was a very good cook and we raised our own Black Angus. There was also six of us to get to the table and we were never ready as soon as the meat was. With the BGE I am cooking for myself and by the time I have shut down the egg and put away the grilling gear the meat has had a chance to rest anyways.

Gator

BobS

I think that resting is important on big cuts of meat and when you are cutting the steak before you serve it.

For a regular ol' steak, I prefer it to still be sizzling when I cut in (especially since the inside is not over 120 to begin with) and have never found any problem having some nice steak juice on the plate. :P

I rest whole roast birds, but never pieces.